K-2-ETS1-1
The standard
Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
Next Generation Science Standards
What this standard means
Students need to notice a problem, ask useful questions, look closely, and collect simple information before trying to build anything. They should learn that engineers do not start with a random idea. They first figure out what people need, what is not working, and what the tool or object must do.
Mastery looks like a child saying, “The crayons keep rolling off the table, so we need something to hold them,” and backing it up with observations. Students often get stuck by jumping straight to building, naming a solution instead of the problem, or asking questions that do not help define the need.
Ways to teach it
- Hands-on: Give pairs a messy supply bin and have them observe, ask questions, and draw the problem before suggesting a new organizer.
- Prompt: What is one thing in our classroom that frustrates people, and what questions should we ask before fixing it?
- Quick assessment: Show a picture of a crowded coat area and ask students to name the problem, one observation, and one question.
- Real-world connection: Discuss how lunch trays, pencil grips, or Velcro solve problems people noticed in daily life.
Plan a lesson for K-2-ETS1-1
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Related standards
- HS-ETS1-2
Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
- MS-ETS1-4
Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
- 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 improv...
- K-2-ETS1-2
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.