Vets Count! SuperPower Pack

https://www.nextgenscience.org/

http://www.corestandards.org/

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sher/standards/index.htm

Next Generation Science Standards

K-PS2-2: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

• Key Concepts: Pushes and pulls, motion of objects
• Covered Vocabulary: Motion, stability, push/pull, forces, direction of motion.
  • The vocabulary related to motion (e.g., “push,” “pull,” “motion”) and forces appears in questions that involve the movement or position of objects (e.g., the Clownfish addition, or the distance Raylan the wolf travels), as these concepts require an understanding of how forces affect objects.

K-LS1-1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• Key Concepts: Basic needs of plants and animals, survival
• Covered Vocabulary: Health, growth, weight, nutrition, care, habitat, needs for survival.
  • The vocabulary tied to animals’ survival needs (e.g., “weight,” “growth,” “health”) is covered in questions about animal care and nutrition, such as those involving the feeding of animals (e.g., “Cows eat about 20 pounds of food a day” or “Petunia the pig is gaining 2 pounds a day”).

K-ESS2-1: Earth’s Systems

• Key Concepts: Local weather observations, patterns over time
• Covered Vocabulary: Observation, weather, patterns, time, temperature
  • Weather-related vocabulary and observational skills align with the performance expectation that involves analyzing weather conditions and patterns, found in examples such as tracking the milk production of cows and other livestock (e.g., “Cows drink 50 gallons of water every day”).

K-ESS3-1: Earth and Human Activity

• Key Concepts: Needs of different plants and animals, habitats
• Covered Vocabulary: Environment, plants, animals, habitats, needs
  • Questions like “How many geese are in the pond now?” or “How many piglets are there?” explore animals’ interactions with their environments, which ties into the standard of understanding how living things fit into ecosystems and depend on their environment.

K-ESS3-3: Earth and Human Activity

• Key Concepts: Impact on the environment, humans reducing impact
• Covered Vocabulary: Reduction, impact, environment, land, air, water
  • The vocabulary related to the environment and human impacts on it, such as in the context of reducing the environmental effects on animals (e.g., “solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land”).

1-PS4-1: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

• Key Concepts: Vibration, sound, material interaction
• Covered Vocabulary: Vibration, sound, vibrating materials, transfer of energy.
  • Although not directly covered in many animal-related questions, the concept of sound and vibration could be tied to investigations involving communication methods in animals (e.g., animal sounds, heartbeats, or vocalizations).

1-LS1-1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• Key Concepts: External parts helping survival
• Covered Vocabulary: Anatomy, external parts, survival, structures.
  • Questions on animal anatomy (e.g., counting ribs in dogs or comparing giraffes’ neck bones) align with the vocabulary regarding the external parts of animals and how these parts help animals survive.

1-LS3-1: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

• Key Concepts: Inheritance, traits
• Covered Vocabulary: Traits, offspring, inheritance.
  • Concepts of inheritance and variations of traits are covered with questions that explore comparing animals or tracking growth over time (e.g., “Karlin the cat needs 3 pills a day,” “Billy the dachshund weighs 6 pounds”).

2-PS1-1: Matter and Its Interactions

• Key Concepts: Material properties, observations
• Covered Vocabulary: Materials, properties, classification
  • The investigation of material properties (e.g., “Syringe,” “medicine,” or other similar materials used for animals’ health) relates to how materials are classified by their observable properties.

2-ESS1-1: Earth’s Place in the Universe

• Key Concepts: Patterns of the sun, moon, and stars
• Covered Vocabulary: Observation, patterns, sun, moon, stars
  • This standard could relate to understanding cycles or patterns that occur in the natural world, which is reflected in questions tracking animal behavior over time or events like migration patterns.

2-LS2-1: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• Key Concepts: Sunlight and water needed for plant growth
• Covered Vocabulary: Growth, sunlight, water, energy
  • The concepts of plant and animal growth depending on their environments (e.g., feeding habits and weight gain) are observed in the questions regarding how animals and plants need specific resources to survive.

2-LS4-1: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• Key Concepts: Comparing the diversity of life
• Covered Vocabulary: Diversity, habitats, comparison
  • Questions comparing animal traits or populations (e.g., “How many lions are in the pride now?” or comparing animal weights) support this standard by examining biodiversity and variations in animal populations.

