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CrossCutSymbols
  • Crosscut Symbols for the NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
    • Patterns
    • Cause and Effect
    • Scale
    • Systems
    • Energy and Matter
    • Structure and Function
    • Stability and Change
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Cause and Effect

When we do science we try to find out the reasons why things happen. What causes have you identified? What effects do they produce? What is your evidence? Cause and Effect is the second NGSS Crosscutting Concept.

What have you found?
PicturePhoto by Brandon Rush
The force of the bat causes a change in the motion of the ball.

Picture
Students can use the ball and bat symbol where they see cause and effect.

Grade Level Progressions for Cause and Effect
Critical Questions for Cause and Effect

What evidence is there for a cause and effect relationship?
How can this cause and effect relationship be tested?
What are other possible causes? Are there many causes?
Is the cause and effect relationship real or imagined?
How is this cause and effect relationship similar to and different than others I have learned about?
Engineering- How can I use this cause and effect relationship?
What other crosscutting concepts apply to this cause and effect relationship?
Based on what I've learned, what other symbol could be used to represent Cause and Effect?

Questions that connect to the Science and Engineering Practices-

Asking Questions- What is the cause of this effect?
Defining Problems- What is the desired effect?
Models- What model will explain this cause and effect relationship?
Investigations- How can we design an investigation to see if this is the cause of this effect?
Data- Does our data support this cause and effect relationship?
Using Math- How can we measure the relationship between the cause and effect? How can we model it with math?
Computational Thinking- How can we make a computer model of this cause and effect relationship?
Explanations- What explains how the cause leads to the effect? What does this cause and effect relationship help to explain?
Solutions- Will this cause the desired effect?
Argument- What is the evidence that the cause leads to the effect?
Information- What is already known about this cause and effect relationship? How can I best communicate about this cause and effect relationship?

Why the Ball and Bat is the symbol for Cause and Effect- Young students can clearly understand the relationship between the force of the bat and the movement of the ball. As students get older their understanding will become more sophisticated and  involve applying Newton's laws to understand the many forces on both the bat and ball.
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