Legend: F=Focus in Lesson O=Ongoing Development E=Early Development
| NSE STANDARDS | LESSON | SBA | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | S1 | S2 | S3 | SRB | |||
| A. Science as Inquiry | |||||||||||||||||||
| Abilities Necessary to do Scientific Inquiry | |||||||||||||||||||
| Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations. | E | O | |||||||||||||||||
| Design and conduct a scientific investigation. | E | O | |||||||||||||||||
| Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data. | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | F | |||||||||
| Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. | O | O | F | O | O | O | O | ||||||||||||
| Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. | F | F | F | O | O | F | O | O | |||||||||||
| Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions. | E | E | O | O | |||||||||||||||
| Communicate scientific procedures and explanations. | O | O | O | F | |||||||||||||||
| Understandings About Scientific Inquiry | |||||||||||||||||||
| Scientists use different kinds of investigations depending on the questions they are trying to answer. Types of investigations include describing objects, events, and organisms; classifying them; and doing a fair test (experimenting). (Grades K-4) | E | E | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | F | ||||||
| Scientific investigations involve asking and answering a question and comparing the answer with what scientists already know about the world. (Grades K-4) | F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Simple instruments, such as magnifiers, thermometers, and rulers, provide more information than scientists obtain using only their senses. (Grades K-4) | O | O | O | F | |||||||||||||||
| Scientists develop explanations using observations (evidence) and what they already know about the world (scientific knowledge). Good explanations are based on evidence from investigations. (Grades K-4) | O | O | O | F | |||||||||||||||
| Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing objects, organisms, or events; some involve collecting specimens; some involve experiments; some involve seeking more information; some involve discovery of new objects and phenomena; and some involve making models. | F | F | F | F | F | F | O | F | F | ||||||||||
| Technology used to gather data enhances accuracy and allows scientists to analyze and quantify results of investigations. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific explanations emphasize evidence, have logically consistent arguments, and use scientific principles, models, and theories. The scientific community accepts and uses such explanations until displaced by better scientific ones. When such displacement occurs, science advances. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific investigations sometimes result in new ideas and phenomena for study, generate new methods or procedures for an investigation, or develop new technologies to improve the collection of data. All of these results can lead to new investigations. | O | O | |||||||||||||||||
| B. Physical Science | |||||||||||||||||||
| Properties of Objects and Materials | |||||||||||||||||||
| Objects have many observable properties, including size, weight, shape, color, temperature, and the ability to react with other substances. Those properties can be measured using tools, such as rulers, balances, and thermometers. (Grades K-4) | F | O | |||||||||||||||||
| D. Earth and Space Science | |||||||||||||||||||
| Changes in the Earth and Sky | |||||||||||||||||||
| The surface of the earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes, such as erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. (Grades K-4) | E | E | O | O | F | F | F | O | O | F | O | ||||||||
| Structure of the Earth System | |||||||||||||||||||
| The solid earth is layered with a lithosphere; hot convecting mantle; and dense, metallic core. | E | E | O | ||||||||||||||||
| Lithospheric plates on the scales of continents and oceans constantly move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the mantle. Major geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from these plate motions. | E | E | O | ||||||||||||||||
| Landforms are the result of a combination of constructive and destructive forces. Constructive forces include crustal deformation, volcanic eruption, and deposition of sediment, while destructive forces include weathering and erosion. | E | E | O | O | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | O | |||||||
| Soil consists of weathered rocks and decomposed organic material from dead plants, animals, and bacteria. Soils are often found in layers, with each having a different chemical composition and texture. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Earth's History | |||||||||||||||||||
| The earth processes we see today, including erosion, movement of lithospheric plates, and changes in atmospheric composition, are similar to those that occurred in the past. | O | O | |||||||||||||||||
| E. Science and Technology | |||||||||||||||||||
| Understandings about Science and Technology | |||||||||||||||||||
| People have always had questions about their world. Science is one way of answering questions and explaining the natural world. (Grades K-4) | O | O | O | O | O | O | F | O | |||||||||||
| Tools help scientists make better observations, measurements, and equipment for investigations. They help scientists see, measure, and do things that they could not otherwise see, measure, and do. (Grades K-4) | F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific inquiry and technological design have similarities and differences. Scientists propose explanations for questions about the natural world, and engineers propose solutions relating to human problems, needs, and aspirations. Technological solutions are temporary; technologies exist within nature and so they cannot contravene physical or biological principles; technological solutions have side effects; and technologies cost, carry risks, and provide benefits. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Many different people in different cultures have made and continue to make contributions to science and technology. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Science and technology are reciprocal. Science helps drive technology, as it addresses questions that demand more sophisticated instruments and provides principles for better instrumentation and technique. Technology is essential to science, because it provides instruments and techniques that enable observations of objects and phenomena that are otherwise unobservable due to factors such as quantity, distance, location, size, and speed. Technology also provides tools for investigations, inquiry, and analysis. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| F. Science in Personal and Social Perspectives | |||||||||||||||||||
| Natural hazards | |||||||||||||||||||
| Internal and external processes of the earth system cause natural hazards, events that change or destroy human and wildlife habitats, damage property, and harm or kill humans. Natural hazards include earthquakes, landslides, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, floods, storms, and even possible impacts of asteroids. | E | E | O | ||||||||||||||||
| Human activities also can induce hazards through resource acquisition, urban growth, land-use decisions, and waste disposal. Such activities accelerate many natural changes. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| G. History and Nature of Science | |||||||||||||||||||
| Nature of science | |||||||||||||||||||