 

Common Core Standards-English Language Arts

Reading: Literature (K–5)

1. K.RL.1 – With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
    o Covered Concepts: Understanding details, Observation (e.g., “What did Dr. Samir see under the barrier?” or “How many cubs were added to the pride?”)
2. 1.RL.2 – Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
    o Covered Concepts: Story Retelling, Observation (e.g., “The giraffe’s radiograph is shown; how many neck bones?”)
3. 2.RL.2 – Recount stories, including fables and folktales, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
    o Covered Concepts: Central Message (e.g., “How many times did the hamster visit Dr. Julio?”)
4. 3.RL.3 – Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings).
    o Covered Concepts: Character Traits (e.g., describing animals based on their characteristics or health).
5. 4.RL.2 – Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text.
    o Covered Concepts: Theme (e.g., “How are these animals interacting with each other?”)
6. 5.RL.3 – Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama.
    o Covered Concepts: Comparison (e.g., “How many pigs and horses did Farmer Carl have?”)

Reading: Informational Text (K–5)

1. K.RI.2 – With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
    o Covered Concepts: Key Details (e.g., animals’ behaviors or activities like weight, food intake)
2. 1.RI.3 – Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
    o Covered Concepts: Connections (e.g., how pet care and animal health are connected)
3. 2.RI.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
    o Covered Concepts: Vocabulary (e.g., health-related words like “growth,” “weight,” “hydration”)
4. 3.RI.6 – Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
    o Covered Concepts: Perspective (e.g., comparing animals’ behaviors and different needs)

Common Core Standards-Mathematics

Operations & Algebraic Thinking (K–5)

1. K.OA.A.1 – Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
    o Covered Concepts: Addition, Subtraction, Comparison (e.g., “How many more times does Ruby need her medicine?” and “How many more gallons of milk did Buttercup make than Daisy?”)
2. 1.OA.A.1 – Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems.
    o Covered Concepts: Addition, Subtraction, Comparison (e.g., “How many more pounds does Muffin weigh?” and “How many more hamsters visited Dr. Julio on Monday?”)
3. 2.OA.A.1 – Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems.
    o Covered Concepts: Addition, Subtraction, Problem-solving (e.g., “How many piglets can you treat with this syringe?” and “How many animals did Dr. Jessica take care of today?”)
4. 3.OA.A.1 – Interpret and solve problems involving multiplication and division.
    o Covered Concepts: Multiplication, Division, Comparison (e.g., “How many kittens are in Pedro’s yard?” and “How many fish will fit in the tank?”)
5. 4.OA.A.2 – Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving equal groups, arrays, and area.
    o Covered Concepts: Multiplication, Division, Equal Groups (e.g., “How many pairs of ribs do cats have?” and “How many piglets did they have in all?”)
6. 5.OA.A.1 – Use parentheses, brackets, or braces in numerical expressions and evaluate expressions with these symbols.
    o Covered Concepts: Expressions, Order of Operations (while not directly related, some questions involve multi-step calculations like “How much will Sam earn?” and “How many more eggs did Dana the duck lay?”)

Number & Operations in Base Ten (K–5)

1. K.NBT.A.1 – Understand that the numbers 11–19 are composed of ten ones and some ones.
    o Covered Concepts: Number Composition (e.g., “How many eggs did Claire the chicken lay?” and “How many piglets were there in total?”)
2. 1.NBT.A.1 – Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract within 100.
    o Covered Concepts: Addition, Subtraction, Place Value (e.g., “How many total gallons of water does Sunshine get in a day?”)
3. 2.NBT.B.5 – Mentally add and subtract within 100.
    o Covered Concepts: Mental Math, Addition, Subtraction (e.g., “How many piglets did they have in total?”)
4. 3.NBT.A.2 – Multiply one-digit numbers by two-digit numbers.
    o Covered Concepts: Multiplication (e.g., “How many fish can fit in the tank?”)
5. 4.NBT.B.4 – Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place.
    o Covered Concepts: Estimation, Rounding (e.g., “How much will Oliver the pig weigh in 3 more days?”)

Measurement & Data (K–5)

1. K.MD.A.1 – Compare lengths of objects using direct comparison.
    o Covered Concepts: Measurement, Comparison (e.g., “How many inches of fish fit in the tank?”)
2. 1.MD.A.1 – Tell and write time to the nearest hour and half-hour.
    o Covered Concepts: Time, Measurement (e.g., “What time does Percy get his medicine?”)
3. 2.MD.A.1 – Measure the length of an object using a ruler.
    o Covered Concepts: Measurement (e.g., “How much saliva will Ruby make in two days?”)
4. 3.MD.A.2 – Solve problems involving the perimeter of polygons.
    o Covered Concepts: Measurement (e.g., measuring total distances, like “Raylan the wolf travels 25 miles in one day”)
5. 4.MD.A.2 – Use the four operations to solve problems involving time and measurement.
    o Covered Concepts: Time, Measurement, Calculation (e.g., “How many breaths will Billy the goat take in 60 seconds?”)

