Learning progressions require learning targets or clear end points that are defined by societal aspirations and analysis of the central concepts and themes in a discipline.

Progress variables (e.g., core concepts) that are developed over time. Learning progressions require progress variables that identify the critical dimensions of understanding and skills that are being developed over time.

Learning progressions need levels of achievement or stages of progress that define significant intermediate steps in conceptual development that most children might be expected to pass through on the path to attaining the desired proficiency. Even though it is not explicitly stated, we interpret the third element to say that it is important to be aware of students’ common misconceptions and errors. We will address this more in a later lesson.

Learning performances that are the operational definitions of what children’s understanding and skills would look like at each of these stages of progress and that provide the specifications for the development of assessments and activities, which would locate where students are in their progress.