Table 2.

Connections to A Framework for K-12 Science Education for grades 9-12 (National Research Council, 2012).

Disciplinary Core Ideas a	Scientific Practices b	Crosscutting Concepts c
LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems Ecosystems have carrying capacities resulting from biotic and abiotic factors. The fundamental tension between resource availability and organism populations affects the abundance of species in any given ecosystem. LS2.C: Ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and resilience If a biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, including one induced by human activity, the ecosystem may return to its more or less original state or become a very different ecosystem, depending on the complex set of interactions within the ecosystem. LS4.D: Biodiversity and humans Biodiversity is increased by formation of new species and reduced by extinction. Humans depend on biodiversity but also have adverse impacts on it. Sustaining biodiversity is essential to supporting life on Earth. *Note: The lessons address aspects of these DCIs in the context of microbiology and human-microbe interactions.	Developing and using models •Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system. Analyzing and interpreting data •Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (e.g. computational, mathematical) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution. •Evaluate the impact of new data on a working explanation and/or model of a proposed process or system. Engaging in argument from evidence •Construct, use, and/or present an oral and written argument or counter-arguments based on data and evidence.	Cause and effect Suggest cause and effect relationships to explain and predict behaviors in complex natural and designed systems. Recognize changes in systems may have various causes that may not have equal effects. Patterns Observe patterns in systems at different scales and cite patterns as empirical evidence for causality in supporting explanations of phenomena. Systems and system models Use models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) to simulate the flow of energy, matter, and interactions within and between systems at different scales.

^aTaken from Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Appendix E: Disciplinary Core Idea Progression, pp. 5-6 (available online at http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards).

^bTaken from NGSS, Appendix F: Science and Engineering Practices, pp. 6, 9, and 13 (available online http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards).

^cTaken from NGSS, Appendix G: Crosscutting Concepts, pp. 5, 6, and 8 (available online at http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards).