Chemical Reactions
[The performance expectations in the topic] “Chemical Reactions” help students formulate an answer to the questions: “How do substances combine or change (react) to make new substances? How does one characterize and explain these reactions and make predictions about them?” Chemical reactions, including rates of reactions and energy changes, can be understood by students at this level in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms. Using this expanded knowledge of chemical reactions, students are better able to understand a variety of important biological and geophysical phenomena, from cellular metabolism to reactions that form minerals and prepared to be critical consumers of information, so that they can engage in public discussion using evidence-based argumentation not only around science-related issues but across a broad range of topics. Students are also able to apply an understanding of the process of optimization in engineering design to chemical reaction systems. The crosscutting concepts of patterns, energy and matter, and stability and change are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. In these performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models, using mathematical thinking, constructing explanations, and designing solutions; and to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas (NGSS Lead States 2013f).
California Department of Education. 2018. 2016 California Science Framework Chapter 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education, 1115.
Big Idea Success Criteria
The categories and their related standards below unpack the success criteria of this big idea.
Guiding Questions
- What holds atoms together to make molecules?
- Why do some combination of elements react and others do not?
- How do organisms harness energy from the chemical bonds in their food?
Performance Expectations
- HS-PS1-4. Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that a chemical reaction is a system that affects the energy change Examples of models could include molecular-level drawings and diagrams of reactions, graphs showing the relative energies of reactants and products, and representations showing energy is conserved ] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include calculating the total bond energy changes during a chemical reaction from the bond energies of reactants and products.]
- HS-PS2-4. Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on both quantitative and conceptual descriptions of gravitational and electric fields ] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to systems with two objects.]
- HS-PS3-5. Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction [Clarification Statement: Examples of models could include drawings, diagrams, and texts, such as drawings of what happens when two charges of opposite polarity are near each other ] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to systems containing two objects.]
California Department of Education. 2018. 2016 California Science Framework Chapter 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education, 1116.
Alternative Means of Expression
This big idea does not have created or curated examples of alternative means of expression due to the project scope and timeline. If you have example options you would like to share with the initiative team, please use the BYOT option.
Sample Coursework
Bring Your Own Task (BYOT)
A Call to IEP Teams
We want students’ IEP team members to share their ideas regarding viable alternative means of expression pertaining to this big idea for students with disabilities, including those eligible for the CAA, these teams serve. IEP teams can define viable alternative means of expression for an individual student with an IEP, as long as these mediums meet the local requirements of the coursework.
A Call to Content-based Educators
In addition to IEP teams, we know secondary teachers and district curriculum leads have a wealth of experience and ideas related to innovative ways to assess students’ understanding of this content. We are interested in sample alternative means of expression this community sees as viable assessments of this big idea.
Please use the entry boxes below to share these ideas.
Important Note —These assessment tools will not be shared outside the review of the initiative team and will remain the intellectual property of the users who have made this submission. Furthermore, feedback or comments from the initiative team will not be given to uploaded content, nor does uploading materials imply that the alternative means of expression strategy is a viable option for this big idea.
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