Geometry (K–5)

1. K.G.A.1 – Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects.
    o Covered Concepts: Shapes, Spatial Awareness (e.g., “How many ribs do dogs have?”)
2. 1.G.A.2 – Compose two-dimensional shapes or three-dimensional shapes to form larger shapes.
    o Covered Concepts: Shapes, Composition (e.g., forming larger units of animals)

 

National Health Education Standards

Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Understanding basic health needs and practices (e.g., feeding animals, providing medicine, recognizing healthy growth).
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Medicine and Treatment: “How many more times does Ruby need her medicine?”
    ▪ Animal Health: “How much will Petunia the pig weigh tomorrow?”
    ▪ Growth and Health: “How many pounds does Muffin weigh?” and “How many more pounds does Muffin weigh than Charlie the Chihuahua?”
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Building on basic health knowledge with more complex concepts such as disease prevention, the importance of hydration, and recognizing symptoms of illness.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Health of Animals: “How many piglets did they have in all?”
    ▪ Hydration and Health: “How many total gallons of water does Sunshine the horse get in a day?”
    ▪ Animal Growth: “How much will Oliver the pig weigh in 3 more days?”

Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Recognizing the importance of family and caregivers in promoting health behaviors.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Influences of Caretakers: “How many more hamsters visited Dr. Julio on Monday?” (family care)
    ▪ Animal Habits & Care: “How many kittens are in Pedro’s yard?” (comparisons with peer caretakers)
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Recognizing how peers and technology may affect personal choices about health, safety, and environmental awareness.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Health Promotion: “How many ducks hatched from the eggs?” (health behaviors in caretaking)
    ▪ Care for Animals and Humans: “How many kittens did you see at the vet?” (peer health awareness)

Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Learning to identify sources of health information such as adults, caregivers, and trusted figures.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Accessing Information: “What did Dr. Samir the zoo vet see under the wooden barrier?” (access to health information through experts)
    ▪ Understanding Health Resources: “What should be on the missing bucket label?” (recognizing trusted information)
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Gathering health-related information from reliable resources such as medical professionals, books, or educational tools.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Health Services Access: “How many animals did Dr. Jessica take care of today?” (learning how to access medical services for animals)

Standard 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Communicating needs and concerns with adults and caregivers about health.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Communication in Health: “How many eggs did Claire the chicken lay?” (communicating about health behaviors and counting)
    ▪ Interpersonal Communication: “How many breaths did Billy the goat take in 60 seconds?” (engaging with others about animal health)
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Using communication skills to express health needs to others and seek advice or support.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Health Communication: “How many piglets are in the syringe?” (interpersonal communication about animals’ health)
    ▪ Health Awareness: “How many more piglets did the sows have in total?”

Standard 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Making simple decisions regarding healthy behaviors (e.g., feeding animals, providing medicine).
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Decision Making: “How many times did Dr. Julio see hamsters on Monday?” (deciding on frequency of health-related actions)
    ▪ Health Decisions: “How many more piglets are in the field?”
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Making informed choices based on health-related data (e.g., deciding when to provide medicine, how much food to give animals).
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Informed Decision-Making: “How many more fish can fit in the tank?” (deciding the capacity for healthy environments for animals)
    ▪ Health Choices: “How much will Sam earn for walking the puppy?” (making decisions on health-related work)

Standard 6: Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Setting simple goals for daily health habits and self-care (e.g., drinking enough water, getting enough sleep).
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Goal Setting for Health: “How many times should the bedding be cleaned in a hamster’s cage?”
    ▪ Healthy Practices: “How much food will Petunia the pig get today?” (goals for animal care)
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Setting personal and health-related goals based on regular habits (e.g., weight gain, medicine dosage).
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Goal Setting: “How many piglets will the sows have in total?”
    ▪ Setting Health Goals: “How much will Oliver the pig weigh in 3 days?”

Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Practicing positive health habits and avoiding risky behaviors (e.g., feeding animals, ensuring proper hydration).
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Practicing Health: “How many kittens does Pedro have in his yard?”
    ▪ Avoiding Health Risks: “How many geese are in the pond now?” (ensuring proper care for the environment)
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Practicing safety and health behaviors in various contexts (e.g., reducing risks to health through proper animal care or managing personal health).
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Practicing Safe Health Habits: “How many ducks hatched from eggs?”
    ▪ Avoiding Health Risks: “How many piglets did the sows have?”

Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

• K–2 Concepts:
   o Learning to advocate for their own health and wellness and understanding the roles of others in health promotion.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Advocating for Health: “How many animals did you see at the veterinarian’s office today?”
    ▪ Promoting Health: “What should be the number on the missing bucket?”
• 3–5 Concepts:
   o Advocating for health within their communities by sharing healthy practices and promoting wellness.
   o Key Concepts Covered:
    ▪ Community Health: “How many geese are in the pond?” (communicating about animal care within communities)
    ▪ Advocating for Animal Health: “How much saliva will Ruby make in two days?”