Elaborate the CCCs

Scale Proportion and Quantity

Systems and System Models

Patterns

Cause and Effect

Energy and Matter

Structure and Function

Stability and Change

CCC :

Cause and Effect

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Definition

What it looks like in a science classroom:

Examples

Visual Representation

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• Introducing non-native species (cause) can disrupt the balance of an ecosystem (effect).
• Roots grow downward (effect) because of gravity (cause).
• Shape causes the rattleback to spin in one direction yet wobble in the other?
• Increasing CO2 emissions help cause increasing global temperatures

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• Primary: Students brainstorm causes by identifying patterns
• Elementary: Students learn to identify true cause and effect scenarios through testing and use them to help explain changes.
• Middle: Students formulate multiple cause/effect relationships to make predictions
• High: Students use cause/effect relationships to make claims and to explain phenomena. Effects may have multiple causes and make contribute to the effect in different degrees.

Cause and effect means understanding why something happens. We naturally want to know the reason behind events. In science, it helps us explain what causes what. In engineering, it helps us design things by controlling causes to get specific results

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• Cause and effect means understanding why something happens. We naturally want to know the reason behind events. In science, it helps us explain what causes what. In engineering, it helps us design things by controlling causes to get specific results
• Detailing chain of interactions between cause and effect
• Mechanism and explanation. Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted. A major activity of science is investigating and explaining causal relationships and the mechanisms by which they are mediated. Such mechanisms can then be tested across given contexts and used to predict and explain events in new contexts.

Definition/Summary

I like the emph

What it looks like in a science classroom:

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Early elementary - focus is on identifying patterns

Upper elementary - begin to explain patterns through cause and effect relationships

Middle school - begin understand the underlying mechanisms of cause and effect relationships

High school - differentiate between cause and correlation by conducting deeper analyses

Grades 3-5

Students routinely

identify and test causal

relationships and use

these relationships to

explain change. They

understand events that

occur together with

regularity might or might

not signify a cause and

effect relationship.

Grades 6-8

Students classify relationships as

causal or correlational, and rec-

ognize that correlation does not

necessarily imply causation. They

use cause and effect relationships

to predict phenomena in natu-

ral or designed systems. They

also understand that phenomena

may have more than one cause,

and some cause and effect rela-

tionships in systems can only be

described using probability.

Grades 9-12

Students understand that empirical evi-

dence is required to differentiate between

cause and correlation and to make claims

about specific causes and effects. They

suggest cause and effect relationships

to explain and predict behaviors in com-

plex natural and designed systems. They

also propose causal relationships by exam-

ining what is known about smaller scale

mechanisms within the system. They recog-

nize changes in systems may have various

causes that may not have equal effects.

Primary

Students learn that

events have causes that

generate observable pat-

terns. They design simple

tests to gather evidence

to support or refute their

own ideas about cause

• Cause- Increasing CO2, Effect- Global Temperature Increase
• To say one thing causes another (A causes B), we need clear evidence and a chain of interactions. Some causes are easy to see, like hitting a baseball. Others, like climate change or disease, are harder to explain because they involve many variables or probabilities
• The video uses the rattleback toy as an example: when spun one way, it rattles and reverses. This makes us wonder what causes this strange behavior. We guess possible causes, like shape or hidden weights or magnets. That’s how students begin to think scientifically
• Biology Experiment: Factors that affect plant growth

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Examples

• Teachers can help students grow this skill from simple pattern recognition in early grades (like plant growth) to argumentation and explanation in high school (like dead zones in oceans).
• Analyze data and determine the type of correlation

Visual Representation

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Pictures from Duck Pond that apply to your CCC

CCC :

Energy and Matter

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Jessica Velazquez

Lauren Cordova

Sierra Dallas

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• Tracking fluxes of energy and matter into, out of, and within systems helps one understand the systems’ possibilities and limitations.

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Elementary: Focus on matter

• What it is and different forms
• How it flows and cycles

Middle: Focus on energy

• Conservation
• Metabolism

High: Experiments on conservation of mass/energy

• What is the nucleus?
• Nuclear reactions

Definition -

What it looks like in a science classroom:

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Examples

Visual Representation

1. Greenhouse Effect - solar energy enters Earth, some reflects, much converts to heat, which eventually leaves, keeping the planet warm
2. Movement of matter on Earth - water and carbon cycles, where matter (water, carbon dioxide) is reused repeatedly, maintaining a constant total amount.
3. Human metabolism - take in matter (food molecules like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) that contain stored chemical energy in their bonds

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Definition from NGSS Appendix G: Tracking fluxes of energy and matter into, out of, and within systems helps one understand the systems’ possibilities and limitations.

