Next Generation Science Standards
The purpose of these standards are to develop a deep interest in students of science knowledge, as science, along with mathematics, provide a foundation for many of the jobs in today's modern workforce. The standards place a large emphasis on understanding core ideas and confronting misconceptions, as well as engineering practices. It is one thing for students to understand scientific ideas and concepts, but it is also important for them to understand how scientists and engineers use the information. Incorporating engineering into the science standards is a great way for students to actually apply what they are learning and gain a better understanding, as opposed to the idea that students often think learning means to memorize. These standards provide a good basis at an early age of what it means to work in a science based field.
When you open the standards for the grade level you wish to look at, you will first see a few notes at the top of the page from the California Department of Education. Under those, are where the stands begin. The first box of each standard is larger with red writing. These statements are learning outcomes for specific standards. These statements start with "Students who demonstrate an understanding can" and go on to list objectives such constructing an argument or using a model. These objectives help me as a teacher to see what a student has learned after teaching a lesson or unit on a specific set of standards.
As you continue scrolling down, underneath the objectives, you will see three boxes that are blue, orange, and green. The blue box is for engineering. Though there are specific engineering standards that you will see at the bottom of the page, they are also imbedded with each standard. This box develops on the objectives that were listed above. The orange box lists the specific core standards that the students will be learning. These statements are designed to be very specific for teachers, parents, and students to understand exactly what is to be learned. The last box contains crosscutting ideas. This refers to any ideas that are outside of the specific standards that the standards might relate to. Most often, this box will list other science standards. This is helpful for me as a teacher to know what other topics may be discussed as I am focusing on one particular standard.
When you open the standards for the grade level you wish to look at, you will first see a few notes at the top of the page from the California Department of Education. Under those, are where the stands begin. The first box of each standard is larger with red writing. These statements are learning outcomes for specific standards. These statements start with "Students who demonstrate an understanding can" and go on to list objectives such constructing an argument or using a model. These objectives help me as a teacher to see what a student has learned after teaching a lesson or unit on a specific set of standards.
As you continue scrolling down, underneath the objectives, you will see three boxes that are blue, orange, and green. The blue box is for engineering. Though there are specific engineering standards that you will see at the bottom of the page, they are also imbedded with each standard. This box develops on the objectives that were listed above. The orange box lists the specific core standards that the students will be learning. These statements are designed to be very specific for teachers, parents, and students to understand exactly what is to be learned. The last box contains crosscutting ideas. This refers to any ideas that are outside of the specific standards that the standards might relate to. Most often, this box will list other science standards. This is helpful for me as a teacher to know what other topics may be discussed as I am focusing on one particular standard.
Diocese Expectations
In science, students are learning all about the world they live in, developments of the past, and aspects of the modern day that effect them as they continue to grow. Sometimes, though, science conflicts with some controversial topics that are apparent in today's society. To make sure our science instruction is aligned with the Catholic faith, the diocese has come up with additional standards. These standards are built off of the New Generation Science Standards, but are now made to be looked at through the eyes of the Catholic Church. The link above includes all diocese standards for science from kindergarten to eighth grade.