Phenomena, standards, and progressions

Physical Science

The Amplify Science units can be arranged at the discretion of the individual school, but suggested sequences are available. The physical science program in the suggested sequence below progressively builds students’ abilities to meet all the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) grade-level performance expectations through a three-dimensional instructional sequence. The following is an overview of the sample sequence of units, a description of the progression of student learning across the year, and a summary of how the sequence meets all NGSS performance expectations for grade 8.

Scroll down to see the phenomenon, student role, and performance expectations by unit, or click to jump to the Progression and Organization, Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts Core Ideas, or Science and Engineering Practices.

Sequence of units

  • Harnessing Human Energy
  • Force and Motion
  • Force and Motion Engineering Internship
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Thermal Energy
  • Phase Change
  • Phase Change Engineering Internship
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Light Waves

 

Harnessing Human Energy

Rescue workers can use their own human kinetic energy to power the electrical devices they use during rescue missions.
In their role as energy scientists, students learn about energy transfer and conversion as they design a system to power the electronic devices of rescue workers.
  • PS3-1: Kinetic Energy: Mass and Speed,
  • PS3-2: Potential energy
  • PS3-5: Motion and Energy Transfer
  • ESS3-1: Distribution of Natural Resources
  • ETS1-1: Criteria and Constraints

Force and Motion

The asteroid sample-collecting pod failed to dock at the space station as planned.
As student physicists at the fictional Universal Space Agency, students must analyze what went wrong in a space station docking failure. To do so, they need to apply what they learn about forces, changes in motion, and collisions.
  • PS2-1: Newton's 3rd Law (Equal and Opposite Forces)
  • PS2-2: Sum of Forces
  • PS3-1: Kinetic Energy: Mass and Speed

Force and Motion Engineering Internship

Designing emergency supply delivery pods with different structures can maintain the integrity of the supply pods and their contents.
As mechanical engineering interns, students apply ideas about force and motion, as well as engineering and design concepts, to design supply pods to be dropped in disaster areas.
  • ETS1-1: Criteria and Constraints
  • ETS1-2: Evaluating Solutions
  • ETS1-3: Analyzing Results
  • ETS1-4: Modeling and Iterative Testing
  • PS2-1: Newton's 3rd Law (Equal and Opposite Forces)
  • PS2-2: Sum of Forces
  • PS2-4: Gravity Depends on Mass

Magnetic Fields

During a test launch, a spacecraft traveled much faster than expected.
In their role as student physicists, students must analyze why the new magnet-driven space jet launcher is not working as expected. They apply ideas about non-touching forces and potential energy.
  • PS2-3: Strength of Magnetic and Electric Forces
  • PS2-4: Gravity Depends on Mass
  • PS2-5: Force Fields
  • PS3-2: Potential energy
  • PS3-1: Kinetic Energy: Mass and Speed
  • PS3-5: Motion and Energy Transfer

Thermal Energy

One of two proposed heating systems for Riverdale School will best heat the school.
In their role as thermal scientists, students evaluate competing proposals for heating a school, applying what they learn about matter, energy, and temperature.
  • PS3-3: Thermal Energy Transfer
  • PS3-3: Thermal Energy Transfer
  • PS3-5: Motion and Energy Transfer
  • PS1-1: Atomic Theory / Molecules
  • PS1-4: Phase Change
  • PS2-1: Newton's 3rd Law (Equal and Opposite Forces)

Progression and organization

The units in the physical science course, which occurs at grade 8 in the suggested sequence, are designed and sequenced to build students’ expertise with the grade- level disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), science and engineering practices (SEPs) and crosscutting concepts (CCCs). The year begins with a launch unit, Harnessing Human Energy, in which students are introduced to essential practices, routines, and approaches that will serve as touchstones for learning in all units that follow. An important example of this is Arguing from Evidence. Students are introduced to the practice of scientific argumentation in the launch unit, then build on this understanding through the year, with each unit focusing more in-depth on one aspect of the practice. The Harnessing Human Energy unit also has an emphasis on the CCC of Energy and Matter which students investigate in more depth through the Force and Motion, Magnetic Fields, Thermal Energy, Phase Change, Phase Change Engineering Internship, and Light Waves units.

Concepts and practices are connected across grade 8. For example, students’ understanding of forces develops across the Force and Motion unit (contact forces) and the Magnetic Fields unit (forces that act a distance). Across the sequence of the Thermal Energy, Phase Change, and Chemical Reactions units, students deepen their understanding of Structure and Properties of Matter. The Force and Motion Engineering Internship unit follows the Force and Motion unit and requires students to apply what they learned in the Force and Motion unit to design a solution to an engineering problem. The same is true of the Phase Change Engineering Internship unit and the Phase Change unit.