Include

• Identifying all physical objects is made from Matter.
• Matter is anything take has mass and volume, composed of atoms.
• Energy is the capacity for matter to change. Observed as a property of matter.
• Matter and Energy Cycles and Transfers.
• Conservation of Energy/Matter in Reactions

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Definition/Summary

What it looks like in a science classroom:

Elementary School: Focus primarily on matter, less on energy

• What is matter?
• Defining matter
• What are the different forms of matter?
• Can it change forms?
• How does matter cycle through a system?
• The Rock Cycle
• The Water Cycle

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Middle School: Focus primarily on energy, less on matter

• Conservation of Energy
• Energy can be converted into different forms
• Metabolism
• How does energy flow through the body?
• What is the difference between mass and weight?

High School: Experimenting with both and zooming in

• Conservation of matter experiments
• Dissolving sugar in water, measuring mass before/after
• What is the nucleus?
• Defining its parts
• Strong nuclear force
• Nuclear reactions
• Converting mass to smaller mass and releasing energy

Examples

• Greenhouse Effect - solar energy enters Earth, some reflects, much converts to heat, which eventually leaves, keeping the planet warm

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• Movement of matter on Earth - water and carbon cycles, where matter (water, carbon dioxide) is reused repeatedly, maintaining a constant total amount.

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• Human metabolism - take in matter (food molecules like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) that contain stored chemical energy in their bonds

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Visual Representation

Pictures from Duck Pond that apply to your CCC

Energy!

Powering lights

Energy!

Powering filters + pumps

Eating food (matter) turns into energy for turtle friends

Waterfall = Potential turns to Kinetic Energy

Using the sun as an energy source to grow

Feeding on matter = using energy to gain energy

Waves carry energy through matter!

Reptiles depend on sunbathing

CCC: Patterns

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Cesar Garfiaz

Andy Hwang

Jorge Sandoval

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Definition

What it looks like in a science classroom:

Examples

Visual Representation

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The observation of recurring arrangements, structures, or sequences, both in natural phenomena and in human-designed systems. Recognizing patterns helps with classification, prediction, and understanding underlying causes.

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RECOGNIZE

CLASSIFY

EVALUATE

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Definition/Summary

In the context of NGSS, the observation of recurring arrangements, structures, or sequences, both in natural phenomena and in human-designed systems.

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Noticing patterns helps scientists organize phenomena, ask questions, and develop explanations for why and how things occur.

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What it looks like in a science classroom:

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RECOGNIZE

CLASSIFY

EVALUATE

Natural Phenomena:

Symmetry in flowers and snowflakes: Many flowers and snowflakes exhibit symmetrical patterns, with similar shapes and arrangements on either side of a central axis or point.

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Lunar cycle: The recurring phases of the moon provide a predictable pattern of change.

Seasons: The cycle of seasons

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Animal migration: The predictable movement of animals from one location to another.

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Rock formations and geological features: Layered rock formations and other geological features

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Human-Designed Systems:

Musical compositions: Repeating melodies

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Number sequences: Sequences like 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 demonstrate a pattern of even numbers.

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Fractals: These are geometric shapes that repeat at different scales

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Fibonacci sequence: A sequence of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones

Examples

Visual Representation

• Spider webs often have repeating shapes, such as concentric circles and radiating lines.
• These repeating elements form a predictable structure that students can observe and describe.

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• The most noticeable pattern is the spiral—a repeating curve that winds around a central point.
• This spiral follows a mathematical pattern (often related to the Fibonacci sequence or logarithmic spirals).

• The petals of a sunflower are often arranged in a circular or radial pattern, which helps attract pollinators from all directions.

• Corn kernels are arranged in neat, repeating rows around the cob.
• This symmetrical pattern is consistent across most ears of corn and can be used to predict how many rows or kernels might be on another cob.

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Pictures from Duck Pond that apply to your CCC: PATTERNS

CCC :

Scale, Proportion, & Quantity

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Definition

What it looks like in a science classroom:

Examples

Visual Representation

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• Proportion - a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation to a whole.
• Scale - the ratio between the size of a representation (like a drawing, model, or map) and the actual size of the object it represents.
• Quantity - the amount or number of a material or immaterial thing not usually estimated by spatial measurement.

