At the high school level students are expected to engage with major global issues at the interface of science, technology, society and the environment, and to bring to bear the kinds of analytical and strategic thinking that prior training and increased maturity make possible. As in prior levels, these capabilities can be thought of in three stages—defining the problem, developing possible solutions, and improving designs.”
https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/HS%20ETS%20DCI%20combined%206.13.13.pdf