| January 2008 | ||
| PK-3 | Acrobat 114k | Ms Word 275k |
| 3-8 | Acrobat 202k | Ms Word 445k |
| View Glossary - Highlighted Assessment Limits | ||
The objectives assessed on MSA at each grade level are embedded in the Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC). Although all content standards are tested on MSA, not all Indicators and Objectives are tested. Even though some objectives in the VSC may not have an assessment limit at a given grade-level, these non-assessed objectives still must be included in instruction. They introduce important concepts in preparation for assessed skills and content at subsequent grade levels.
The 'VSC Toolkit' provides additional resources for understanding and teaching the content standards.
Standard 1.0 Skills and Processes
Topic
A. Constructing Knowledge
Indicator
- 1. Design, analyze, or carry out simple investigations and formulate appropriate conclusions based on data obtained or provided.
Objectives
- Explain that scientists differ greatly in what phenomena they study and how they go about their work.
- Develop the ability to clarify questions and direct them toward objects and phenomena that can be described, explained, or predicted by scientific investigations.
- Explain and provide examples that all hypotheses are valuable, even if they turn out not to be true, if they lead to fruitful investigations.
- Locate information in reference books, back issues of newspapers, magazines and compact disks, and computer databases.
- Explain that if more than one variable changes at the same time in an investigation, the outcome of the investigation may not be clearly attributable to any one of the variables.
- Give examples of when further studies of the question being investigated may be necessary.
- Give reasons for the importance of waiting until an investigation has been repeated many times before accepting the results as correct.
- Use mathematics to interpret and communicate data.
- Explain why accurate recordkeeping, openness, and replication are essential for maintaining an investigator's credibility with other scientists and society.
Topic
B. Applying Evidence and Reasoning
Indicator
Objectives
- Verify the idea that there is no fixed set of steps all scientists follow, scientific investigations usually involve the collection of relevant evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses and explanations to make sense of the collected evidence.
- Explain that what people expect to observe often affects what they actually do observe and that scientists know about this danger to objectivity and take steps to try to avoid it when designing investigations and examining data.
- Explain that even though different explanations are given for the same evidence, it is not always possible to tell which one is correct.
- Describe the reasoning that lead to the interpretation of data and conclusions drawn.
- Question claims based on vague statements or on statements made by people outside their area of expertise.
Topic
C. Communicating Scientific Information
Indicator
- 1. Develop explanations that explicitly link data from investigations conducted, selected readings and, when appropriate, contributions from historical discoveries.
Objectives
- Organize and present data in tables and graphs and identify relationships they reveal.
- Interpret tables and graphs produced by others and describe in words the relationships they show.
- Give examples of how scientific knowledge is subject to modification as new information challenges prevailing theories and as a new theory leads to looking at old observations in a new way.
- Criticize the reasoning in arguments in which
- Fact and opinion are intermingled
- Conclusions do not follow logically from the evidence given.
- Existence of control groups and the relationship to experimental groups is not made obvious.
- Samples are too small, biased, or not representative.
- Participate in group discussions on scientific topics by restating or summarizing accurately what others have said, asking for clarification or elaboration, and expressing alternative positions.
- Recognize that important contributions to the advancement of science, mathematics, and technology have been made by different kinds of people, in different cultures, at different times.
Topic
D. Technology
Objectives
- Explain that the choice of materials for a job depends on their properties and on how they interact with other materials.
- Realize that design usually requires taking constraints into account. (Some constraints, such as gravity or the properties of the materials to be used, are unavoidable. Other constraints, including economic, political, social, ethical, and aesthetic ones also limit choices.)
- Identify reasons that systems fail-they have faulty or poorly matched parts, are used in ways that exceed what was intended by the design, or were poorly designed to begin with.
Indicator
- 1. DESIGNED SYSTEMS: Analyze, design, assemble and troubleshoot complex systems.
Objectives
- Provide evidence that a system can include processes as well as things.
- Explain that thinking about things as systems means looking for how every part relates to others. (The output from one part of a system (which can include material, energy, or information) can become the input to other parts. Such feedback can serve to control what goes on in the system as a whole.)