Scale

• a map with a scale of 1:100,000 means that one unit on the map (e.g., one centimeter) represents 100,000 units in the real world
• Size of the Universe (Really cool visual images)

Proportion

• Relation between units of measurement
• A recipe that calls for 2 cups of flour for every 1 cup of sugar, the ratio of flour to sugar is 2:1

Quantity

• Time, temperature, length, etc
• 12 s ; 57^OF; 12 m

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• A student proportion activity will be preparing tasty lemonade mixture that is sweet, but has less than have the amount of sugar you need daily.
• Students will compare the volume of lemonade mixture to the mass of sugar added.

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Progression through Education:

Early Elementary: Students begin by classifying objects based on size, speed, and lifespan.

Middle School: Students explore phenomena related to time, space, and energy at different scales.

High School: Students learn that the significance of a phenomenon is linked to its scale and the proportions involved.

• Scale: This refers to the size of something relative to other things or a reference point. It can be spatial (how big or small), temporal (how long or short), or energetic (how much or little energy involved). For example, understanding the scale of the solar system helps us grasp the vast distances between planets and the sun. Scale also helps us understand that phenomena observable at one scale may not be visible or relevant at another scale.
• Proportion: This involves understanding the relationship between different quantities. It often involves ratios and proportions, which can help us analyze data and make predictions. For example, understanding the proportional relationship between speed, distance, and time is crucial in physics.
• Quantity: This refers to the amount or number of something, often measured using units. Examples include measuring the amount of water in a reservoir or the speed of a moving object. Tracking quantity is important for understanding how much of something exists and how it relates to other quantities.

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Definition/Summary

• Proportion - a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation to a whole.
• The body only needs ~50 grams of sugar per day.
• Therefore, students will create a beverage that needs a partial amount of your daily intake of sugar.
• Scale - Scale - the ratio between the size of a representation (like a drawing, model, or map) and the actual size of the object it represents.
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What it looks like in a science classroom:

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Examples

Visual Representation

Scale

Proportion

Quantity

Pictures from Duck Pond that apply to your CCC

1 cm : 10 cm

Model : Actual Size

CCC :

Stability and Change

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Definition

What it looks like in a science classroom:

Examples

Visual Representation

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Stability and change describe how systems behave over time:

• Stability means some aspects of a system remain constant or return to a steady state after small disturbances.
• Change refers to the processes that alter a system’s state, which may occur slowly, rapidly, or cyclically.
• Systems can be stable at one scale or time frame but show change at another.
• Scientists study these patterns using models, measurements, and feedback mechanisms to understand and predict system behavior.

• States of Matter: Melting ice vs. cooking an egg — reversible vs. irreversible changes.
• Ecosystem Interactions: Modeling predator-prey relationships (e.g., wolves and deer) and how population changes affect stability.
• Homeostasis in Biology: Blood sugar regulation as a negative feedback loop maintaining internal stability.
• Climate Change: Investigating how gradual increases in CO₂ affect global temperature and weather patterns.
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The NGSS crosscutting concept of stability and change explores how systems maintain balance and how they evolve over time. In essence:

• Stability refers to a system’s ability to remain unchanged or return to a steady state after a disturbance.
• Change involves the processes that alter a system’s state, which can occur gradually or suddenly.
• Systems may appear stable in the short term but change over longer time scales.
• Scientists use models and measurements to understand and predict how systems respond to internal and external forces.
• Feedback mechanisms—both positive and negative—play a key role in maintaining or disrupting stability

Positive Feedback Mechanism

• Definition: A process where the output of a system amplifies or reinforces the original stimulus.
• Effect: Drives the system further away from equilibrium, often to complete a specific action.
• Example: Childbirth — When a baby’s head presses against the cervix, it triggers the release of oxytocin. This hormone causes stronger uterine contractions, which push the baby further against the cervix, releasing even more oxytocin. The cycle continues until delivery

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Negative Feedback Mechanism

• Definition: A process where the output of a system counteracts or reduces the original stimulus.
• Effect: Helps maintain stability or homeostasis by bringing the system back to its set point.
• Example: Blood sugar regulation — After eating, blood glucose levels rise. In response, the pancreas releases insulin, which helps cells absorb glucose and lowers blood sugar. Once levels normalize, insulin secretion decreases

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Definition/Summary

What it looks like in a science classroom:

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Elementary School (Grades K–5)

Focus: Observing simple changes and recognizing patterns over time.

