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Standards - Science

Science

Grade - 3
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 1. Scientists work as individuals and in groups; emphasizing evidence, open communication and skepticism.
Code Benchmark
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
3.1.1.1.1 Provide evidence to support claims, other than saying “Everyone knows that,” or “I just know,” and question such reasons when given by others.
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Grade - 3
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 1. Scientists work as individuals and in groups; emphasizing evidence, open communication and skepticism.
3.1.1.2.1 Generate questions that can be answered when scientific knowledge is combined with knowledge gained from one’s own observations or investigations. For example: Investigate the sounds • produced by striking various objects.
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3.1.1.2.3 Maintain a record of observations, procedures and explanations, being careful to distinguish between actual observations and ideas about what was observed. For example: Make a chart comparing observations about the structures of plants and animals.
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3.1.1.2.4 Construct reasonable explanations based on evidence collected from observations or experiments.
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Grade - 3
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 2. Men and women throughout the history of all cultures, including Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities, have been involved in engineering design and scientific inquiry.
3.1.3.2.1 Understand that everybody can use evidence to learn about the natural world, identify patterns in nature, and develop tools. For example: Ojibwe and Dakota knowledge and use of patterns in the stars to predict and plan.
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3.1.3.2.2 Recognize that the practice of science and/or engineering involves 3.1.3.2.2 many different kinds of work and engages men and women of all ages and backgrounds.
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Grade - 3
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 4. Tools and mathematics help scientists and engineers see more, measure more accurately, and do things that they could not otherwise accomplish.
3.1.3.4.1 Use tools, including rulers, thermometers, magnifiers and simple balance, to improve observations and keep a record of the observations made.
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Grade - 3
Strand - 4. Life Science
Substrand - 3. Evolution in Living Systems
Standard - 2. Offspring are generally similar to their parents, but may have variations that can be advantageous or disadvantageous in a particular environment.
3.4.3.2.2 Identify common groups of plants and animals using observable physical characteristics, structures and behaviors. For example: Sort animals into groups such as mammals and amphibians based on physical characteristics. Another example: Sort and identify common Minnesota trees based on leaf/needle characteristics.
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Grade - 4
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 2. The Practice of Engineering
Standard - 1. Engineers design, create, and develop structures, processes, and systems that are intended to improve society and may make humans more productive.
4.1.2.1.1 Describe the positive and negative impacts that the designed world has on the natural world as more and more engineered products and services are created and used.
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Grade - 4
Strand - 2. Physical Science
Substrand - 1. Matter
Standard - 1. Objects have observable properties that can be measured.
4.2.1.1.1 Measure temperature, volume, weight and length using appropriate tools and units.
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Grade - 4
Strand - 3. Earth Science
Substrand - 2. Interdependence within the Earth system
Standard - 3. Water circulates through the Earth’s crust, oceans and atmosphere in what is known as the water cycle.
4.3.2.3.1 Identify where water collects on Earth, including atmosphere, ground, and surface water, and describe how water moves through the Earth system using the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation.
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Grade - 5
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 1. Science is a way of knowing about the natural world, is done by individuals and groups, and is characterized by empirical criteria, logical argument and skeptical review.
5.1.1.1.1 Explain why evidence, clear communication, accurate record keeping, replication by others, and openness to scrutiny are essential parts of doing science.
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5.1.1.1.4 Understand that different models can be used to represent natural phenomena and these models have limitations about what they can explain. For example: Different kinds of maps of a region provide different information about the land surface.
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Grade - 5
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 2. Scientific inquiry requires identification of assumptions, use of critical and logical thinking, and consideration of alternative explanations.
5.1.1.2.1 Generate a scientific question and plan an appropriate scientific investigation, such as systematic observations, field studies, open-ended exploration or controlled experiments to answer the question.
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5.1.1.2.2 Identify and collect relevant evidence, make systematic observations and accurate measurements, and identify variables in a scientific investigation.
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Grade - 5
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 3. Interactions Among Science, Engineering, Technology and Society
Standard - 4. Tools and mathematics help scientists and engineers see more, measure more accurately, and do things that they could not otherwise accomplish.
5.1.3.4.1 Use appropriate tools and techniques in gathering, analyzing and interpreting data. For example: Spring scale, metric measurements, tables, mean/median/range, spreadsheets, and appropriate graphs.
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5.1.3.4.2 Create and analyze different kinds of maps of the student’s community and of Minnesota. For example: Weather maps, city maps, aerial photos, regional maps, or online map resources.
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Grade - 5
Strand - 3. Earth Science
Substrand - 4. Human Interactions with Earth Systems
Standard - 1. In order to maintain and improve their existence, humans interact with and influence Earth systems.
5.3.4.1.1 Identify renewable and nonrenewable energy and material resources that are found in Minnesota and describe how they are used. For example: Water, iron ore, granite, sand and gravel, wind, and forests.
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5.3.4.1.3 Compare the impact of individual decisions on natural systems. For example: Choosing paper or plastic bags impacts landfills as well as ocean life cycles.

