The Ultimate Guide to Crosscutting Concepts - Imagine Learning

Crosscutting Concepts

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The Ultimate Guide to

Crosscutting Concepts

What Are Crosscutting Concepts? 

Applicable across all science disciplines

Think of Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) as the resources required to analyze, interpret, and make sense of phenomena. They may seem initially abstract, but these concepts reappear across multiple disciplines as they help students build content knowledge and understand scientific processes. 

Integrating CCCs into science lessons empowers students to delve deeper into scientific phenomena. With these foundational tools, students can analyze scientific processes and build a comprehensive understanding of how science explains the world around them. 

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    How Do CCCs Build Deeper Content Knowledge and Understanding? 

    Patterns 

    Patterns are essential for helping students recognize relationships, predict outcomes, and build scientific literacy.

    Cause and Effect 

    Cause and effect help students understand why and how phenomena occur.

    Scale, Proportion, and Quantity 

    From the tiniest atoms to vast galaxies, scale, proportion, and quantity help students explore the world by comparing objects and events across different sizes and time frames.

    Systems and System Models 

    The world can seem overwhelming for young learners, but breaking it into systems makes it easier to understand.

    Energy and Matter 

    Energy and matter drive the behavior of all systems. Matter, which occupies space and has mass, moves through systems in observable cycles, while energy enables changes and interactions.

    Structure and Function 

    Structure and function refer to the relationship of both natural and human-made systems.

    Stability and Change 

    This final concept looks at how change occurs in any system and how we can use technology to control that change.

    CCC posters for the classroom

    These free printable posters help students understand the importance and interconnectedness of all seven crosscutting concepts. 

    A collation of eight classroom posters explaining each crosscutting concept

    Experience the difference with 3-D learning 

    It’s easy to hit all three dimensions of 3-D learning with Twig Science — the robust, NGSS-aligned science program for K–8. Through phenomena-based exploration, students seamlessly integrate Crosscutting Concepts, Science and Engineering Practices, and Disciplinary Core Ideas, gaining a deeper, interconnected understanding of science. 

    Students in science class having fun

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