• States of Matter: Melting ice vs. cooking an egg — reversible vs. irreversible changes.
• Weather Patterns: Tracking daily weather and noticing seasonal changes.
• Plant Growth: Observing how a seed grows into a plant and what stays the same (e.g., leaf shape) vs. what changes (size, number of leaves).
• Animal Life Cycles: Butterfly metamorphosis — dramatic change through predictable stages.
• Natural Disasters: Reading picture books about floods or droughts to explore how environments change and recover.

Middle School (Grades 6–8)

Focus: Systems thinking, feedback mechanisms, and dynamic equilibrium.

• Ecosystem Interactions: Modeling predator-prey relationships (e.g., wolves and deer) and how population changes affect stability.
• Food Webs: Removing one species and predicting ripple effects across the system.
• Climate Change: Investigating how gradual increases in CO₂ affect global temperature and weather patterns.
• Chemical Reactions: Exploring how some reactions reach equilibrium while others result in permanent change.
• Water Cycle: Understanding how the cycle maintains stability despite constant movement and transformation.

High School (Grades 9–12)

Focus: Quantifying change, modeling systems, and analyzing feedback loops.

• Homeostasis in Biology: Blood sugar regulation as a negative feedback loop maintaining internal stability.
• Population Dynamics: Using mathematical models to predict how changes in birth/death rates affect ecosystem stability.
• Earth Systems: Studying plate tectonics and how gradual movement leads to sudden events like earthquakes.
• Chemical Equilibrium: Investigating Le Chatelier’s Principle — how systems respond to disturbances.
• Engineering Design: Designing systems (e.g., bridges or climate control) with built-in feedback for stability under stress.

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Examples

Visual Representation

Pictures from Duck Pond that apply to your CCC

CCC :

Structure and Function

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Definition

Examples

Visual Representation

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(1) A bicycle’s gears, pedals, frame, and chain all have shapes that help it move smoothly and efficiently

(2) The long handle and adjustable head of a crescent wrench give it leverage and let it fit different bolts. (3)Bridges use triangular designs because triangles are stable and strong.(4) The lungs have a large surface area (like a tennis court!) to exchange gases effectively.(5) Water molecules have a specific shape that makes ice less dense than liquid water.

Primary- observe shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their function(s).

Elem- different materials have different substructures, sometimes observed; and substructures have shapes and parts that serve functions.

MS- .design and create models. Design structure for specific function Atom structure, body systems ex eye, digestive systems

Engineering - designing and building-roller coaster

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HS infer the functions and properties of natural and designed objects and systems from their overall structure. Looking at molecular level

How the shape and structure of an object is related to its function.

Spongy bone allows for a strong matrix without adding weight

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Definition/Summary

The shape and material of specific structures (natural and designed) and their relationships to its parts determine the function of the whole. A sense of scale must be applied when considering structure and function depending on what phenomena is being investigated. For example in some cases the molecular structure may be important to the function (water), although sometimes simply the shape will reveal how the phenomena occurs (how a bicycle works).

Students observe that the shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their function(s).

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Students learn different materials have different substructures, which can sometimes be observed; and substructures have shapes and parts that serve functions.

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Students model complex and microscopic structures and systems and visualize how their function depends on the shapes, composition, and relationships among its parts. They analyze many complex natural and designed structures and systems to determine how they function. They design structures to serve particular functions by taking into account properties of different materials, and how materials can be shaped and used.

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Students investigate systems by examining the properties of different materials, the structures of different components, and their interconnections to reveal the system’s function and/or solve problems. They infer the functions and properties of natural and designed objects and systems from their overall structure, the way their components are shaped and used, and the molecular substructures of their various materials.

What it looks like in a science classroom:

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Bicycle

Key parts:

• Frame → Triangular sections in the frame distribute forces evenly, keeping it strong but light.
• Gears and chain → Teeth on the gears and links in the chain interlock to transfer force from the pedals to the wheels.
• Wheels → Circular shape reduces rolling resistance and maintains stability.� Why it fits the CCC:� Every part is structured for its specific function: lightweight frame for speed and strength, gears to convert pedaling to motion, and wheels to roll smoothly. If the frame were square or gears were smooth, it wouldn’t work.

