Energy: Conversion National and State

Standards Alignment
Next Generation Science Standards
• 4-PS3-2. Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be
transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.
• 4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that
converts energy from one form to another.
• PS2.A: Forces and Motion – Each force acts on one particular object and has
both strength and a direction. An object at rest typically has multiple forces
acting on it, but they add to give zero net force on the object. Forces that do
not sum to zero can cause changes in the object’s speed or direction of
motion.
• PS2.A: Forces and Motion – The patterns of an object’s motion in various
situations can be observed and measured; when that past motion exhibits a
regular pattern, future motion can be predicted from it.
• PS2.B: Types of Interactions – Objects in contact exert forces on each other.
• PS2.B: Types of Interactions – Electric, and magnetic forces between a pair
of objects do not require that the objects be in contact. The sizes of the forces
in each situation depend on the properties of the objects and their distances
apart and, for forces between two magnets, on their orientation relative to
each other.
• 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that
includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or
cost.
• 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem
based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the
problem.
• 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and
failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that
can be improved.
• ETS1.A Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems – Possible solutions to
a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The
success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired
features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be
compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for
success or how well each takes the constraints into accounts.
• ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions – Research on a problem should be
carried out before beginning to design a solution. At whatever stage,

© 2014 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

PLTW Launch – Energy: Conversion Standards Alignment – Page 1
 communicating with peers about proposed solutions is an important part of
the design process, and shared ideas can lead to improved designs.
• Science and Engineering Practices – Asking Questions and Defining
Problems – Asking questions and Builds on K-2 experiences and progresses
to specifying qualitative relationships.
• Science and Engineering Practices – Developing and Using Models – Builds
on K-2 experiences and progresses to building and revising simple models
and using models to represent events and design solutions.
• Science and Engineering Practices – Planning and Carrying Out
Investigations – Builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to include
investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support
explanations or design solutions.
• Science and Engineering Practices – Analyzing and Interpreting Data – Builds
on K-2 experiences and progresses to introducing quantitative approaches to
collecting data and conducting multiple trials of qualitative observations.
When possible and feasible, digital tools should be used.
• Science and Engineering Practices – Using Mathematics and Computational
Thinking – Builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to extending
quantitative measurements to a variety of physical properties and using
computation and mathematics to analyze data and compare alternative
design solutions.
• Science and Engineering Practices – Constructing Explanations and
Designing Solutions – Builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to the use
of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe
and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design
problems.
• Science and Engineering Practices – Obtaining, Evaluating, and
Communicating Information – Builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to
evaluating the merit and accuracy of ideas and methods.
• Crosscutting Concept – Patterns – Patterns can be used as evidence to
support an explanation.
• Crosscutting Concept – Cause and Effect – Case and effect relationships are
routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.
• Crosscutting Concept – Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology
on Society and the Natural World - People’s needs and wants change over
time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.
• Crosscutting Concept – Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology
on Society and the Natural World - Engineers improve existing technologies
or develop new ones to increase their benefits, decrease known risks, and
meet societal demands.

Common Core ELA

© 2014 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

PLTW Launch – Energy: Conversion Standards Alignment – Page 2
 • RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
• RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific,
or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific
information in the text.
• RI.4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write
or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
• RI.4.10 By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts,
including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5
text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end
of the range.
• W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas and information clearly.
• W.4.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through
investigation of different aspects of a topic.
• W.4.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print
and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into
provided categories.
• SL.4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-
one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and
texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• SL.4.3 Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support
particular points.

Common Core Math

• MP.4 Model with mathematics.
• MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically.

© 2014 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

PLTW Launch – Energy: Conversion Standards Alignment – Page 3