Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

1

Students will be able to investigate fast fashion garments and discarded textiles by classifying natural and synthetic materials, observing properties, and explaining why some clothing items are harder to reuse or recycle.

2

Students will be able to analyze data from fabric interactions with heat, water, dye, or other substances to determine whether a chemical reaction occurred.

3

Students will be able to model atom rearrangement in textile-related chemical processes to explain why mass is conserved.

4

Students will be able to research how fast fashion affects NYC teens, local waste systems, and the environment by gathering evidence about synthetic fibers, textile disposal, pollution, and resource use.

5

Students will be able to define an evidence-based How Might We statement about fast fashion waste that frames a user need without jumping to a solution.

6

Students will be able to design and modify a sustainable fashion item or accessory from repurposed textiles that addresses a real user need and can be tested for function.

7

Students will be able to refine sustainable fashion ideas using peer, family, staff, and partner feedback to improve their design choices and communication.

Products

individual

Fast Fashion Investigation Notes and Sustainable Design Concept Sheet

Each student submits an investigation artifact showing textile observations, reaction evidence, and research findings about fast fashion waste in NYC. They also propose an initial sustainable fashion concept with a labeled sketch and a short rationale tied to evidence.

team

Repurposed Textile Fashion Show Piece and Partner Presentation

Teams create a finished or near-finished sustainable fashion item or accessory from repurposed textiles and present it at the fashion show. The presentation explains the problem, the design choices, the evidence behind the model or material selection, and how feedback shaped revisions.

Rubric
Mastery-Based Rubric Standards-first rubric
Category
Standard
Beginning (1)
Developing (2)
Proficient (3)
Exceeding (4)
New York
MS-PS1-2 - Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
  • I can describe what happens to a fabric or substance when it is changed (for example by heating, dyeing, or soaking) using my own observations
  • I can point to one or more clues (like a color change, new odor, or texture change) that suggest a possible chemical reaction.
  • I can organize data from my tests on a substance before and after it interacts (such as recording observations and/or measurements)
  • I can use the data to identify whether new evidence (new properties, not just a physical change) is present and make a simple claim about whether a chemical reaction likely occurred.
  • I can analyze patterns in my collected data to compare the substance before and after the interaction and decide if a chemical reaction occurred
  • I can explain my reasoning by linking specific evidence to chemical-reaction clues (for example, changes that indicate new substances formed) using science vocabulary.
  • I can independently interpret and evaluate data from multiple trials or conditions to determine with confidence whether a chemical reaction occurred
  • I can justify my conclusion using clear, specific evidence and explain why the observed changes match (or do not match) indicators of chemical reactions rather than physical changes.
New York
MS-PS1-5 - Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.
  • I can use a simple particle/atom drawing to show that during a chemical reaction atoms are not created or destroyed
  • I can state, with guidance, that because atoms stay the same, the total mass is conserved.
  • I can develop a basic model (such as particle diagrams with arrows before/after) that shows atoms rearranging during a chemical reaction
  • I can explain that the number of atoms stays the same and therefore total mass is conserved, using evidence from my model.
  • I can refine and use my model to represent a specific reaction with a clear “before” and “after” arrangement of atoms
  • I can make a quantitative claim (e.g., counting atoms in the model) that shows atoms are conserved and mass must be conserved.
  • I can independently create a detailed model that accurately tracks all atoms through a chemical reaction (including how bonds break and form)
  • I can use my model to justify—step by step—why the total number of atoms does not change and thus total mass is conserved, even when the substances change properties.
New York
MS-ESS3-4 - Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
  • I can identify a claim about how increases in population and consumption can affect an Earth system (like land, water, air, or biodiversity)
  • I can use one piece of provided evidence to connect the claim to that impact, with a brief explanation.
  • I can construct a clear argument that explains how increases in human population and per-capita resource use impact specific Earth systems
  • I can use multiple evidence sources (data, text, or observations) and explain how each piece of evidence supports my claim.
  • I can build a logical, detailed argument showing cause-and-effect relationships between population/consumption and impacts on Earth systems
  • I can select and synthesize evidence from sources to support my reasoning, and I can explain tradeoffs or unintended consequences (e.g., pollution, habitat loss, strain on resources) in my own words.
  • I can construct a sophisticated argument supported by strong, relevant evidence and explain the reasoning from evidence to impact across multiple Earth systems
  • I can anticipate counterclaim(s) or alternative explanations and use additional evidence to strengthen my position, making my conclusion specific, accurate, and transferable to NYC or similar communities.
New York
MS-PS1-3 - Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
  • I can gather information from provided sources (e.g., articles, videos, lab/partner notes) to describe that synthetic materials are made from natural resources
  • I can identify at least one example of a synthetic material used in clothing and state one way it connects to natural resource extraction.
  • I can gather and make sense of information to explain how specific synthetic fibers (such as polyester or nylon) come from natural resources
  • I can describe at least two impacts on society (for example, cost, availability, health or environmental effects) using details from my notes or sources.
  • I can gather, sort, and synthesize information to describe the pathway from natural resources to synthetic materials and then to how those materials are used in clothing
  • I can make a clear claim about how synthetic fibers impact society, supported by evidence from multiple sources (at least one partner or scientific source).
  • I can independently gather and evaluate information to construct an evidence-based explanation of how synthetic materials originate from natural resources and how they impact society
  • I can compare impacts across contexts in NYC (for example, waste/recycling, pollution, and community effects) and justify my reasoning using accurate details and source evidence.
New York
MS-PS1-1 - Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
  • I can build a basic model that shows the atoms I am using to represent a simple molecule (such as which atoms are present) using labeled parts or drawings
  • I can identify that the model represents atoms, not individual sub-particles, and I can point out the general arrangement I chose.
  • I can develop a more complete model of a simple molecule by accurately showing the number and type of atoms and how they connect
  • I can explain, using words and labels from my model, what each part represents and how the model’s structure helps me describe the molecule.
  • I can develop and refine models of both simple molecules and extended structures that represent atomic composition more precisely (including correct proportions and connectivity)
  • I can justify my model choices by linking the pattern I show to how the structure would be organized and how atoms are arranged.
  • I can create an accurate, detailed model (simple molecule and/or extended structure) that uses a clear, consistent system to represent atomic composition and arrangement
  • I can independently check my model for accuracy, revise it when needed, and explain how the structure in my model supports a precise description of what the substance is made of.