Science and Engineering Practices

Students benefit from using the science and engineering practices in many different ways. These practices help support students learning needs and objectives. They assure that students are going to learn the objectives by engaging, making investigations/ predictions, analyzing and evaluating throughout the lesson.

There are eight different practices that can be found right here! These practices are for grade K-12. These practices grow on top of each other throughout the years starting in Kindergarten. They are also aligned with the Science and Technology Engineering Framework. These standards can be found right here! The framework and practices work in a sequences throughout the years. Students need to build on these throughout the years so they can successfully move onto the next step in the sequence.

Standard: PS1. Matter and Its Interactions K-PS1-1(MA). Investigate and communicate the idea that different kinds of materials can be solid or liquid depending on temperature.

NGSS: Practice 1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems. Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Explanation: This natural phenomena was taken at the Delaney School. n this photo we can see that there are large icicles hanging from our school. Today while I was observing the icicles with the students, we noticed water was dripping from the tips of the icicles. The sun was out today which made the temperature feel warmer than it was. The icicles are in a solid stage but since it was so warmer it was turning into a liquid. This natural phenomena can create many different conversations within a classroom where students can observe, investigate and predict what will happen the next day. Will the icicles be smaller, larger or the same size? Will we see water dripping from the tip of the icicles? Will the weather tomorrow affect how the icicles will change? Students can keep track of the temperature each day until the icicles disappear. They can even predict what will happen over the weekend.

Standard: K-LS1-2(MA). Recognize that all plants and animals grow and change over time.

NGSS: Practice 1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems. Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Explanation: Students can play a matching game of baby animals and their mothers. They can discuss how animals grow and change over time by looking at the pictures. The students can make a chart with the teacher about the observations they have made. They can add onto this chart throughout the unit discussing how animal grow and change over time. This activity will help the students to start thinking about the physical changes that happen to baby animals as they grow into adults. This will lead to how they change in their habitat, how they survive and adaptations.

Click here for the matching game or make your own by using REAL pictures of baby animals and their mothers.