1. (a) Physical Science.
2. (1) Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions.
3. (A) Performance expectation 1. Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two objects in a system.
4. (i) Clarification Statement. Examples of practical problems could include the impact of collisions between two cars, between a car and stationary objects, and between a meteor and a space vehicle.
5. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment is limited to vertical or horizontal interactions in one dimension.
6. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Designing Solutions. Apply scientific principles to design an object, tool, process, or system.
7. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
8. (I) Forces and Motion. For any pair of interacting objects, the force exerted by the first object on the second object is equal in strength to the force that the second object exerts on the first, but in the opposite direction (Newton’s third law).
9. (II) Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World. The use of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions.
10. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Systems and System Models. Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions (such as inputs, processes, and outputs) and energy, matter, and information flows within the systems
11. (B) Performance expectation 2. Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
12. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on balanced (Newton’s First Law) and unbalanced forces in a system, qualitative comparisons of forces, mass and changes in motion (Newton’s Second Law); frame of reference; and specification of units. An increase in force can be caused by increasing the mass, the acceleration, or both the mass and acceleration of an object. An example of evidence could include reasoning from mathematical expressions (F=ma).
13. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment is limited to changing one variable at a time, and to one-dimensional forces and changes in motion in a steady, non-accelerating scenario. Assessment does not include the use of trigonometry.
14. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations. Plan an investigation individually and collaboratively; identify independent and dependent variables and controls, what tools are needed to do the gathering, how measurements will be recorded, and how much data is needed to support a claim.
15. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Forces and Motion.
16. (I) The motion of an object is determined by the sum of the forces acting on it; if the total force on the object is not zero its motion will change.
17. (II) The greater the mass of the object, the greater the force needed to achieve the same change in motion.
18. (III) For any given object, a larger force causes a larger change in motion.
19. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Stability and Change. Explanations of stability and change in natural or designed systems can be constructed by examining the changes over time and forces at different scales.
20. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence. Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.
21. (C) Performance expectation 3. Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces.
22. (i) Clarification Statement. Examples of devices that use electric and magnetic forces could include electromagnets, electric motors, or generators. Examples of data could include the effect of the number of turns of wire on the strength of an electromagnet, or the effect of increasing the number or strength of magnets on the speed of an electric motor.
23. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment about questions that require quantitative answers is limited to proportional reasoning and algebraic thinking. Assessment does not include Coulomb’s Law.
24. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Asking Questions. Ask questions that can be investigated within the scope of the classroom, outdoor environment, museums, and other public facilities with available resources and, when appropriate, frame a hypothesis based on observations and scientific principles.
25. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Types of Interactions. Electric and magnetic (electromagnetic) forces can be attractive or repulsive, and their sizes depend on the magnitudes of the charges, currents, or magnetic strengths involved and on the distances between the interacting objects.
26. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.
27. (D) Performance expectation 4. Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.
28. (i) Clarification Statement. Examples of evidence for arguments could include data generated from simulations or digital tools; and charts displaying mass, strength of interaction, distance from the Sun, and orbital periods of objects within the solar system.
29. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include Newton’s Law of Gravitation or Kepler’s Laws. Assessment should be focused on qualitative observations and data, or other quantitative data that does not require mathematical computations beyond basic central tendencies (e.g., mean, medium, mode).
30. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Engaging in Argument from Evidence. Construct and present oral and written arguments supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation or a model for a phenomenon or a solution to a problem.
31. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Types of Interactions.
32. (I) Gravitational forces are always attractive.
33. (II) There is a gravitational force between any two masses, but it is very small except when one or both of the objects have a large mass (e.g., Earth and the Sun).
34. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Systems and System Models. Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions (such as inputs, processes, and outputs) and energy and matter flows within systems.
35. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence. Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.
36. (E) Performance expectation 5. Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
37. (i) Clarification Statement. Examples of this phenomenon could include the interactions of magnets, electrically-charged strips of tape, and electrically charged balloons. Examples of investigations could include first-hand experiences or simulations.
38. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment is limited to electric and magnetic fields, and limited to qualitative evidence for the existence of fields.
39. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations. Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence that can meet the goals of the investigation.
40. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Types of Interactions. Forces that act at a distance (electric, magnetic, and gravitational) can be explained by fields that extend through space and can be mapped by their effect on a test object (a charged object or a ball, respectively).
41. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.
42. (2) Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer.
43. (A) Performance expectation 1. Use mathematical representations to describe patterns in a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave.
44. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on describing waves with both qualitative and quantitative thinking. Examples of qualitative thinking could include how frequency corresponds to sound pitch or how amplitude corresponds to sound volume. Examples of quantitative thinking could be that the energy of the wave is proportional to the square of the amplitude (e.g., if the height of a water wave is doubled, each wave will have four times the energy), or that the amount of energy transferred by waves in a given time is proportional to frequency (e.g., if twice as many water waves hit the shore each minute, then twice as much energy will be transferred to the shore).
45. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include electromagnetic waves and is limited to standard repeating waves.
46. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking. Use mathematical representation to describe and/or support scientific conclusions and design solutions.
47. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Wave Properties. A simple wave has a repeating pattern with a specific wavelength, frequency, and amplitude.
48. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Patterns. Graphs and charts can be used to identify patterns in data.
49. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence. Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.
50. (B) Performance expectation 2. Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals (sent as wave pulses) are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information.
51. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on a basic understanding that waves can be used for communication purposes. Examples could include using fiber optic cable to transmit light pulses, radio wave pulses in WIFI devices, and conversion of stored binary patterns to make sound or text on a computer screen. Examples of reliability in encoding could include transmitting digital information at a higher quality than analog signals (digital vs. analog photographs or videos, or digital vs. analog thermometer). Examples of reliability in transmission could include the degradation of an analog signal compared to a digital signal.
52. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include binary counting or the specific mechanism of any given device.
53. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Evidence. Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information in written text with that contained in media and visual displays to clarify claims and findings.
54. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
55. (I) Information Technologies and Instrumentation. Many modern communications devices use digitized signals (sent as wave pulses) as they are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information.
56. (II) Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World. Technologies extend the measurement, exploration, modeling, and computational capacity of scientific investigations.
57. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Structure and Function. Structures can be designed to serve particular functions by taking into account properties of different materials and how materials can be shaped and used.
58. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Science is a Human Endeavor. Advances in technology influence the progress of science, and science has influenced advances in technology.
59. (b) Life Science.
60. (1) From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes.
61. (A) Performance expectation 1. Use arguments based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants, respectively.
62. (i) Clarification Statement. Examples of behaviors that affect the probability of animal reproduction could include nest building to protect young from cold, herding of animals to protect young from predators, and vocalization of animals and colorful plumage to attract mates for breeding. Examples of animal behaviors that affect the probability of plant reproduction could include transferring pollen or seeds and creating conditions for seed germination and growth. Examples of plant structures could include bright flowers attracting butterflies that transfer pollen, flower nectar and odors that attract insects that transfer pollen, and hard shells on nuts that squirrels bury.
63. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment should not focus on the identification of the reproductive plant structures.
64. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Engaging in Argument from Evidence. Use an oral and written argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation or a model for phenomena.
65. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Growth and Development of Organisms.
66. (I) Animals engage in characteristic behaviors that increase the odds of reproduction.
67. (II) Plants reproduce in a variety of ways, sometimes depending on animal behavior and specialized features for reproduction.
68. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.
69. (B) Performance expectation 2. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
70. (i) Clarification Statement. Examples of local environmental conditions could include the availability of food, light, space, and water. Examples of genetic factors could include large breed cattle and species of grass affecting growth of organisms. Examples of evidence could include drought decreasing plant growth, fertilizer increasing plant growth, different varieties of plant seeds growing at different rates in different conditions, and fish growing larger in large ponds than they do in small ponds.
71. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms, gene regulation, or biochemical processes.
72. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Constructing Explanations. Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from sources (including the students’ own experiments) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
73. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Growth and Development of Organisms. Genetic factors, as well as local conditions, affect the growth of the adult plant.
74. (I) Plant growth can continue throughout the plant’s life through the production of plant matter in photosynthesis. Genetic factors, as well as local conditions, affect the size of the adult plant.
75. (II) The growth of an animal is controlled by genetic factors, food intake, and interactions with other organisms, and each species has a typical adult size range.
76. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.
77. (2) Heredity: Inheritance and Variation in Traits.
78. (A) Performance expectation 1. Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.
79. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on the conceptual understanding that changes in genetic material may result in making different proteins. Examples of scenarios could include radiation-treated plants, genetically modified organisms (e.g., roundup-resistant crops, bioluminescence), and both harmful and beneficial mutations.
80. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include specific changes at the molecular level, mechanisms for protein synthesis, or specific types of mutations.
81. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Developing and Using Models. Develop and/or use a model to describe unobservable mechanisms.
82. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
83. (I) Inheritance of Traits.

