Once Upon a Standard

Bringing Science Standards to Life Through Unforgettable Storytelling

Painting of a scientist in a lab, holding a beaker with a reddish liquid, surrounded by bubbling beakers, with text about a Belgian chemist named Leo Baekeland in 1907.

Each story is written like a narrative — packed with vivid characters, real history, surprising twists, and science that comes alive through storytelling.

Each Once Upon a Standard Story Includes…

  • 1 NGSS-aligned slide story (15+ slides)

    • Use as is or copy into an existing presentation

  • Printable teacher narration cheat sheet (PDF)

  • Built-in narration notes on each slide

  • Easy-to-teach, no-prep format

Sample Once Upon a Standard Stories

  • Illustration of a forest with a river, trees, and a wolf silhouette, depicting the story titled 'The Wolf That Brought Back Trees' about predator helping restore an ecosystem.

    5th Grade LS2-1

    When wolves returned to Yellowstone, the entire landscape began to change. This story shows how one predator can trigger a chain reaction through an ecosystem—proving that balance depends on every species.

    CLICK HERE FOR ALL 5TH GRADE STORIES

  • Book cover titled 'The Designer Dog Dilemma' with an illustration of a pug dog on a teal background.

    Middle School LS4-5

    From wolf to designer dog, human choices have shaped every bark and snort. This story explores how selective breeding affects traits—and the tough questions that come with shaping life on purpose.

    CLICK HERE FOR ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STORIES

  • Illustration of five people walking along a winding path in a green, forested landscape with hills in the background, and a small house with a chimney on the left. Text reads "The Blue People of Kentucky."

    Middle School LS3-2

    A family in Kentucky was born with bright blue skin—and the reason why is pure genetics. This story uncovers how traits are inherited, revealing the surprising science behind a real-life mystery.

    CLICK HERE FOR ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STORIES

  • Illustration of ancient Egyptian pyramids and a desert scene with a mummy and a lone dog, featuring the title 'The Case of the Disappearing Mummies'.

    5th Grade PS1-2

    When ancient mummies began to vanish, scientists had a mystery on their hands. This story shows how matter changes form but never disappears—revealing the invisible science behind every transformation.

    CLICK HERE FOR ALL 5TH GRADE STORIES

  • Text that reads 'The color that could kill' on a maroon background.

    Middle School PS1-3

    A dazzling new dye took fashion by storm—until people started getting sick. This story uncovers how the structure of synthetic materials affects their properties, and how chemistry shaped both style and safety.

    CLICK HERE FOR ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STORIES

  • Title and image about the moon that disappeared, with a large moon in reddish-brown color against a starry night sky.

    Middle School ESS1-1

    Stranded and desperate, Columbus predicted the Moon would disappear—and it did. This story reveals how patterns in Earth’s motion explain lunar eclipses and help us model the movements of celestial bodies.

    CLICK HERE FOR ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STORIES

  • A graphic illustration showing an elevator with arrows pointing down, depicting it falling. Text on the image reads: 'The Elevator That Fell 75 Floors.'

    Middle School PS3-2

    When an elevator plunged 75 floors after a plane hit the Empire State Building, a woman survived by understanding motion—without even knowing it. This story reveals how gravitational potential energy transformed and how science explains her incredible escape.

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  • Illustration of a car crash between an orange car and a teal car with a burst of orange explosion behind them, with the text "The Crash That Made Cars Safer" written across the image.

    4th Grade PS3-3

    When one of the first car crashes was captured on film, it changed how we think about safety forever. This story shows how energy transfers in collisions—and how engineers use that knowledge to design safer cars.

    CLICK FOR ALL 4TH GRADE STORIES

  • Illustration of a river with flames rising from it, city buildings on both sides, and smoke in the sky, with the text 'The River That Caught Fire' and a code NGSSS 4-ESS3-1.

    4th Grade ESS3-1

    When Ohio’s Cuyahoga River caught fire, it shocked the nation into action. This story shows how human use of natural resources can harm the environment—and how awareness and laws can help protect it.

    CLICK FOR ALL 4TH GRADE STORIES

  • An illustrated portrait of a man with long hair and a beard, wearing a beige jacket, with the text 'The man who weighed his own poop' and a drawing of a pile of poop.

    Middle School LS1-7

    In the 1700s, a doctor built a giant scale to weigh everything he ate—and everything that came out. This bizarre true story uncovers how the body transforms food into energy and waste, revealing the science of metabolism and mass conservation.

    CLICK FOR ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STORIES

  • An illustration of a ship approaching an iceberg at night, with the text 'The iceberg that shouldn’t have been there' in large letters at the top.

    Middle School ESS2-6

    The Titanic hit an iceberg that science could explain—if people had understood ocean currents. This story dives into how thermal energy moves through currents, shaping climate, navigation, and Earth’s delicate balance.

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  • Title screen with a dark blue sky, a silhouette of a person riding a horse, and a church with lit windows. Text reads: "The Fire on the Hill That Meant War" with small text at the bottom right corner reading NGSS: 4-PS4-3.

    4th Grade PS4-3

    When two lanterns lit up a church tower, they sent a message that sparked a revolution. This story shows how patterns can transfer information—then and now—without a single word.

    CLICK FOR ALL 4TH GRADE STORIES