K-5 Science: New and Improved Essential Question Units and Resources

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For those who have previously discovered this resource, we would like to direct you to a new and improved version that now adds curated and freely available  informational "texts" (articles, passages, e-books, videos, podcasts) to support every NGSS Performance Expectation (standard) in grades K-5. This is to support elementary teachers with designing for learning that integrates science and literacy.  Click "View Resource" above for the link.This adds an additional layer to the previous resource that listed freely available activities, lessons, units, and whole-year curricula for every K-5 NGSS Performance Expectation.Please email kimberley.astle@k12.wa.us at OSPI Elementary Science with feedback and questions.  

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Homework/Assignment, Textbook, Unit of Study

Author: Kimberley Astle

Unit K.1: Energy: Sunlight

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Have you ever wondered why some surfaces outside are hot and others are less hot? This unit begins with a shared experience of observing how surfaces feel hot and less hot outside around the schoolyard. Then students make and record observations of different surfaces in different places in their schoolyard. Students identify the problem that blacktop can get too hot and be uncomfortable to play on. They brainstorm solutions to this problem, draw design solutions, and collaboratively build and test their designs. Students end the unit by creating a class consensus design based on their comparisons of the design features and materials that worked best to prevent the blacktop from getting too hot. OpenSciEd curriculum promotes deep and engaging science learning, and it is freely accessible to all. As an Open Educational Resource (OER), we encourage teachers to adapt, transform, and build upon OpenSciEd materials, allowing them to cater to the specific requirements of their classrooms. To view other elementary units, please visit: https://www.openscied.org/curriculum/elementary-school/explore-the-curriculum/

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Jamie Rumage, OpenSciEd

Unit 1.1: Waves: Light

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Have you ever wanted to read, but it was too dark? Have you ever been reading under covers and been told to turn off the lights? This unit begins with a shared experience of trying to read in the dark under covers made of different materials. Students plan and carry out investigations together to produce evidence that can answer their questions about the phenomenon. Through these investigations, students gather data about how transparent, translucent, opaque, and reflective materials cause light to pass through, be blocked, or change direction. As the unit progresses, students use a new model to explain how they can successfully read under covers that block light. At the end of the unit, students apply these ideas to write an informational text to communicate information about reading under covers to members of their community. OpenSciEd curriculum promotes deep and engaging science learning, and it is freely accessible to all. As an Open Educational Resource (OER), we encourage teachers to adapt, transform, and build upon OpenSciEd materials, allowing them to cater to the specific requirements of their classrooms. To view other elementary units, please visit: https://www.openscied.org/curriculum/elementary-school/explore-the-curriculum/

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Jamie Rumage, OpenSciEd

Unit 2.1: Earth: Land Changing Shape

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Land is on the move and people and animals aren’t moving it! At the beginning of this unit, students engage with a puzzling news story about land changing shape, and people and animals don’t seem to be causing these changes. Students try to figure out how this land could be changing shape, and inquire with their communities and families to find examples of this happening around them. Through a series of investigations and community examples, students learn about how wind and water can change the shape of the land over various timescales. Once students have figured out how the land is changing shape, they work to solve a land change problem in their communities. Students act as engineers to design and test a solution. They compare designs and determine what solution would be most effective. OpenSciEd curriculum promotes deep and engaging science learning, and it is freely accessible to all. As an Open Educational Resource (OER), we encourage teachers to adapt, transform, and build upon OpenSciEd materials, allowing them to cater to the specific requirements of their classrooms. To view other elementary units, please visit: https://www.openscied.org/curriculum/elementary-school/explore-the-curriculum/

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Jamie Rumage, OpenSciEd

Grade 2 - Seeds, Scat, and Habitat

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Portland Public Schools has developed this unit. Their hope is that ALL K-5 students will be able to access rigorous, standards-aligned science instruction that engages them in hands-on experiences and sense-making through student discourse. They want to encourage all students to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners. To that end, the science and ESL departments at Portland Public Schools, in consultation with NGSS writer Rita Januszyk, have developed units that are aligned with both Next Generation Science Standards and Oregon’s English Language Proficiency standards. In this unit, students investigate connections between plants and animals after observing a photo of a mysterious object (scat) and create a model that is continuously revised throughout the unit. Students observe plants growing and learn about pollination and seed dispersal, then engineer a hand pollinator. Language focus is on cause and effect, patterns, and making claims.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Geoff Stonecipher, Jamie Rumage, Jennifer Mayo, Jennifer Scherzinger, Kate Yocum, Rita Januszyk, Susan Holveck

Kindergarten - Engineering a Game Solution

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Portland Public Schools has developed this unit. Their hope is that ALL K-5 students will be able to access rigorous, standards-aligned science instruction that engages them in hands-on experiences and sense-making through student discourse. They want to encourage all students to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners. To that end, the science and ESL departments at Portland Public Schools, in consultation with NGSS writer Rita Januszyk, have developed units that are aligned with both Next Generation Science Standards and Oregon’s English Language Proficiency standards. Throughout this unit, students test pushes and pulls. They apply their understanding of forces to solve an engineering problem to design a game that requires players to move their tennis ball within given rules.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Geoff Stonecipher, Jamie Rumage, Jennifer Mayo, Jennifer Scherzinger, Kate Yocum, Rita Januszyk, Susan Holveck

Grade 1 - Patterns in Our Sky

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Portland Public Schools has developed this unit. Their hope is that ALL K-5 students will be able to access rigorous, standards-aligned science instruction that engages them in hands-on experiences and sense-making through student discourse. They want to encourage all students to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners. To that end, the science and ESL departments at Portland Public Schools, in consultation with NGSS writer Rita Januszyk, have developed units that are aligned with both Next Generation Science Standards and Oregon’s English Language Proficiency standards. In this unit, students observe patterns of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky and learn that patterns in data can be used to make predictions. Students also relate the amount of sunlight to seasons, and lengths of day and night.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Geoff Stonecipher, Jamie Rumage, Jennifer Mayo, Jennifer Scherzinger, Kate Yocum, Rita Januszky, Susan Holveck

Grade 2 - Properties and Purpose

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Portland Public Schools has developed this unit. Their hope is that ALL K-5 students will be able to access rigorous, standards-aligned science instruction that engages them in hands-on experiences and sense-making through student discourse. They want to encourage all students to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners. To that end, the science and ESL departments at Portland Public Schools, in consultation with NGSS writer Rita Januszyk, have developed units that are aligned with both Next Generation Science Standards and Oregon’s English Language Proficiency standards. In this unit, students observe glass objects, identify properties of glass and other materials, and investigate changes of materials when they are heated or cooled. They test materials to choose one to best solve an engineering problem with water bottles.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Geoff Stonecipher, Jamie Rumage, Jennifer Mayo, Jennifer Scherzinger, Kate Yocum, Rita Januszky, Susan Holveck

Using Your Schoolyard (for K-2 Educators)

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Incorporating your schoolyard into your classroom can be a powerful tool for making learning meaningful and engaging for your students. Local and relevant phenomena can engage your student’s prior understandings, better connect to their interests and identities, and help in draw in students who don’t see science, reading or writing connecting to their lives.  This online course is a series of professional development workshops for Early Elementary (K-2) educators, developed by IslandWood with funding from the OSPI ClimeTime Grant. A slide deck and accompanying handouts supplement the course outline for a complete picture. 

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Full Course, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: Brad Street