USING NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARD PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION 5-PS1-3 AS A VEHICLE FOR BASIC ROCK AND MINERAL IDENTIFICATION

In most U.S. states, districts choose their K-12 science curricula based on the expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), or on similar three-dimensional content standards based on A Framework for K-12 Science Education. For these standards, there are certain Performance Expectations (PEs) that require students to have some basic familiarity with rock types (e.g., NGSS MS-ESS2-3; HS-ESS2-1), and others where students would benefit from having this familiarity (e.g., NGSS 5-ESS2-1), even if that familiarity means simply knowing the difference between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. However, these same sets of standards tend to be silent on specifically when core content related to rock or mineral identification should be taught. The issue is more or less acute depending on the specific topics being addressed and whether lessons are based on real-world phenomena. Generally, teachers or district curriculum teams decide if the science covered by a particular PE requires an understanding of rocks or minerals and how to include that instruction in a standards-based way. The NGSS does offer an oblique solution: physical science PE 5-PS1-3 is written in such a way that we can wedge in rock and mineral identification without violating the intent of the standard. This PE requires students to conduct investigations of the observable properties of unknown materials, to identify and classify those materials. Many rocks and minerals have properties related to their grade-appropriate identification that students can observe and/or measure. We have successfully used this fifth-grade physical science PE to guide an actual student investigation of a real-world geological phenomenon, and in doing so generated relevant scientific results. 5-PS1-3 is well suited to guide student investigations related to basic rock and mineral core content.