MS-ETS1-2
The standard
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
Next Generation Science Standards
What this standard means
Students need to compare more than one possible solution to the same engineering problem. They should use agreed-upon criteria, like cost, strength, safety, or speed, and constraints, like time, materials, size, or rules. They need to make a fair decision using evidence, not just pick the idea they like best.
Mastery looks like a student using a simple decision matrix, rating each design, explaining the scores, and choosing the strongest option based on the problem goals. Students often get stuck when they confuse criteria with constraints, score designs based on opinion, or ignore tradeoffs when one design is strong in one area but weak in another.
Ways to teach it
- Give teams straws, tape, and index cards to build two phone stands, then score each one for stability, cost, and material use.
- Ask students to write: Which bike helmet design would you choose for a school order, and what evidence supports your choice?
- Show three bridge sketches and have students complete a 1 to 3 score matrix for strength, cost, and build time.
- Compare reusable water bottles using price, durability, size, and leak resistance, then choose the best one for a field trip.
Plan a lesson for MS-ETS1-2
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related standards
- HS-ESS3-2
Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
- MS-ETS1-3
Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combin...
- 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.
- HS-ETS1-3
Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety...