​​This area of learning includes big ideas related to students’ early understanding of science concepts. These big ideas support the development of concepts related to earth and space science, physical science, and life science.

Your child’s teacher will measure your student’s level of understanding and skill through a variety of classroom activities which may include classifying and grouping objects based on physical attributes, identifying and describing characteristics of living and non-living organisms, and explaining the changes that occur in the sky during the day and the night. Please contact your child's teacher for science activities that will help you support your child at home.​

Big Idea

A kindergarten student will demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts related to earth and space science. 

Progression: Earth Materials

Beginning​	​Emerging	​Developing	​Demonstrating	​Exceeding
​Student identifies earth materials: soil, rocks, water, and air.	​Student identifies physical attributes of rocks: size, weight, texture, and color	​Student constructs an argument supported by evidence for how rocks can be grouped by physical attributes.	​Student uses tools to observe and record physical attributes of soil such as texture and color.	​Student represents physical attributes of rocks and soil in a diagram, chart, or table to answer questions about earth materials.

Progression: Space Science

​Beginning	​Emerging	​Developing	​Demonstrating	​Exceeding
​Student identifies day and night, light and dark.	​Student identifies the sun, moon and stars.	​Student describes the sun, moon, and stars and can illustrate the sky during day and night. Student classifies the sun, moon, and stars according to those seen in the day sky, the night sky, or both.	​Student develops a model to explain the changes that occur in the sky during the day, as day turns into night, during the night, and as night turns into day.	​Student uses data collected from questioning and investigations to examine and explain changes in night and day over time.

Big Idea  

A kindergarten student will demonstrate an understanding of basic physical science concepts.

Progression: Physical Attributes

​Beginning	​Emerging	​Developing	​Demonstrating	​Exceeding
​Student uses senses and tools to explore common objects.	​Student uses senses to explore and identify different materials that common objects are made of (clay, cloth, plastic, wood, paper, and metal) and their physical attributes (color, size, shape, weight, and texture).	​​Student groups common objects according to their makeup and/or physical attributes and predicts if they will sink or float.	​​Student is able to ask questions to sort, compare and contrast, or classify common objects according to their make-up and physical attributes and conducts an investigation to observe whether they sink or float.	​Student explains how the make-up and/or physical attributes of common objects contributes to their observations in an investigation of whether these objects sink or float.

Progression: Motion

​ Beginning	​Emerging	​Developing	​Demonstrating	​Exceeding
​Student uses senses and tools to explore common objects and their relative motion.	Student describes the physical attributes of common objects and their relative motion: straight, circular, back and forth, fast and slow, and motionless. ​	​Student conducts an investigation and observes the relationship between an object’s physical attributes and its resulting motion when force is applied.	​Student uses observations to construct an argument as to the best way to move an object based on its physical attributes.	​Student designs and creates an object to carry out a specified motion.

Big Idea 

A kindergarten student will demonstrate an understanding of how to group living and non-living things. 

Progression: Organisms and Non-Living Objects

Beginning ​	​Emerging	​Developing	​Demonstrating	​Exceeding
Student identifies living organisms and nonliving objects. Student describes the attributes of plants, animals, and non-living objects.	​Student compares and contrasts attributes of plants, animals, and non-living objects and groups them based on these attributes.	Student asks questions to observe and identify the similarities and differences of offspring to their parents and other members of the same species.	Student develops a model to group plants, animals, and non-living objects into groups according to their attributes and constructs an argument to support each grouping.	​Student asks questions, observes, and describes how the common attributes of a group of organisms help them to meet their needs for survival.