#326: Evidence from NGSS-Aligned Assessments of First Graders’ Reasoning About Celestial Motion and Daylight

This study investigates how first-graders reason about celestial motion and daylight through NGSS-aligned formative assessments designed with an Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) inspired framework. We created five tasks aligned to two Earth and Space Science performance expectations to probe students’ abilities to observe, describe, and predict patterns in celestial objects and seasonal daylight. Student responses (N = 134) were thematically analyzed to surface common strengths and challenges. Findings indicate that many students showed strong observational abilities and emerging recognition of recurring celestial patterns, particularly when supported with scaffolds and visual representations. Students were able to make predictions, though they frequently struggled to connect celestial positions with specific times of day or seasonal changes. These results suggest that first graders are capable of more sophisticated astronomical reasoning than often assumed. The study underscores the importance of thoughtful task design for fostering and accurately capturing early science understanding.