Grade - 5
Strand - 4. Life Science
Substrand - 1. Structure and Function of Living Systems
Standard - 1. Living things are diverse with many different characteristics that enable them to grow, reproduce and survive.
5.4.1.1.1 Describe how plant and animal structures and their functions provide an advantage for survival in a given natural system. For example: Compare the physical characteristics of plants or animals from widely different environments, such as desert versus tropical, and explore how each has adapted to its environment.
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Grade - 5
Strand - 4. Life Science
Substrand - 2. Interdependence Among Living Systems
Standard - 1. Natural systems have many components that interact to maintain the living system
5.4.2.1.1 Describe a natural system in Minnesota, such as a wetland, prairie, or garden, in terms of the relationships among its living and nonliving parts, as well as inputs and outputs. For example: Design and construct a habitat for a living organism that meets its need for food, air and water.
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5.4.2.1.2 Explain what would happen to a system such as a wetland, prairie or garden if one of its parts were changed. For example: Investigate how road salt runoff affects plants, insects and other parts of an ecosystem. Another example: Investigate how an invasive species changes an ecosystem.
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Grade - 5
Strand - 4. Life Science
Substrand - 4. Human Interactions with Living Systems
Standard - 1. Humans change environments in ways that can be either beneficial or harmful to themselves and other organisms.
5.4.4.1.1 Give examples of beneficial and harmful human interaction with natural systems. For example: Recreation, pollution, wildlife management.
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Grade - 6
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 3. Interactions Among Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Society
Standard - 4. Current and emerging technologies have enabled humans to develop and use models to understand and communicate how natural and designed systems work and interact.
6.1.3.4.1 Determine and use appropriate safe procedures, tools, measurements, graphs, and mathematical analyses to describe and investigate natural and designed systems in a physical science context.
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6.1.3.4.2 Demonstrate the conversion of units within the International System of Units (SI, or metric) and estimate the magnitude of common objects and quantities using metric units.
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Grade - 7
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 2. Scientific inquiry uses multiple interrelated processes to investigate questions and propose explanations about the natural world.
7.1.1.2.1 Generate and refine a variety of scientific questions and match them with appropriate methods of investigation, such as field studies, controlled experiments, review of existing work, and development of models.
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7.1.1.2.3 Generate a scientific conclusion from an investigation, clearly distinguishing between results (evidence) and conclusions (explanation).
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Grade - 7
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 3. Interactions Among Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Society
Standard - 3. Current and emerging technologies have enabled humans to develop and use models to understand and communicate how natural and designed systems work and interact.
7.1.3.4.1 Use maps, satellite images and other data sets to describe patterns and make predictions about natural systems in a life science context. For example: Use online data sets to compare wildlife populations or water quality in regions of Minnesota.
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7.1.3.4.2 Determine and use appropriate safety procedures, tools, measurements, graphs and mathematical analyses to describe and investigate natural and designed systems in a life science context.
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Grade - 7
Strand - 4. Life Science
Substrand - 2. Interdependence Among Living Systems
Standard - 1. Natural systems include a variety of organisms that interact with one another in several ways.
7.4.2.1.1 Identify a variety of populations and communities in an ecosystem and describe the relationships among the populations and communities in a stable ecosystem.
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7.4.2.1.3 Explain how the number of populations an ecosystem can support depends on the biotic resources available as well as abiotic factors such as amount of light and water, temperature range and soil composition.
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Grade - 7
Strand - 4. Life Science
Substrand - 3. Evolution in Living Systems
Standard - 2. Individual organisms with certain traits in particular environments are more likely than others to survive and have offspring.
7.4.3.2.4 Recognize that extinction is a common event and it can occur when the environment changes and a population’s ability to adapt is insufficient to allow its survival.
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Grade - 7
Strand - 4. Life Science
Substrand - 4. Human Interactions with Living Systems
Standard - 1. Human activity can change living organisms and ecosystems.
7.4.4.1.2 Describe ways that human activities can change the populations and communities in an ecosystem.
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Grade - 8
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 1. The Practice of Science
Standard - 2. Scientific inquiry is a set of interrelated processes incorporating multiple approaches that are used to pose questions about the natural and engineered world and investigate phenomena.
8.1.1.2.1 Use logical reasoning and imagination to develop descriptions, explanations, predictions and models based on evidence.
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Grade - 8
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 3. Interactions Among Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Society
Standard - 3. Science and engineering operate in the context of society and both influence and are influenced by this context.
8.1.3.3.3 Provide examples of how advances in technology have impacted how people live, work and interact.
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Grade - 8
Strand - 1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
Substrand - 3. Interactions Among Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Society
Standard - 4. Current and emerging technologies have enabled humans to develop and use models to understand and communicate how natural and designed systems work and interact.
8.1.3.4.1 Use maps, satellite images and other data sets to describe patterns and make predictions about local and global systems in earth science contexts. For example: Use data or satellite images to identify locations of earthquakes and volcanoes, ocean surface temperatures, or weather patterns.
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8.1.3.4.2 Determine and use appropriate safety procedures, tools, measurements, graphs and mathematical analyses to describe and investigate natural and designed systems in earth and physical science contexts.
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Grade - 8
Strand - 3. Earth Science
Substrand - 2. Interdependence Within the Earth system
Standard - 2. Patterns of atmospheric movement influence global climate and local weather.
8.3.2.2.1 Describe how the composition and structure of the Earth’s atmosphere affects energy absorption, climate, and the distribution of particulates and gases. For example: Certain gases contribute to the greenhouse effect.
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8.3.2.2.3 Relate global weather patterns to patterns in regional and local weather.
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Grade - 8
Strand - 3. Earth Science
Substrand - 4. Human Interactions with Earth Systems
Standard - 1. In order to maintain and improve their existence humans interact with and influence Earth systems.
8.3.4.1.2 Recognize that land and water use practices affect natural processes and that natural processes interfere and interact with human systems. For example: Levees change the natural flooding process of a river. Another example: Agricultural runoff influences natural systems far from the source.
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