virtual Galápagos
Curriculum Standards
Virtual Galápagos is making an effort to create content that fits into classrooms in America and in Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. In order to do this, we are using the Next Generation Science Standards and the Sustainability Contextualized Curriculum for the Galápagos Islands.
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS
Each lesson follows NGSS to make it adaptable for the classroom
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a set of K–12 science education guidelines developed by states to enhance science literacy. Unlike traditional methods that focus solely on memorizing isolated facts, NGSS encourage students to actively investigate real-world phenomena, pose questions, and design engineering solutions.
Browse by Standards:
Life Science
3-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction
3-LS3-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
3-LS4-2: Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
5-LS2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
MS-LS3-1: Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism
MS-LS4-1: Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past
MS-LS4-2: Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships
MS-LS4-3: Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy
MS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment
MS-LS4-6: Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 2: Tortoise Diets
3-LS3-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 1: Traits and Adaptations
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 2: Natural Selection
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 2: Tortoise Diets
3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 1: Traits and Adaptations
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 2: Natural Selection
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 1: Island Terrain and Formation
3-LS4-2: Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 2: Natural Selection
3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 2: Tortoise Diets
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 3: Tortoise Protection and Defense Strategies
4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 3: Tortoise Protection and Defense Strategies
5-LS2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 4 Lesson 1: Ecosystem Dynamics
MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 4 Lesson 3: Marine Birds
MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 4 Lesson 2: Flow of Energy
MS-LS3-1: Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism
- Finch Curriculum Unit 3 Lesson 2: Mutations
- Finch Curriculum Unit 3 Lesson 3: Genetics
MS-LS4-1: Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past
- Finch Curriculum Unit 3 Lesson 3: Genetics
MS-LS4-2: Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 1: Fossils and Volcanic Islands
- Finch Curriculum Unit 3 Lesson 2: Mutations
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 4: Phylogenetics
MS-LS4-3: Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 4: Phylogenetics
MS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 3: Evolution
MS-LS4-6: Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 3: Evolution
Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science
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-ETS1-3: 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.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 1: Traits and Adaptations
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.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 1: Traits and Adaptations
Physical Science
2-PS1-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 1: Observations, Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning and Tortoise 101
Earth and Space Sciences
3-ESS2-2: Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
5-ESS2-1: Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
5-ESS2-2. Describe and graph the amounts of saltwater and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
MS-ESS2-2: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
MS-ESS2-4 Earth's Systems: Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
- Tortoise Curriculum Unit 2 Lesson 2: Islands Currents and Climates
5-ESS2-1: Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 2: Formation, Life Cycle, and Ages of Volcanic Islands
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 3: Ocean Currents
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 4: Wind and Water at Ocean Islands
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 5: Climate and Weather in the Islands
5-ESS2-2. Describe and graph the amounts of saltwater and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 4: Wind and Water at Ocean Islands
MS-ESS2-2: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 2: Formation, Life Cycle, and Ages of Volcanic Islands
MS-ESS2-4 Earth's Systems: Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 1 Lesson 3: Ocean Currents
MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
- Finch Curriculum Unit 5 Lesson 1: Human Impact
Contextualización curricular con enfoque de sostenibilidad para las Islas Galápagos
Sustainable Contextualized Curriculum for the Galápagos Islands
El currículo de Galápagos, contextualizado bajo el enfoque de Educación para la Sostenibilidad, tiene como objetivo cumplir varios de los deberes fundamentales del Estado relacionados con los Derechos del Buen Vivir. Este marco está guiado por el Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 4 de la UNESCO, que hace hincapié en una educación inclusiva, equitativa y de calidad, así como en oportunidades de aprendizaje a lo largo de toda la vida para todas las personas.
The Galápagos curriculum, contextualized under the Education for Sustainability approach, aims to fulfill several of the State's fundamental duties related to the Rights of Good Living. This framework is guided by UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4, which emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
CIENCIAS NATURALES | NATURAL SCIENCES
Virtual Galápagos
virtualgalapagos.colgate.edu
