The Ultimate Guide to Disciplinary Core Ideas - Imagine Learning

Disciplinary Core Ideas

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The Ultimate Guide to

Disciplinary Core Ideas

What Are Disciplinary Core Ideas? 

The foundation of STEM learning

Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) represent the big ideas that drive our understanding of science. They are organized into four key areas: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Engineering. As students progress, these ideas grow in complexity, enabling them to better comprehend the phenomena around them.

Importantly, DCIs are not taught in isolation but are integrated with Crosscutting Concepts and Science and Engineering Practices, creating a holistic approach to STEM learning. 

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    Helping Students Understand the World Around Them

    Life Science

    Life Science explores living organisms as part of whole systems, studying how they interact in the biosphere with their environments and other organisms.

    Physical Science

    Everything in the world depends on physical and chemical processes, and physical science explores these through the study of matter, forces, motion, and energy.

    Earth and Space Science

    Earth and Space Science explores the structure, composition, and history of the universe while examining the conditions necessary to support life.

    Engineering, Technology, and the Application of Science

    This final DCI focuses on developing a scientific approach to problem-solving, where students use engineering design to create new technologies or apply scientific concepts to real-world challenges.

    DCI posters for the classroom

    These free printable posters highlight each Disciplinary Core Idea, helping your students grasp key scientific concepts and build a deeper understanding of how the world works.

    A collation of five downloadable DCI classroom posters

    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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