Why Do Bird Beaks Look Different?

1. Topic: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
2. DCI: Structure and Function
1. Plants and animals have both internal and external structures that serve various functions in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction. (4-LS1-1)

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A Unit Developed by Kristy Weiss, Summer 2018 and modified by Dr. Chris Shively, Summer 2019

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(1.) Lesson 1 - Students Ask Questions
(2.) Lesson 2 - Students Discuss Questions
(3.) Lesson 3 - Students Make Observations
(4.) Lesson 4 - Students Build a Model
(5.) Lesson 5 - Students Revise Their Model

NGSS Crosscutting Concepts - Organized by Grade Level

1. PATTERNS 
1. Grades K -2
1. Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed, used to describe phenomena, and used as evidence.
2. Grades 3 - 5
1. Patterns of change can be used to make predictions. 
2. Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort and classify natural phenomena and designed products. 
3. Patterns can be used as evidence to support an explanation.
4. Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort, classify, communicate and analyze simple rates of change for natural phenomena.
2. CAUSE AND EFFECT
1. Grades K - 2
1. Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student ideas about causes.
2. Events have causes that generate observable patterns. 
2. Grades 3 - 5 
1. Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change. 
3. SCALE, PROPORTION, AND QUANTITY 
1. Grades 3 - 5
1. Observable phenomena exist from very short to very long time periods.
2. Natural objects exist from the very small to the immensely large.
3. Standard units are used to measure and describe physical quantities such as weight, time, temperature, and volume. 
4. SYSTEMS AND SYSTEM MODELS 
1. Grades K - 2
1. Systems in the natural and designed world have parts that work together.
2. Grades 3 - 5
1. A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. 
2. Observable phenomena exist from very short to very long time periods.
5. ENERGY AND MATTER
1. Grades K - 2
1. Objects may break into smaller pieces and be put together into larger pieces, or change shapes. 
2. Grades 3 - 5 
1. Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects. 
2. Matter is transported into, out of, and within systems. 
6. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
1. Grades K - 2
1. The shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their function(s).
7. STABILITY AND CHANGE
1. Grades K - 2
1. Things may change slowly or rapidly.
8. INTERDEPENDENCE OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY 
1. Grades K - 2
1. People encounter questions about the natural world every day. 
2. Grades 3 - 5
1. Scientific discoveries about the natural world can often lead to new and improved technologies, which are developed through the engineering design process.
2. Knowledge of relevant scientific concepts and research findings is important in engineering.
9. INFLUENCE OF ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY, AND SCIENCE ON SOCIETY AND THE NATURAL WORLD 
1. Grades K - 2
1. People depend on various technologies in their lives; human life would be very different without technology.
2. Every human-made product is designed by applying some knowledge of the natural world and is built using materials derived from the natural world. 
3. Developing and using technology has impacts on the natural world. 
2. Grades 3 - 5
   1. Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits (e.g., better artificial limbs), decrease known risks (e.g., seatbelts in cars), and meet societal demands (e.g., cell phones).
   2. Over time, people’s needs and wants change, as do their demands for new and improved technologies. 

Poster: Engineering Social Processes in a 5th Grade STEM Unit

By the end of 5th grade, students should have "used tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light to solve the problem of communicating over a distance" (Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) performance expectation: 1-PS4-4). Since the NGSS have not been adopted in New York State, 5th grade students have not had an opportunity to meet this expectation. In the 2015 - 2016 academic year, Buffalo State teacher candidates and their science methods professor designed a STEM unit for 5th graders that focused on that performance expectation. The STEM unit was co-taught by the science methods professor and 5th grade teacher at one of Buffalo State College’s Professional Development School. Fifth grade students used "squishy circuits" (Johnson & Thomas, 2010), ideas from the Navajo Code Talkers and a modified ASCII code to communicate with each other using light. Students were able to encode, send, receive and decode a message over a distance with light during their initial investigation, but were not able to communicate only with light. In order for the students to eliminate talking, they discovered that they had to engineer social processes with the squishy circuits. This poster describes their solution.

Projectile Motion - Studying Physics

NGSS Practice: Describe, measure, estimate, and/or graph quantities (e.g., area, volume, weight, time) to address a scientific question. [1]

Question: At what angle do have to set the cannon in order to hit the target?

Structured Inquiry Directions:

1. Do NOT change the height of the pedestal canon.
2. Do NOT move the target
3. Change the angle of the cannon until the cannonball hits the target when fired.

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[1] - Grades 3-5 (Extend quantitative measurements to a variety of physical properties and using computation and mathematics to analyze data and compare alternative design solutions.)

Mapping NGSS Science Practices to PhET Science Simulations

Science Investigations that can be done in 10 - 20 minutes with K - 6 students.

1. Resistance in a Wire - Studying Physics
1. NGSS Practice: Make observations to collect data that can be used to make comparisons.
2. Question: What is the relationship between length and resistance in a wire?
2. Forces and Motion - Studying Physics
1. NGSS Practice: Record information (observations, thoughts, and ideas).
2. Question: What happened? (use the word force in your answer)
3. Projectile Motion - Studying Physics
1. NGSS Practice: Describe, measure, estimate, and/or graph quantities (e.g., area, volume, weight, time) to address a scientific question.
2. Question: At what angle do have to set the cannon in order to hit the target?