This unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs):

• 2-LS4-1 Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
• 2-ESS2-3 Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.
• 2-ESS2-2: Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.

This unit builds towards the following Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs):

LS4.D.1: Biodiversity and Humans

• There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions

• Maps show where things are located. One can map the shapes and kinds of land and water in any area.

ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Process

• Water is found in the ocean, rivers, lakes, and ponds. Water exists as solid ice and in liquid form.

PS1.A Structure and Properties of Matter

• Different kinds of matter exist, and many of them can be either solid or liquid, depending on temperature. Matter can be described and classified by its observable properties.

This unit intentionally develops students’ engagement in these practice elements:

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

• Make observations (firsthand or from media) and/or measurements to collect data that can be used to make comparisons (INV-P4).

Developing and Using Models

• Develop and/or use a model to represent amounts, relationships, relative scales (bigger, smaller), and/or patterns in the natural and designed world(s) (MOD-P3).

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

• Obtain information using various texts, text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons), and other media that will be useful in answering a scientific question and/or supporting a scientific claim (INFO-P3).

In this unit, there are opportunities to practice the following Science and Engineering Practices:

• Asking Questions and Defining Problems
• Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This unit intentionally develops students’ engagement in these Crosscutting Concepts:

Patterns

• Patterns in the natural and human-designed world can be observed, used to describe phenomena, and used as evidence (PAT-P1).

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

• Relative scales allow objects and events to be compared and described (e.g., bigger and smaller; hotter and colder; faster and slower) (PSPQ-P1).

In this unit, there are opportunities to practice the following Crosscutting Concepts:

• Systems and Systems Models

This unit makes these connections to the Nature of Science:

• Science investigations begin with a question.
• Scientists look for patterns and order when making observations about the world.
• Scientists use different ways to study the world.
• Scientists use drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas.
• People of diverse backgrounds are scientists and engineers.

The anchoring phenomenon for this unit is a puzzling pattern students observe through their experiences encountering plants and animals in places that are different from each other. In Lesson 1, students have an opportunity to make and record observations of plants and animals and the places they live including students’ own school and national parks through sound clips and images. This phenomenon was chosen as the unit anchor for the following reasons:

• The phenomenon was chosen for its place-based accessibility for young children to experience and wonder within their own schoolyard and with guided support as they observe places beyond their community.
• The anchor lesson was tested with second grade classrooms in different locations around the country to determine students’ engagement, interest, and connections with the world around them.
• A pattern of events (being able to encounter plants and/or animals) in different places supported the generation of student questions that provided an authentic context to build a storyline aligned with the science ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts in the NGSS Performance Expectation bundle for this unit.

This unit is composed of 2 lesson sets, summarized in the tables that follow.

The goal of integrating literacy within OpenSciEd units is to offer opportunities for practicing reading, writing, speaking, and listening to support science learning. Literacy is fundamental to science because reading, writing, speaking, and listening are the primary means for students to understand and communicate their science ideas. Students use oral (speaking, listening) and written (reading, writing) language to communicate their science ideas and to support their ongoing science sensemaking. Literacy integration throughout the program also helps students learn how to use their oral and written language in a way that mirrors the work of scientists and engineers. The tables below explain the different types of books and texts that students will engage with across the unit to support their sensemaking.

ELA standards are also integrated throughout the unit to highlight the link between literacy and science for teachers and students. Many ELA standards are incorporated into lessons as needed for specific science learning objectives, and teacher guides for those lessons include explicit support for teachers and/or students around connecting to those standards (e.g., L.2.1B in Lesson 1). See the Unit Connections to the Common Core Standards matrix for details about where these specific ELA connection standards happen and how they are used to support the science work in those lessons. These standards are indicated on that matrix with an asterisk (✱)

The goal of integrating mathematics in the OpenSciEd units is to build a strong base of knowledge to reinforce and strengthen science learning. Mathematics integration is intentional – to help the storyline along, clarify pieces of the puzzle students are figuring out, or provide students with tools to highlight, analyze, model, and interpret important patterns in the data they are exploring. Mathematical practices (MP2 and MP6), along with crosscutting concepts, are employed throughout the unit to develop student understanding of science ideas and deepen science practices. In this unit, students will observe the variety of plants and animals in different areas to make sense of biodiversity and use shapes to describe and draw different kinds of land and water. In Lessons 1 and 6, students will count the number of living things when exploring their schoolyard, and then use exact quantities or comparison language (part of 2.NBT.A.2) to describe their observations. As students make sense of different shapes and kinds of land in an area in Lesson 2, the shapes Shapes Tool handout is available as a reference to support students in recognizing and drawing land using more familiar shapes, such as triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, and hexagons (2.G.A.1). Additionally, students will recognize and draw regular and irregular shapes in 2- and 3-dimensions (2.G.A.1) as they construct maps of an area of the national park they research. See the Teacher Handbook for additional teacher questions, support, and differentiation options. 

Math standards are incorporated into lessons as needed for specific science learning objectives, and teacher guides for those lessons include explicit support for teachers and/or students around connecting to those standards. See the Unit Connections to the Common Core Standards matrix for details about where these specific math standard connections happen and how they are used to support the science work in those lessons. These standards are indicated on that matrix with an asterisk (✱).

• Samantha Richar, Unit Lead & Writer, Michigan State University
• Jamie Deutch Noll, Field Test Lead, BSCS Science Learning
• Amanda Dahl, Text Development Lead, Michigan State University
• Rachel Cox, Writer, Independent Consultant
• Allison Greenberg, Writer, Independent Consultant
• Dani Huels, Writer, Michigan State University
• Katie Kipp Dohm, Writer, Independent Consultant
• Emily Mihocko-Bowling, Writer, Independent Consultant
• William Wright, Writer, Independent Consultant
• Letty Garza, CLS Unit Support, The University of Texas at Austin
• Aristotle Ou, Math & CLS Unit Support, The University of Texas at Austin
• Alexandrea A. Peña, UDL Unit Support, The University of Texas at Austin
• Christie Morrison Thomas, Assessment Team Support, Michigan State University
• Amelia Wenk Gotwals, Coherence Reviewer, Michigan State University
• Katy Fattaleh, M.Ed., Coherence Reviewer, Independent Consultant
• Steve Bennett, Ph.D., Science Consultant, Michigan State University
• Whitney Mills, PL Designer, BSCS Science Learning

• Gen Zoufal, Project Manager, Northwestern University
• Lauren Rollins, Copy Editor, Independent Consultant
• Chris Moraine, Graphic Designer, BSCS Science Learning
• Kelsey Edwards, Production Support, Northwestern University
• Ken Roy, Safety Consultant, National Safety Consultants, LLC

An integral component of OpenSciEd’s development process is external validation of alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards by the NSTA using the EQuIP Rubric for Science. We are proud that this unit has earned the highest score and rating available and has been awarded the NSTA NGSS 3D Design Badge. You can find additional information and read this unit’s review on NSTA’s website.