a. Genes are located in the chromosomes of cells, with each chromosome pair containing two variants of each of many distinct genes. Each distinct gene chiefly controls the production of specific proteins, which in turn affects the traits of the individual.

b. Changes (mutations) to genes can result in changes to proteins, which can affect the structures and functions of the organism and thereby change traits.

1. (II) Variation of Traits.

a. In addition to variations that arise from sexual reproduction, genetic information can be altered because of mutations.

b. Though rare, mutations may result in changes to the structure and function of proteins. Some changes are beneficial, others harmful, and some neutral to the organism.

1. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Structure and Function. Complex and microscopic structures and systems can be visualized, modeled, and used to describe how their function depends on the shapes, composition, and relationships among its parts; therefore, complex natural structures/systems can be analyzed to determine how they function.
2. (B) Performance expectation 2. Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.
3. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on using the results of models such as Punnett squares, diagrams, and simulations to describe the cause-and-effect relationship of gene transmission from parent(s) to offspring and resulting genetic variation. Examples of relationships could include the transfer of genetic information in the form of genes, the number of chromosomes of the offspring, the number of chromosomes of the parents, and the number of parents. Models could be used to describe a causal account for why sexual and asexual reproduction results in different amounts of genetic variation in offspring relative to their parents.
4. (ii) Assessment Boundary. The assessment should measure the students’ abilities to explain the general outcomes of sexual versus asexual reproduction in terms of variation seen in the offspring.
5. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Developing and Using Models. Develop and/or use a model to show the relationships among variables, including those that are not observable but predict observable phenomena.
6. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
7. (I) Growth and Development of Organisms. Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring.
8. (II) Inheritance of Traits. Variations of inherited traits between parent and offspring arise from genetic differences that result from the subset of chromosomes (and therefore genes) inherited.
9. (III) Variation of Traits. In sexually reproducing organisms, each parent contributes half of the genes acquired (at random) by the offspring. Individuals have two of each chromosome and hence two alleles of each gene, one acquired from each parent. These versions may be identical or may differ from each other.
10. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural systems.
11. (3) Biological Unity and Diversity.
12. (A) Performance expectation 1. Analyze and interpret data to identify patterns within the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth.
13. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on finding patterns of change in the complexity of anatomical structures in organisms and the chronological order of fossils’ appearance in the rock layers. The natural laws that operate today are assumed to operate as they have in the past.
14. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include the names of individual species or geological time scales in the fossil record.
15. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Analyze and Interpret Data. Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.
16. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity.
17. (I) Fossils are mineral replacements, preserved remains, or traces of organisms that lived in the past. Thousands of layers of sedimentary rock not only provide evidence of the history of Earth itself but also of changes in organisms whose fossil remains have been found in those layers.
18. (II) The collection of fossils and their placement in chronological order (e.g., through the location of the sedimentary layers in which they are found) is known as the fossil record. It documents the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of many life forms throughout the history of life on Earth.
19. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Patterns. Graphs and charts can be used to identify patterns in data.
20. (B) Performance expectation 2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the patterns of anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer ancestral relationships.
21. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on explanations of the ancestral relationships among organisms in terms of similarities or differences of anatomical features or structures. Examples could include how structural similarities/differences could determine relationships between two modern organisms (e.g., wings of birds vs. bats vs. insects) or modern and fossil organisms (e.g., fossilized horses compared to modern horses, trilobites compared to horseshoe crabs).
22. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include the names of individual species or geological eras in the fossil record.
23. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Constructing Explanations. Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence.
24. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity. Anatomical similarities and differences between various organisms living today and between them and organisms in the fossil record serve as evidence of ancestral relationships among organisms and changes in populations over time.
25. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Patterns. Graphs and charts can be used to identify patterns in data.
26. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems. Science assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observation.
27. (C) Performance expectation 3. Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.
28. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on inferring general patterns of relatedness among embryos of different organisms by comparing the macroscopic appearance in diagrams or pictures. Students could use patterns of similarities and changes in embryo development to describe evidence for relatedness among apparently diverse species, including similarities that are not evident in the fully formed anatomy (e.g., mammals and fish are more closely related than they appear to be based on their adult features, whales are related to land animals).
29. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment of comparisons is limited to gross appearance of anatomical structures in embryological development.
30. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Analyze and Interpret Data. Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.
31. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity. Comparison of embryological development of different species also reveals similarities that show relationships not evident in the fully-formed anatomy.
32. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Patterns. Graphs and charts can be used to identify patterns in data.
33. (D) Performance expectation 4. Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
34. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on using simple probability statements and proportional reasoning to construct explanations for why, in a specific environment impacted by different factors (e.g., limited food availability, predators, nesting site availability, light availability), some traits confer advantages that make it more probable that an organism will be able to survive and reproduce there.
35. (ii) Science and Engineering Practices. Constructing Explanations. Construct an explanation that includes qualitative or quantitative relationships between variables that predict and/or describe phenomena.
36. (iii) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Natural Selection. Natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population, and the suppression of others.
37. (iv) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.
38. (E) Performance expectation 5. Gather and synthesize information about the practices that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.
39. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on synthesizing information from reliable sources about the influence of humans on genetic outcomes in artificial selection (e.g., genetic modification, animal husbandry, and gene therapy) and on the impacts these practices have on society, as well as the technologies leading to these scientific discoveries.
40. (ii) Assessment Boundary. The assessment should provide evidence of students’ abilities to understand and communicate how technology affects both individuals and society.
41. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information. Gather, read, and synthesize information from multiple appropriate sources; assess the credibility, accuracy, and possible bias of each publication and method used; and describe how they are supported or not supported by evidence.
42. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
43. (I) Natural Selection. In artificial selection, humans have the capacity to influence certain characteristics of organisms by selective breeding. One can choose desired parental traits by genes, which are then passed onto offspring.
44. (II) Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology. Engineering advances have led to important discoveries in virtually every field of science, and scientific discoveries have led to the development of entire industries and engineered systems.
45. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.
46. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World. Scientific knowledge can describe the consequences of actions but does not necessarily prescribe the decisions that society takes.
47. (F) Performance expectation 6. Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
48. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on using mathematical models, probability statements, and proportional reasoning to support explanations of trends in changes to populations over time.
49. (ii) Assessment Boundary. The assessment should provide evidence of students’ abilities to explain trends in data for the number of individuals with specific traits changing over time. Assessment does not include Hardy Weinberg calculations.
50. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking. Use mathematical representation to describe and/or support scientific conclusions and design solutions.
51. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas. Adaptation.
52. (I) Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions.
53. (II) Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population change.
54. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Cause and Effect. Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.
55. (c) Earth and Space Science.
56. (1) Earth’s Place in the Universe.
57. (A) Performance expectation 1. Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and seasons.
58. (i) Clarification Statement. Earth’s rotation relative to the positions of the Moon and Sun describes the occurrence of tides; the revolution of Earth around the Sun explains the annual cycle of the apparent movement of the constellations in the night sky; the Moon’s revolution around Earth explains the cycle of spring/neap tides and the occurrence of eclipses; and the Moon’s elliptical orbit mostly explains the occurrence of total and annular eclipses. The position and tilt of Earth, as it revolves around the Sun, explain why seasons occur. Examples of models can be physical, graphical, or conceptual.
59. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Definitions of spring or neap tides should not be included.
60. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Developing and Using Models. Develop and use a model to show the relationships among variables.
61. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
62. (I) The Universe and Its Stars. Patterns of the apparent motion of the Sun, Moon, and stars in the sky can be observed, described, predicted, and explained with models.
63. (II) Earth and the Solar System.

