As part of the SOLID Start project, we have developed NGSS and CCSS-ELA aligned curriculum materials. Each unit is guided by a driving question and puzzling phenomena that engage young students and elicit their natural curiosities. The units are designed to support young students’ science learning and oral language and literacy development. We have completed all units in each grade. We also provide suggested modifications to the units so they can be taught in a virtual distance learning environment.
Please check back regularly for updated versions of the curriculum materials, as we continue to edit current units.
Kindergarten Sample Scope and Sequence
| Unit Name | Puzzling Phenomena | Driving Question | NGSS Performance Expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weather Forecasting* | Images (and experiences) of people experiencing different weather conditions (e.g., a person with an umbrella, a person with a snow blower) | How can we prepare for changing weather conditions in [your location] over time? | K-ESS2-1 K-ESS3-2 |
| Playground Engineering* | Sometimes when it is very sunny outside, the playground equipment can get really hot and uncomfortable to play on | How can we make our playground more comfortable to play on when it is very sunny? | K-PS3-1 K-PS3-2 K-2-ETS1-1 K-2-ETS1-2 K-2-ETS1-3 |
| Boxcar Challenge* | Soapbox Derby Races: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j37meEX4rqk | How can we make things move fast, far, and turn? | K-PS2-1 K-PS2-2 K-2-ETS1-1 K-2-ETS1-2 K-2-ETS1-3 |
| Ever-Changing Environments* | Images/videos of ants, beavers, plants, and humans changing their environments | Why do animals and plants change their environments? | K-ESS2-2 K-ESS3-1 K-ESS3-3 K-LS1-1 |
1st Grade Sample Scope and Sequence
| Unit Name | Puzzling Phenomena | Driving Question | NGSS Performance Expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Patterns* | Across a day and throughout a year, we see the sun, moon, and stars in different parts of the sky. | Where do the sun, moon, and stars appear in the sky over time? | 1-ESS1-1 1-ESS1-2 |
| Reading Under Cover* | Experience trying to read a book in forts made of different fabrics | How can I read under the covers when it’s dark? | 1-PS4-2 1-PS4-3 |
| Feel the Music* | Sometimes we can feel music with our bodies (e.g., chimes, loud bass) | Why can our bodies feel music? | 1-PS4-1 1-PS4-4 K-2-ETS1-1 K-2-ETS1-2 K-2-ETS1-3 |
| Quest for Survival* | Animals and plants have unique traits (e.g., camouflaged stick insect, monkey hanging by its tail, cactus) | How do animals and plants use their parts to survive? | 1-LS1-1 1-LS1-2 1-LS3-1 K-2-ETS1-1 K-2-ETS1-2 |
2nd Grade Sample Scope and Sequence
| Unit Name | Puzzling Phenomena | Driving Question | NGSS Performance Expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disappearing Dunes* | Images of sand dunes changing over time | How does our earth change over time? | 2-ESS1-1 2-ESS2-1 2-ESS2-2 K-2-ETS1-1 K-2-ETS1-2 K-2-ETS1-3 |
| Engineering Toys* | Videos of toys and other plastics in the ocean: Video about How much plastic is in the ocean? | How can we make toys from recycled or reused materials? | 2-PS1-1 2-PS1-2 2-PS1-3 2-PS1-4 K-2-ETS1-1 K-2-ETS1-2 K-2-ETS1-3 |
| You Live Where, Polar Bear?* | Polar bears living in the arctic | Why don’t polar bears live near us? | 2-LS4-1 2-ESS2-3 |
| Puzzling Plants* | Images of plants growing in unexpected locations | How is that growing there?! | 2-LS2-1 2-LS2-2 |
