High School

Physical

Life

Earth and Space  

Matter and Its Interactions

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Energy

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Earth's Place in the Universe

Earth's Systems

Earth and Human Activity

Structure and Properties of Matter

Forces and Motion

Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer

Wave Properties

Structure and Function

Growth and Development of Organisms

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Variation of Traits

Adaptation

Earth and the Solar System

Earth's Materials and Systems

Weather and Climate 

Natural Resources

Human Impacts on Earth Systems

Target Level: Make a claim supported by evidence to explain patterns of chemical properties that occur in a substance during a common chemical reaction (e.g., baking soda and vinegar).

Precursor Level: Identify the changes that have occurred during a chemical reaction (e.g., metal-rust, paper-burn).

Initial Level: Recognize that a change has occurred during a chemical reaction.

Target Level: Evaluate the effectiveness of safety devices and design a solution that could minimize the force of a collision.

Precursor Level: Use data to compare the effectiveness of safety devices to determine which best minimizes the force of a collision.  

Initial Level: Identify safety equipment devices that minimize force of a collision (e.g., floor mats, helmets, or steel-toed boots).

Target Level: Investigate and predict the temperatures of two liquids before and after combining to show uniform energy distribution.

Precursor Level: Compare the temperatures of two liquids of different temperatures before and after combining. 

Initial Level: Compare relative difference in temperature (warmth, coldness) of two liquids.  

Target Level: Make a claim supported by evidence that shows how some devices use light and sound waves to transmit and capture information.

Precursor Level: Identify common devices which use light or sound waves to transmit information.  

Initial Level: Identify how common technological devices are used for different purposes.  

Target Level: Use a model to illustrate the organization and interaction of major organs into systems (e.g., circulatory, respiratory, digestive, sensory) in the body to provide specific functions.

Precursor Level: Identify which organs work for a specific function.

Initial Level: Recognize that different organs have different functions.

Target Level: Use a model to illustrate how growth occurs when cells multiply. 

Precursor Level: Use a model to relate the number of cells to the size of a body.  

Initial Level: Recognize that organisms are composed of cells. 

Target Level: Use a graphical representation to explain the dependence of an animal population on other organisms for food and their environment for shelter. 

Precursor Level: Recognize the relationship between population size and available resources for food and shelter from a graphical representation. 

Initial Level: Identify food and shelter needs for familiar wildlife.  

Target Level: Defend why reproduction may or may not result in offspring with different traits. 

Precursor Level: Make a claim supported by evidence that parents and offspring may have different traits.

Initial Level: Compare traits of parents and offspring. 

Target Level: Explain how the traits of particular species allow them to survive in their specific environments. 

Precursor Level: Identify factors in an environment that require special traits to survive. 

Initial Level: Match particular species to their various environments. 

Target Level: Use a model of Earth and the Sun to show how Earth's tilt and orbit around the Sun cause changes in seasons.

Precursor Level: Use a model of Earth and sun to show how Earth’s positions in its orbit around the Sun correspond with the four seasons.  

Initial Level: Identify characteristics of the seasons. 

Target Level: Use a model to show how constructive forces (e.g., volcanoes) and destructive mechanisms (e.g., weathering, coastal erosions) change Earth's surface.

Precursor Level: Recognize if processes that change Earth's surface are constructive or destructive. 

Initial Level: Recognize changes (e.g., mountain formation, erosion, and glacial changes) that occurred on Earth's surface.

Target Level: Using a model, recognize how the effects of changes in climate can impact human lives. 

Precursor Level: Recognize climate changes have occurred (e.g., a change in average temperature, precipitation patterns, glacial ice volumes, sea levels).

Initial Level: Recognize the differences between geographical climates (e.g., Minnesota versus Florida, desert versus rainforest). 

Target Level: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural hazards have influenced human activity.

Precursor Level: Recognize how natural hazards (e.g., floods, earthquakes, tornadoes) influence human activity.  

Initial Level: Recognize characteristics of natural hazards (e.g., floods, earthquakes, tornadoes). 

Target Level: Construct an argument for a strategy to conserve, recycle, or reuse resources.

Precursor Level: Describe the factors that would favor one strategy to conserve, recycle, or reuse resources over another. 

Initial Level: Recognize strategies to manage objects (e.g., dispose, repurpose, or recycle). 

Target Level: Analyze data to determine the effects of a conservation strategy on the level of a natural resource.

Precursor Level: Organize data on the effects of conservation strategies (e.g., using less energy, using rechargeable batteries, recycling or repurposing materials).  

Initial Level: Gather data on the effects of a local (e.g., class or school-wide) conservation strategy.