Indicator
- 1. MAKING MODELS: Analyze the value and the limitations of different types of models in explaining real things and processes.
Objectives
- Explain that models may sometimes mislead by suggesting characteristics that are not really shared with what is being modeled.
Standard 2.0 Earth/Space Science
Topic
A. Materials and Processes That Shape A Planet
Indicator
- 2. Cite evidence to demonstrate and explain that physical weathering and chemical weathering cause changes to Earth materials.
Objectives
- Identify examples of physical weathering, such as the effect of wind, ice, etc. and describe the changes caused in each.
- Describe the changes in materials caused by each of the chemical weathering processes listed:
- Rusting/tarnishing
- Dissolving by acid rain
- Compare physical and chemical weathering and provide examples if changes caused in Earth materials or features by each of these processes.
Indicator
- 4. Differentiate among sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks based upon the processes by which they are formed.
Objectives
- Identify and describe the processes that form sedimentary rock.
- Identify and describe the processes that form igneous rocks.
- Volcanic eruptions
- Igneous intrusions
- Identify and describe the processes that form metamorphic rocks.
- High Temperature
- Pressure
- Cite features that can be used as evidence to distinguish among the three types of rocks and relate these features to the processes that form each rock type.
- Describe the processes that change one form of rock into another (rock cycle).
Topic
C. Plate Tectonics
Indicator
- 1. Recognize and describe the internal and external structure of the Earth.
Objectives
- Recognize and describe that the Earth's core
- Is at the center of the Earth
- Is very hot
- Is dense and metallic
- Identify and describe the Earth's crust.
- The solid crust consists of separate plates
- The plates constantly move in different directions due to convection currents
- The plates interact with one another as a result of plate motion.
Indicator
- 2. Recognize and explain how major geologic events are a result of the movement of Earth's crustal plates.
Objectives
- Recognize and describe the evidence for plate movement.
- Shape of continents
- Continuity of geologic features and fossils on the continents
- Ocean rifts, seafloor spreading
- Global patterns of earthquakes and volcanoes
- Recognize and explain that major geologic events (earthquakes, volcanic activity, sea floor spreading) occur along crustal plate boundaries.
Topic
D. Astronomy
Objectives
Standard 3.0 Life Science
Topic
D. Evolution
Indicator
- 1. Explain that in any particular environment, the growth and survival of organisms and species depend on the physical conditions.
Objectives
- Cite examples and describe that small differences between parents and offspring can accumulate (through selective breeding) in successive generations so that descendants are very different from their ancestors.
- Explain that in any particular environment individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring.
- Explain, with examples, ways that people control some characteristics of plants and animals they raise by selective breeding.
- Describe how sediments of sand and smaller particles (sometimes containing the remains of organisms) are gradually buried and are cemented together by dissolved minerals to form solid rock; and describe that such fossils provide evidence for the long history of changing life forms whose remains are found in the rocks.
Topic
F. Ecology
Indicator
- 1. Give reasons supporting the fact that the number of organisms an environment can support depends on the physical conditions and resources available.
Objectives
- Explain that populations increase or decrease relative to the availability of resources and the conditions of the environment.
- Identify and describe factors that could limit populations within any environment, such as disease, introduction of a nonnative species, depletion of resources, etc.
- Explain that within any environment organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources.
- Cite examples to illustrate that competition is reduced when organisms use different sets of resources, such as birds in a forest eat different kinds and sizes of seeds.
Standard 4.0 Chemistry
Topic
C. States of Matter
Indicator
- 1. Provide evidence and examples illustrating that many substances can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas depending on temperature.
Objectives
- Use evidence from investigations to describe the effect that adding heat energy to different types of matter has on changing matter from one state to another.
- Based on data from investigations describe the effect that removing heat energy from different types of matter has on changing matter from one state to another.
- Analyze data gathered and formulate a conclusion on the effects of temperature change on most substances.
Topic
D. Physical and Chemical Changes
Indicator
- 1. Cite evidence to support the fact that some substances can be separated into the original substances from which they were made.
