NGSS Alignment: Plants Field Study
MESD Outdoor School > For Teachers > Next Generation Science Standards > NGSS Alignment: Plants

Plants Alignment Table (PDF)*
NGSS Performance Expectations for Plants Field Study (PDF)
* Interactive table is best viewed with a desktop browser, and is not navigable via keyboard. For accessible table, download Excel version:  Plants (XLS) ​
See also: Outdoor School Curriculum
Field Study Curriculum Outline: Animals • Plants •  Soil • Water
​Field Study Tour: Animals • Plants • Soil • Water 
Next Generation Science Standards: Animals • Plants • Soil • Water
Next Generation
Science Standards
(hover over blue text for brief descriptions)

Key:
☆ = Strongly Aligned
✔ = Aligned
⊗ = Minimally Aligned
* = Standard Activity
DCI = Disciplinary Core Idea
PE = Performance Expectation

Plants Field Study 		Crosscutting Concepts Scientific Practices
Cause & Effect
Structure & Function
Systems & System Models
Scale, Proportion, & Quantity
Stability & Change
Energy & Matter
Patterns
1. Asking Questions & Defining Problems
2. Developing & Using Models
3. Planning & Carrying Out Investigations
4. Analyzing & Interpreting Data
5. Using Mathematics & Computational Thinking
6. Constructing Explanations & Designing Solutions
7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence
8. Obtaining, Evaluating, & Communicating Information
Plant Identification Hike*
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-4; MS-LS1-5 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆ ✔
Primitive Plants (Moss and Lichen)*
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-4 		☆ ✔ ✔ ☆ ✔
Tree Parts*
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-5 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆
Nurse Logs*
DCI: LS2.B; LS2.A
PE: MS-LS2-1; MS-LS2-3 		☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Phototropism*
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-5 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆
Plant Adaptations
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-4; MS-LS1-5 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆ ☆ ✔
Flower Parts (Spring)
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-4 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆
Seed and Spore Dispersal
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-4 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆ ✔
Photosynthesis (Energy & Renewable Natural Resources)
DCI: LS1.C; PS3.D; LS2.A
PE: MS-LS1-6; MS-LS2-1 		☆ ✔ ✔ ☆ ✔ ✔ ☆
Ethnobotany
DCI: LS4.D
PE: MS-LS2-4 		✔ ☆ ✔ ☆ ✔
Logging Tools
DCI: ESS3.C
PE: MS-ESS3-3 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆ ✔ ✔
Succession and Disturbance
DCI: LS2.A; LS2.C; LS1.B; ESS2.A; ESS2.C
PE: MS-LS1-5; MS-LS2-1; MS-LS2-4; MS-ESS2-2 		✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆ ☆ ☆
Forestry Practices
DCI: LS2.C; LS4.D; ETS1.B
PE: MS-LS2-5 		☆
Fire Ecology
DCI: LS1.B; LS2.C
PE: MS-LS1-4; MS-LS2-4 		☆ ✔ ✔ ☆
Dichotomous Key / Leaf Detectives
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-4 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆ ✔
Tree Age
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-5 		☆ ✔ ☆
Tree Height / Board Foot Volume
DCI: ESS3.C
PE: MS-ESS3-3 		☆ ✔ ✔ ☆
Forest Layers
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-5⊗ 		☆ ☆ ☆
Coniferous Trees
DCI: LS1.B
PE: MS-LS1-4; MS-LS1-5 		☆ ✔ ✔ ✔ ☆ ✔