New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards


The standards that are addressed by this unit are listed below, along with how they are addressed, broken down by individual lesson where appropriate.

At this point, only those standards addressed directly by the content delineated in the Teacher’s Guide are listed here. However, there are many opportunities to extend the lesson plans just a little bit further which would address additional standards. These activities would typically be considered as extensions of the kit. As they are developed, they will be referred to both in this section, and in the upcoming Extensions section.

As in life, nothing stands isolated in little boxes called "science" or "mathematics" or "language arts" or any particular subject. While science may be the main focus of the unit, it is truly interdisciplinary which will be relfected in the a future expansion to show where this kit impacts other areas of the core curriculum.

Your comments and input are welcome and most appreciated.




5. Science

  1. All students will learn to identify systems of interacting components and understand how their interactions combine to produce the overall behavior of the system.

    1. Recognize that most things are made of components that, when assembled can do things that they could not do separately.

      Activity 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

    2. Recognize that since components of a system usually influence one another, a system may not work if a component is missing.

      Activity 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

    3. Diagram the components of a system.

      Activity 10, 11, 12, 13

  2. All students will develop problem solving, decision-making and inquiry skills, reflected by formulating usable questions and hypotheses, planning experiments, conducting systematic observations, interpreting and analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and communicating results.

    1. State a problem about the natural world in the form of a question.

      > Activity 7, 11, 12, 13

    2. Develop stratgies and skills for information-gathering and problem solving, using appropriate tools and technologies.

      > Activity 7, 11, 12, 13

    3. Keep a journal record of observations, recognizing patterns of observations and summarizing findings.

      > Activity 1, 4, 5, 7, 10

    4. Learn what constitutes evidence and evaluate the data and information used to make explanations.

      > Activity7, 10

  3. All students will integrate mathematics as a tool for problem-solving in science, and as a means of expressing and/or modeling scientific theories.

    1. Use a variety of measuring instruments, emphasizing appropriate units.

      > Activity 9

    2. Use mathematical skills and concepts in ordering, counting, identifying, measuring, and describing.

      > Activity 9

    3. Use tables and graphs to represent and interpret data.

      > Activity 2

  4. All students will gain an understanding of the structure, characteristics, and basic needs of organisms.

    1. Compare and contrast living and nonliving things.

      Activity 2, 4, 7

    2. Determine the basic needs of organisms.

      Activity 7, 9, 10

    3. Show that plants and animals are composed of different parts serving different purposes and working together for the well-being of the organism.

      Activity 8

    4. Describe life cycles of organisms.

      Extension of Activity 9 could address this standard

  5. All students will investigate the diversity of life.

    1. Recognize that individuals vary within every species.

      > Activity 2, 4, 8, 10

    2. Develop a simple classification scheme for grouping organisms.>Recognize that individuals vary within every species.

      > Activity 5, 6, 8

    3. Recognize that individuals vary within every species.

      > Activity 5, 6, 8

    4. Identify and describe external features of plants and animals that help them survive in varied habitats.

      > Activity 10

  6. All students will gain an understanding of the structure and behavior of matter.

    1. Investigate matter by observing materials under magnification.

      > Activity 1, 5, 6

    2. Investigate matter by observing materials under magnification.

      > Activity 3, 6

  7. All students will gain an understanding of the structure, dynamics, and geophysical systems of the earth.

    1. Recognize and demonstrate the use of different kinds of maps.

      > Extension of Activity 2, 4 could address standard by students using or making a map of their outdoor walks

    2. Investigate materials that make up the earth, including rocks, minerals, soils, and fossils, and how they are formed.

      > Activity 2

    3. Identify major sources and uses of water, discussing the forms in which it appears.

      > Activity 9

    4. Collect and record weather data to identify existing weather conditions, and recognize how those conditions affect our daily lives.

      > Extension of Activity 9, 10 could address this standard

  8. All students will develop an understanding of the environment as a system of interdependent components affected by human activity and natural phenomena.

    1. Investigate the interdependence of living things and their environment.

      > Activity 2, 7, 8, 9

    2. Explain how meeting human requirements affects the environment.

      > Extension of Activity 4, 10 could address this standard

    3. Recognize that natural resources are not always renewable.

      > Extension of Activity 4, 10 could address this standard