Lincoln Junior High School
Science Overview 6-8
Science Philosophy
District 203 believes in a student-centered environment that will spark imagination and curiosity through inquiry-driven investigations and inspire critical interpretation of science information.
Students will actively participate in science and engineering practices to understand the core ideas and connections between physical, Earth and space, and life science and to understand, use, and interpret scientific explanations of natural phenomena.
Students will be empowered to draw, share, and defend conclusions based on evidence and design solutions that can be applied to the world around them.
The Three Dimensions of Science Learning
Within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), there are three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science—Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas. These dimensions are combined to form each standard—or performance expectation—and each dimension works with the other two to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time.
6-8 Science Overview
Below is the progression of learning for science in District 203 for junior high.
| Science & Engineering Practices |
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| Timeframe & Connections | 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade |
| Crosscutting Concepts |
Systems & System Models
Energy & Matter
Stability & Change
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Scale, Proportion, & Quantity
Structure & Function
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Structure & Function
Patterns
Cause & Effect
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Trimester 1
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
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Weather & Climate
Geologic Time & Plate Tectonics
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Astronomy
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Evidence of Evolution
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Trimester 2
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
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Ecosystems
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Matter & Chemistry
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Energy, Forces, Waves
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Trimester 3
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
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Forces
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Cells-Biochemistry
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Human Impact
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