Each unit has a particular emphasis on certain DCIs, CCC’s, and SEP’s, with combinations that work together to support deep explanations of the anchor phenomenon of each unit. For example, in the Magnetic Fields unit, investigating a surprising result from a test of a magnetic spacecraft launcher leads students to discoveries about Types of Interactions (DCI PS2.B), including magnetic forces; Definitions of Energy (DCI PS3.A); and Relationship Between Energy and Forces (PS3.C). The unit has a particular emphasis on the CCC of Systems and System Models which helps students think about systems of objects in a field. It includes a focus on Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, as these concepts are some of the most appropriate in middle school to discover via experiments.

Unit abbreviations: Harnessing Human Energy (HHE), Force and Motion (FAM), Force and Motion Engineering Internship (FAM EI), Magnetic Fields (MF), Thermal Energy (HHE), Phase Change (HHE), Phase Change Engineering Internship (PC EI), Chemical Reactions (CRX), Light Waves (LW).

Disciplinary core ideas

HHE FAM FAM EI MF TE PC PC EI CRX LW
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter (MS-PS1-1, MS-PS1-2, MS-PS1-3 MS-PS1-4)
PS1.B: Chemical Reactions (MS-PS1-2, MS-PS1-3, MS-PS1-5, MS-PS1-6)
PS2.A: Forces and Motion (MS-PS2-1, MS-PS2-2)
PS2.B: Types of Interactions (MS-PS2-3, MS-PS2-4, MS-PS2-5)
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy (MS-PS3-1, MS-PS3-2, MS-PS3-3, MS-PS3-4)  
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer (MS-PS3-3, MS-PS3-4, MS-PS3–5)
PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces (MS-PS3-2)
PS4.A: Wave Properties (MS-PS4-1, MS-PS4-2)
PS4.B: Electromagnetic Radiation
PS4.C: Information Technologies and Instrumentation (MS-PS4-3)  
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem (MS-ETS1-1, MS-PS3-3)  
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions (MS-PS1-6, MS-PS3-3, MS-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-3, MS-ETS1-4)
ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution (MS-PS1-6, MS-ETS1-3)

Crosscutting concepts

Focal   Other Emphasized   Additional

HHE FAM FAM EI MF TE PC PC EI CRX LW
Patterns
Cause and Effect
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
Systems and System Models
Energy and Matter
Stability and Change
Structure and Function

Science and engineering practices

Focal   Other Emphasized   Additional

HHE FAM FAM EI MF TE PC PC EI CRX LW
Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Using and Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information

 

Phase Change

A methane lake on Titan no longer appears in images taken by a space probe two years apart.
Students, in their role as student chemists, investigate the mystery of disappearing methane lakes on Saturn's moon, Titan. They must apply what they learn about phase change, matter, and energy.
  • PS1-4: Phase Change
  • PS1-1: Atomic Theory / Molecules
  • PS3-4: Energy and Temperature
  • PS3-5: Motion and Energy Transfer
  • ESS1-3: Scale in the Solar System
  • ESS2-4: The Water Cycle

Phase Change Engineering Internship

Designing portable baby incubators with different combinations of phase change materials can keep babies at a healthy temperature.
As chemical engineering interns, students design and test plans for an incubator for premature and low birth weight babies, applying ideas about phase change and the engineering and design process.
  • ETS1-1: Criteria and Constraints
  • ETS1-2: Evaluating Solutions
  • ETS1-3: Analyzing Results
  • ETS1-4: Modeling and Iterative Testing
  • PS1-4: Phase Change
  • PS3-3: Thermal Energy Transfer
  • PS3-4: Energy and Temperature

Chemical Reactions

A mysterious reddish-brown substance has been detected in the tap water of Westfield.
Students play the role of student chemists, applying what they learn about matter and chemical reactions to solve the mystery of mysterious substances appearing in a county’s water supply.
  • PS1-1: Atomic Theory/Molecules
  • PS1-2: Chemical Reactions
  • PS1-3: Synthetic Materials
  • PS1-5: Atoms Conserved
  • PS1-6: Thermal Energy and Chemical Processes
  • LS1-6: Photosynthesis
  • LS1-7: Cellular Respiration
  • ESS3-1: Distribution of Natural Resources
  • ESS3-3: Designs to Minimize Impact

Light Waves

The rate of skin cancer is higher in Australia than in other parts of the world.
In their role as spectroscopists, students learn about light waves and how they interact with matter, and apply this knowledge to investigate Australia’s elevated skin cancer rate.
  • PS4-1: Amplitude and Waves
  • PS4-2: Waves Interact with Materials
  • PS4-3: Digitized Signals and Waves
  • LS1-1: Living Things Made of Cells
  • LS1-2: Cell Parts
  • LS1-6: Photosynthesis
  • LS1-8: Sensory Receptors
  • ESS3-5: Factors for Global Temperature