Water Molecule

• Structure:
• Oxygen atom at the center with two hydrogens bonded at an angle (~104.5°), creating a polar molecule (slightly positive and negative ends).
• This allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other.
• Why it fits the CCC:
• Because of this molecular structure, water has unique functions: it can dissolve many substances, it sticks to itself and to surfaces (cohesion and adhesion), and ice floats because solid water is less dense than liquid water. Without this shape, water would not behave the same.

Examples

Visual Representation

Pictures from Duck Pond that apply to your CCC

CCC :

Systems and System Models

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Definition

What it looks like in a science classroom:

Examples

Visual Representation

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Defining the system under study - specifying its boundaries and making explicit a model of that system - provides tools for understanding and testing ideas that are applicable throughout science and engineering. (NRC Framework 2012, p. 84)

The Atom as a System:�System Components: Protons, neutrons, electrons.�Interaction: Electrons interact via electromagnetic forces.

Carbon Cycle or Water Cycle:�System: Earth system with reservoirs and pathways (e.g., atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere).�Model: Diagrams showing carbon or water movement

Endocrine System�System: Hormones interacting with target organs.�Model: Flow chart showing feedback loops (e.g., insulin/glucagon)

Elementary -

• Drawings and Descriptions: Make models with ‘visual features’.
• Label what you can see and not see.

Middle/High School -

• Focus on mathematical relationships (quantity data, look for limitations or assumptions)
• Use argumentation (good vs bad evidence)
• Engineering (focus on limitations)

• Systems and System Models are useful in science and engineering because the world is complex, so it is helpful to isolate a single system and construct a simplified model of it. “To do this, scientists and engineers imagine an artificial boundary between the system in question and everything else.
• Consideration of flows into and out of the system is a crucial element of system design. In the laboratory or even in field research, the extent to which a system under study can be physically isolated or external conditions controlled is an important element of the design of an investigation and interpretation of results
• The properties and behavior of the whole system can be very different from those of any of its parts, and large systems may have emergent properties, such as the shape of a tree, that cannot be predicted in detail from knowledge about the components and their interactions.”
• Models can be valuable in predicting a system’s behaviors or in diagnosing problems or failures in its functioning, regardless of what type of system is being examined
• Any model of a system incorporates assumptions and approximations; the key is to be aware of what they are and how they affect the model’s reliability and precision. Predictions may be reliable but not precise or, worse, precise but not reliable; the degree of reliability and precision needed depends on the use to which the model will be put.”)

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Definition/Summary

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What it looks like in a science classroom:

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Elementary - Drawings and Descriptions: Make models with ‘visual features’. Label what you can see and not see.

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In grades K-2, students understand objects and organisms can be described in terms of their parts; and systems in the natural and designed world have parts that work together.

In grades 3-5, students understand that a system is a group of related parts that make up a whole and can carry out functions its individual parts cannot. They can also describe a system in terms of its components and their interactions.

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Middle/High School -

• Focus on mathematical relationships (quantity data, look for limitations or assumptions)
• Use argumentation (good vs bad evidence)
• Engineering (focus on limitations)

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In grades 6-8, students can understand that systems may interact with other systems; they may have sub-systems and be a part of larger complex systems. They can use models to represent systems and their interactions—such as inputs, processes and outputs—and energy, matter, and information flows within systems. They can also learn that models are limited in that they only represent certain aspects of the system under study.

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In grades 9-12, students can investigate or analyze a system by defining its boundaries and initial conditions, as well as its inputs and outputs. They can use models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) to simulate the flow of energy, matter, and interactions within and between systems at different scales. They can also use models and simulations to predict the behavior of a system, and recognize that these predictions have limited precision and reliability due to the assumptions and approximations inherent in the models. They can also design systems to do specific tasks.

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What it looks like in a science classroom:

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The Atom:�Components: Protons, neutrons, electrons.�Interaction: Electrons interact via electromagnetic forces.

Carbon Cycle or Water Cycle:�Components: Earth system with reservoirs and pathways�Interactions: Diagrams showing carbon or water movement

Endocrine System�Components: Hormones interacting with target organs.�Interactions: Flow chart showing feedback loops

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Examples

Visual Representation

Pictures from Duck Pond that apply to your CCC

Pond Ecosystem