a. The model of the solar system can explain eclipses of the Sun and Moon.

b. Earth’s spin axis is fixed in direction over the short term but tilted relative to its orbit around the Sun. The seasons are a result of its tilt and are caused by the differential intensity of sunlight on different areas of Earth across the year.

1. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Patterns. Patterns can be used to identify cause and effect relationships.
2. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems. Science assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observations.
3. (B) Performance expectation 2. Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.
4. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis for the model is on the effects of gravity and inertia as the forces that hold together the solar system and Milky Way Galaxy, and control orbital motions within them. Examples of models can be physical (e.g., the analogy of distance along a football field or computer visualizations of elliptical orbits) or conceptual (e.g., mathematical proportions relative to the size of familiar objects such as a school or state). Components of student models could include gravity, our own solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and/or other galaxies in the universe.
5. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include Kepler’s Laws of orbital motion or the apparent retrograde motion of the planets as viewed from Earth.
6. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Developing and Using Models. Develop and use a model to show the relationships among variables.
7. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
8. (I) The Universe and Its Stars. Earth and its solar system are part of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is one of the many galaxies in the universe.
9. (II) Earth and the Solar System.

a. The solar system consists of the Sun and a collection of objects, including planets, their moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the Sun by its gravitational pull on them.

b. The solar system appears to have formed from a disk of dust and gas drawn together by gravity.

1. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Systems and System Models. Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions.
2. (vi) Connections to Scientific Literacy. Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems. Science assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observation.
3. (C) Performance expectation 3. Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
4. (i) Clarification Statement. Emphasis is on the analysis of data from Earth-based instruments, space-based telescopes, and spacecraft to determine similarities and differences among solar system objects. Examples of scale properties include the sizes of an object’s layers (e.g., crust and atmosphere), surface features (e.g., volcanoes), and orbital radius. Examples of data include statistical information, drawings, photographs, and models.
5. (ii) Assessment Boundary. Assessment emphasis is on data analysis of properties of the planets and should not include recalling facts about the planets and other solar system bodies.
6. (iii) Science and Engineering Practices. Analyzing and Interpreting Data. Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.
7. (iv) Disciplinary Core Ideas.
8. (I) Earth and the Solar System. The solar system consists of the Sun and a collection of objects, including planets, their moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the Sun by its gravitational pull on them.
9. (II) Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology. Engineering advances have led to important discoveries in virtually every field of science, and scientific discoveries have led to the development of entire industries and engineered systems.
10. (v) Crosscutting Concepts. Scale, Proportion, and Quantity. Time, space, and energy phenomena can be observed at various scales using models to study systems that are too large or too small.

Added at 20 Ok Reg 159, eff 10-10-02 (emergency)

Added at 20 Ok Reg 821, eff 5-15-03

Amended at 22 Ok Reg 1822, eff 6-25-05

Amended at 28 Ok Reg 2264, eff 7-25-11

Amended at 31 Ok Reg 1195, eff 9-12-14

Amended at 38 Ok Reg 1754, eff 9-11-21

Amended at 42 Ok Reg, Number 21, effective 7-26-25