Objectives
- Investigate and identify ways to describe and classify mixtures using the observable and measurable properties of their components.
- Magnetism
- Boiling Point
- Solubility in water
Standard 5.0 Physics
Topic
C. Electricity and Magnetism
Indicator
- 2. Cite evidence supporting that electrical energy can be produced from a variety of energy sources and can itself be transformed into almost any other form of energy.
Objectives
- Cite examples that demonstrate the transformation of electrical energy into other forms of energy.
- Investigate and describe that some materials allow the quick, convenient, and safe transfer of electricity (conductors), while others prevent the transfer of electricity (insulators).
- Identify and describe the energy transformations in simple electric circuits.
Indicator
- 3. Identify and describe magnetic fields and their relationship to electric current.
Objectives
- Investigate and describe the magnetic fields surrounding various types of magnets using materials, such as iron filings and small comapasses.
- A single bar magnet
- Two bar magnets with like poles facing
- Two bar magnets with opposite poles facing
- A horseshoe magnet
- Investigate and explain ways to change the strength of a simple electromagnet by varying the number of coils wrapped, the amount of electricity in the wire, the number of batteries used, and whether or not an iron core is used.
- Describe how the electromagnet demonstrates the relationship of magnetism and electricity and identify common devices that demonstrate application of this relationship.
- Electric motors (fans, hair dryers, can openers)
- Electrical generators (turbine)
- Based on investigations describe that electricity moving through a wire produces a magnetic force on materials placed near the wire.
- Iron filings
- Compasses
Topic
D. Wave Interactions
Indicator
- 1. Identify and describe the relationships among the various properties of waves.
Objectives
- Cite examples to show that waves transfer energy from one place to another.
- Light
- Sound
- Earthquake waves
- Measure and describe the wavelength, frequency, and amplitude of waves using:
- Water
- Ropes
- Springs
- Measure and describe the relationship between the frequency and the wavelength of a wave.
Indicator
- 2. Provide evidence to demonstrate the relationship among the properties of waves using sound.
Objectives
- Identify and describe the relationship among frequency, wavelength, and pitch.
Objectives
- Based on data generalize the law of reflection.
- Cite evidence from observations and research to support the fact that something can be "seen" when light waves emitted or reflected by it enter the eye.
- Based on observations predict the change in the direction (refraction) of light as it travels from one material to another.
Standard 6.0 Environmental Science
Topic
A. Natural Resources and Human Needs
Indicator
- 1. Recognize and compare how different parts of the world have varying amounts and types of natural resources and how the use of those resources impacts environmental quality.
Objectives
- Identify and describe natural resources as
- Land
- Fossil Fuels
- Forests
- Water
- Wind
- Minerals
- Wildlife
- Identify and describe the distribution of natural resources around the Earth
- Identify and describe how the natural change processes may be affected by human activities.
- Agriculture
- Beach Preservation
- Mining
- Development/construction
- Stream/river alteration
- Identify and describe problems associated with obtaining, using, and distributing natural resources.
- Identify possible solutions to problems associated with obtaining, using, and distributing natural resources.
Topic
B. Environmental Issues
Indicator
- 1. Recognize and explain that human-caused changes have consequences for Maryland's environment as well as for other places and future times.
Objectives
- Identify and describe a range of local issues that have an impact on people in other places.
- Recognize and describe how environmental change in one part of the world can have consequences for other parts of the world.
- Identify and describe that ecosystems can be impacted by human activities.
- Protection of the Chesapeake Bay watershed
- Resource acquisition and use
- Land use decisions (agriculture, mining, and development)
- Recycling
- Use and disposal of toxic substances
Note: Highlighting identifies assessment limits. All highlighted Indicators will be tested on the Grades 5 and 8 MSA. The highlighted Objectives under each highlighted Indicator identify the limit to which MSA items can be written. Although all content standards are tested on MSA, not all Indicators and Objectives are tested. Objectives that are not highlighted will not be tested on MSA, however are an integral part of Instruction.
January 2008
