Grade 5-8 National Science Education Standards

 

 

First, select below the National Science Education Standards (NSES) you wish to assess.

Next, click on the "Show Tasks for Selected Standards" button to view the tasks that are intended to meet the standards you have selected.

The full text of the standards is also available for your reference.
Content Standard Code
A Science as Inquiry 8ASI
B Physical Science 8BPS
C Life Science 8CLS
D Earth and Space Science 8DESS
E Science and Technology 8EST
F Science in Personal and Social Perspectives 8FSPSP
G History and Nature of Science 8GHNS1
Select a subject area if you want to further refine your search:
Science as Inquiry (8ASI)
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry (8ASI1)
    Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations (8ASI1.1)
    Design and conduct a scientific investigation (8ASI1.2)
    Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data (8ASI1.3)
    Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence (8ASI1.4)
    Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations (8ASI1.5)
    Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions (8ASI1.6)
    Communicate scientific procedures and explanations (8ASI1.7)
    Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry (8ASI1.8)
Understandings about scientific inquiry (8ASI2)
    Kinds of questions and investigations (8ASI2.1)
    Methods of different science domains (8ASI2.2)
    Central role of mathematics (8ASI2.3)
    Use of technology (8ASI2.4)
    Scientific explanations (8ASI2.5)
    Role of critical evaluation (8ASI2.6)
    Investigations may yield new ideas and approaches (8ASI2.7)
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Physical Science (8BPS)
Properties and changes of properties in matter (8BPS1)
    Characteristic properties (8BPS1.1)
    Characteristic chemical reactions (8BPS1.2)
    Chemical elements (8BPS1.3)
Motions and forces (8BPS2)
    Position, direction, speed (8BPS2.1)
    Constant speed and pathway (8BPS2.2)
    Effects of balanced and unbalanced forces (8BPS2.3)
Transfer of energy (8BPS3)
    Energy properties, associations and transfer (8BPS3.1)
    Heat flow (8BPS3.2)
    Light/matter interactions (8BPS3.3)
    Electrical circuits (8BPS3.4)
    Chemical and nuclear reactions (8BPS3.5)
    Sun energy (8BPS3.6)
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Life Science (8CLS)
Structure and function in living systems (8CLS1)
    Levels of organization (8CLS1.1)
    Cells (8CLS1.2)
    Specialized cells (8CLS1.3)
    Systems and interactions (8CLS1.4)
    Diseases (8CLS1.5)
Reproduction and heredity (8CLS2)
    Types--sexual, asexual (8CLS2.1)
    Sexual reproduction (8CLS2.2)
    Heredity (8CLS2.3)
    Characteristics and traits (8CLS2.4)
Regulation and behavior (8CLS3)
    Environmental survival needs (8CLS3.1)
    Internal regulation for survival (8CLS3.2)
    Behavioral responses (8CLS3.3)
    Adaptation (8CLS3.4)
Population and ecosystems (8CLS4)
    Components--species and physical factors (8CLS4.1)
    Population functions (8CLS4.2)
    Energy transfer, food webs (8CLS4.3)
    Relationship of ecosytem features to number of organisms (8CLS4.4)
Diversity and adaptations of organisms (8CLS5)
    Unity among organisms (8CLS5.1)
    Biological evolution and adaptation (8CLS5.2)
    Extinction (8CLS5.3)
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Earth and Space Science (8DESS)
Structure of the earth system (8DESS1)
    Lithosphere (8DESS1.1)
    Plate motions (8DESS1.2)
    Land form causes (8DESS1.3)
    Rock cycle (8DESS1.4)
    Soils (8DESS1.5)
    Water cycle (8DESS1.6)
    Water solvent (8DESS1.7)
    Atmospheric properties (8DESS1.8)
    Clouds (8DESS1.9)
    Global patterns of atmospheric movement (8DESS1.10)
    Effects of living organisms (8DESS1.11)
Earth's history (8DESS2)
    Common processes, occasional catastrophes (8DESS2.1)
    Fossils (8DESS2.2)
Earth in the solar system (8DESS3)
    Solar system components (8DESS3.1)
    Motions of components (8DESS3.2)
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Science and Technology (8EST)
Abilities of technological design (8EST1)
    Identify appropriate problems for technological design (8EST1.1)
    Design a solution or product (8EST1.2)
    Implement a proposed design (8EST1.3)
    Evaluate technological designs or products (8EST1.4)
    Communicate the process of technological design (8EST1.5)
Understanding about science and technology (8EST2)
    Scientific inquiry and technological design have similarities and differences (8EST2.1)
    People in different cultures make contributions to science and technology (8EST2.2)
    Science helps drive technology (8EST2.3)
    Perfectly designed solutions do not exist (8EST2.4)
    Technological designs have constraints (8EST2.5)
    Technological solutions have intended benefits and unintended consequences (8EST2.6)
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Science in Personal and Social Perspectives (8FSPSP)
Personal Health (8FSPSP1)
    Maintenance and improvement of health by behaviors (8FSPSP1.1)
    The potential for accidents/hazards requires injury prevention (8FSPSP1.2)
    The use of tobacco increases the risk of illness (8FSPSP1.3)
    Alcohol and other drugs are often abused substances (8SPSP1.4)
    Food provides energy and nutrients (8FSPSP1.5)
    Sex drive is a natural human function (8FSPSP1.6)
    Environments may contain substances that are harmful to human beings (8FSPSP1.7)
Populations, resources, and environments (8FSPSP2)
    Overpopulation can result from more people or increased use of resources (8FSPSP2.1)
    The potential for accidents/hazards requires injury prevention (8FSPSP2.2)
    Causes of environmental degradation and resource depletion vary (8FSPSP2.3)
 Natural hazards (8FSPSP3)
    Processes of the Earth system cause natural hazards (8FSPSP3.1)
    Human activities can induce hazards through various means (8FSPSP3.2)
    Natural hazards can present personal/societal challenges (8FSPSP3.3)
 Risks and benefits (8FSPSP4)
    Risk analysis considers the type of hazard and estimated losses (8FSPSP4.1)
    Analysis of risks evaluates hazards and determines options (8FSPSP4.2)
    Students should understand risks associated with natural hazards (8FSPSP4.3)
    Use a systematic approach to thinking critically about risks (8FSPSP4.4)
    Risks and benefits relate directly to personal and social decisions (8FSPSP4.5)
 Science and technology in society (8FSPSP5)
    Science influences society through its knowledge and world view (8FSPSP5.1)
    Technology influences society through products and processes (8FSPSP5.2)
    Science and technology advance due to many different people, cultures, and at different times in history (8FSPSP5.3)
    Scientists and engineers work in many different settings (8FSPSP5.4)
    Scientists have ethical codes concerning human subjects (8FSPSP5.5)
    Science/technology cannot answer all questions or solve all problems (8FSPSP5.6)
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History and Nature of Science (8GHNS)
Science as a human endeavor (8GHNS1)
    People of diverse interests, abilities, etc. engage in the activities of science (8GHNS1.1)
    Doing science requires different abilities depending on many factors (8GHNS1.2)
Nature of Science (8GHNS2)
    In certain areas and/or circumstances it is normal for scientists to differ (8GHNS2.2)
    Scientists evaluate the results and explanations of other scientists (8GHNS2.3)
 History of Science (8GHNS3)
    Many individuals have contributed to the traditions of science (8GHNS3.1)
    Historically, science has been practiced by different individuals/cultures (8GHNS3.2)
    The history of science shows the difficulties of breaking through preconceptions and the reaching of conclusions which today seem obvious (8GHNS3.3)
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