| Scientists formulate and test their explanations of nature using observation, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models. Although all scientific ideas are tentative and subject to change and improvement in principle, for most major ideas in science, there is much experimental and observational confirmation. Those ideas are not likely to change greatly in the future. Scientists do and have changed their ideas about nature when they encounter new experimental evidence that does not match their existing explanations. | F | O | |||||||||||||||||
| History of Science | |||||||||||||||||||
| Many individuals have contributed to the traditions of science. Studying some of these individuals provides further understanding of scientific inquiry, science as a human endeavor, the nature of science, and the relationships between science and society. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| In historical perspective, science has been practiced by different individuals in different cultures. In looking at the history of many peoples, one finds that scientists and engineers of high achievement are considered to be among the most valued contributors to their culture. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Tracing the history of science can show how difficult it was for scientific innovators to break through the accepted ideas of their time to reach the conclusions that we currently take for granted. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Unifying Concepts and Processes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Evidence, models, and explanation | E | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | F | ||||||||||
Legend: F=Focus in Lesson O=Ongoing Development E=Early Development
| AAAS BENCHMARK | LESSON | SBA | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | S1 | S2 | S3 | SRB | |||
| 1. The Nature of Science | |||||||||||||||||||
| A. The Scientific World View | |||||||||||||||||||
| Results of similar scientific investigations seldom turn out exactly the same. Sometimes this is because of unexpected differences in the things being investigated, sometimes because of unrealized differences in the methods used or in the circumstances in which the investigation is carried out, and sometimes just because of uncertainties in observations. It is not always easy to tell which. | O | O | O | O | O | O | |||||||||||||
| B. Scientific Inquiry | |||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific investigations may take many different forms, including observing what things are like or what is happening somewhere, collecting specimens for analysis, and doing experiments. Investigations can focus on physical, biological, and social questions. | E | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | F | |||||||||
| Results of scientific investigations are seldom exactly the same, but if the differences are large, it is important to try to figure out why. One reason for following directions carefully and for keeping records of one's work is to provide information on what might have caused the differences. | O | O | |||||||||||||||||
| Scientists' explanations about what happens in the world come partly from what they observe, partly from what they think. Sometimes scientists have different explanations for the same set of observations. That usually leads to their making more observations to resolve the differences. | F | F | O | O | O | O | O | O | F | ||||||||||
| C. The Scientific Enterprise | |||||||||||||||||||
| Science is an adventure that people everywhere can take part in, as they have for many centuries. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| Clear communication is an essential part of doing science. It enables scientists to inform others about their work, expose their ideas to criticism by other scientists, and stay informed about scientific discoveries around the world. | O | O | O | O | O | F | |||||||||||||
| 3. The Nature of Technology | |||||||||||||||||||
| B. Design and Systems | |||||||||||||||||||
| The solution to one problem may create other problems. | O | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4. The Physical Setting | |||||||||||||||||||
| B. The Earth | |||||||||||||||||||
| Things on or near the earth are pulled toward it by the earth's gravity. | E | E | E | E | |||||||||||||||
| Air is a substance that surrounds us, takes up space, and whose movement we feel as wind. | F | O | |||||||||||||||||
| C. Processes that Shape the Earth | |||||||||||||||||||
| Waves, wind, water and ice shape and reshape the earth's land surface by eroding rock and soil in some areas and depositing them in other areas, sometimes in seasonal layers. | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | O | O | F | O | ||||||
| Rock is composed of different combinations of minerals. Smaller rocks come from the breakage and weathering of bedrock and larger rocks. Soil is made partly from weathered rock, partly from plant remains--and also contains many living organisms. | E | E | F | O | |||||||||||||||
| The interior of the earth is hot. Heat flow and movement of material within the earth cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and create mountains and ocean basins. (Grades 6-8) | F | F | O | ||||||||||||||||
| D. Structure of Matter | |||||||||||||||||||
| Heating and cooling causes changes in the properties of material. Many kinds of changes occur faster under hotter conditions. | E | E | O | ||||||||||||||||
| F. Motion | |||||||||||||||||||
| How fast things move differs greatly. Some things are so slow that their journey takes a long time; others move too fast for people to even see them. | E | ||||||||||||||||||
| 9. The Mathematical World | |||||||||||||||||||
| E. Reasoning | |||||||||||||||||||
| One way to make sense of something is to think how it is like something more familiar. | E | ||||||||||||||||||
| 11. Common Themes | |||||||||||||||||||
| B. Models (Introduction) | F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Seeing how a model works after changes are made to it may suggest how the real thing would work if the same were done to it. | O | F | |||||||||||||||||
| Geometric figures, number sequences, graphs, diagrams, sketches, number lines, maps, and stories can be used to represent objects, events, and processes in the real world, although such representations can never be exact in every detail. | F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Models are often used to think about processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, or on too small a scale to observe directly, or that are too vast to be changed deliberately, or that are potentially dangerous. (Grades 6-8) | E | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||||
| 12. Habits of Mind | |||||||||||||||||||
| A. Values and Attitudes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Keep records of their investigations and observations and not change the records later. | F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Offer reasons for their findings and consider reasons suggested by others. | E | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | |||||||||||
| C. Manipulation and Observation | |||||||||||||||||||
| Keep a notebook that describes observations made, carefully distinguishes actual observations from ideas and speculations about what was observed, and is understandable weeks or months later. | E | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | |||||||||
| D. Communication Skills | |||||||||||||||||||
| Make sketches to aid in explaining procedures or ideas. | O | O | O | O | F | ||||||||||||||
| Locate information in reference books, back issues of newspapers and magazines, compact disks, and computer databases. (Grades 6-8) | F | ||||||||||||||||||