Activity 4: Exploration of Science Education Standards

This activity offers an opportunity for future educators, parents and members of society to understand the expectations society has created for science education standards.

This activity, in particular, refers to the Wisconsin Science Standards  http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/standards/sciintro.html

I chose a sub-standard under each of the Standards A through H with a description of something that I have done, or that I am in the processes of up-grading that knowledge in regards to the Wisconsin mandates for school-aged children.
First, a quick Introduction to the Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards for Science:

The study of science allows Wisconsin students to experience the richness and excitement of the natural world. As adults they will face complex questions requiring scientific thinking, reasoning, and the ability to make informed decisions. Scientific knowledge prepares students for the future and helps them acquire skills needed to hold meaningful and productive jobs. These content and performance standards recognize that science is for all students-the essence of science literacy (http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/standards/sciintro.html). 
Second, Clarity and Specificity: Citizens of Wisconsin are the primary audience for the science standards. The standards set clear and specific goals for teaching and learning, and they are not meant to supplant curriculum. Instead, they should help school districts to develop curriculum units that focus on specific academic results. Districts are encouraged to engage in professional conversations suggested by this document and by the National Science Education Standards* (see Glossary of Terms). Parents and citizens in the district should be a part of this conversation.  The Wisconsin science standards follow the format and content of the National Science Education Standards. Three of the content standards (D. Physical Science; E. Earth and Space Science, and F. Life and Environmental Science) address the knowledge-base of science, while the other content standards address the application of knowledge. A reader looking for more of the details inherent in the content standards may refer to the National Science Education Standards.

The following are sub-standards A-H:

A.4.3 When investigating a science-related problem, decide what data can be collected to determine the most useful explanations: The school-age children program I am currently working with this summer have been tending their own garden.  They have researched and have been taught how to identify different plants, such as, tomato's, basil, melons, potato's, peas, beans, and swiss chard.  They were taught how to identify the difference in seeds, sprouts versus weed, and how to identify each plant by the way it grows and by determining the differences in leaves, then the final product of taste.  The children also learned how to identify "pesticide float" poisoning on the plant versus how they attempted to keep all poisons off of the plants and determining the explanations of if each plant grew properly.  The children also learned how to identify and explain when to weed and water the garden and explain the differences of what would happen to the plants if not cared for properly.  For example, the burning of plants by heat, under watering, et cetra.  

• Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will understand that there are unifying themes: systems, order, organization, and interactions; evidence, models, and explanations; constancy, change, and measurement; evolution, equilibrium, and energy; form and function among scientific disciplines.
  These themes relate and interconnect the Wisconsin science standards to one another. Each theme is further defined in the Science Glossary.
• Rationale
  These unifying themes are ways of thinking rather than theories or discoveries. Students should know about these themes and realize that the more they learn about science the better they will understand how the themes organize and enlarge their knowledge. Science is a system and should be seen as a single discipline rather than a set of separate disciplines. Students will also understand science better when they connect and integrate these unifying themes into what they know about themselves and the world around them.

B.4.3 Show* how the major developments of scientific knowledge in the earth and space, life and environmental, and physical sciences have changed over time:  The 4K children I have worked with at the Child and Family Study Center at the University of Wisconsin, Stout have access to some of the best resources which include their teachers.  Because UW-Stout is equipped with a lab to help educated the college students the trickle down effect to the children who attend our child care facility is phenomenal.  The early childhood education program (birth-3rd grade) makes adjustments to the program in order to keep up with standards required by the state of Wisconsin.  We are Young Star approved obliged to the highest rating of a five star approval and we are also accredited by the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

• Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will understand that science is ongoing and inventive, and that scientific understandings have changed over time as new evidence is found.
• Rationale Students will realize that scientific knowledge is developed from the activities of scientists and others who work to find the best possible explanations of the natural world. Researchers and those who are involved in science follow a generally accepted set of rules to produce scientific knowledge that others can confirm with experimental evidence. This knowledge is public, replicable, and undergoing revision and refinement based on new experiments and data

C.4.4 Use simple science equipment safely and effectively, including rulers, balances, graduated cylinders, hand lenses, thermometers, and computers, to collect data relevant to questions and investigations:  Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and as I now  refer to he components as STEAM, the "A" representing the arts.  The older children at the CFSC are able to be equipped with equipment such as goggles for eye protection, smocks to protect their body, magnifying glasses, thermometers, rulers, tape measures, computers, sensory tables, tweezers, and microscopes.   The children are taught the appropriate scientific names to the above mentioned items while being shown how to use the instruments correctly then asked to compare and contrast outcomes with their predictions.  The younger children are also included in science.  They are equipped with gravitational science toys such as balls and tunnels, wind machines, tape measures, magnifying glasses, sensory tables, and plastic colored lenses to look through, etc.

• Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will investigate questions using scientific methods and tools, revise their personal understanding to accommodate knowledge, and communicate these understandings to others.
• RationaleStudents should experience science in a form that engages them in actively constructing ideas and explanations and enhances their opportunities to develop the skills of doing science. Such inquiry (problem solving) should include questioning, forming hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data, reaching conclusions and evaluating results, and communicating procedures and findings to others.

D.4.3. Understand that substances can exist in different states-solid, liquid, gas:  In my previous work with the children at the CFSC and in my present work teaching children ages 5-10 we have done experiments with freezing water into ice and also painting with ice that had been colored with food dye.  The children and I discuss how the water freezes from a liquid and how diffusion works.

• Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will demonstrate an understanding of the physical and chemical properties of matter, the forms and properties of energy, and the ways in which matter and energy interact.  Note: For more details of the content of physical sciences, see National Science Education Standards* (1996, p. 115 - 201).
• RationaleKnowledge of the physical and chemical properties of matter and energy is basic to an understanding of the earth and space, life and environmental, and physical sciences. The properties of matter can be explained in terms of the atomic structure of matter. Chemical reactions can be explained and predicted in terms of the atomic structure of matter. Natural events are the result of interactions of matter and energy. When students understand how matter and energy interact, they can explain and predict chemical and physical changes that occur around them.

E.4.4 Identify celestial objects (stars, sun, moon, planets) in the sky, noting changes in patterns of those objects over time:  The school-age children I am currently working with had a weather themed week where we talked about rain and how light reflects to create rainbows and sun dogs.

We also viewed a solar eclipse on-line at http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=16397676 

and talked about current moon faces at http://www.moonconnection.com/current_moon_phase.phtml 

• Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will demonstrate an understanding of the structure and systems of earth and other bodies in the universe and of their interactions.  Note: For more details of the content of earth and space sciences, see National Science Education Standards* (1996, p. 115 - 201).
• RationaleBy studying earth, its composition, history, and the processes that shape it, students gain a better understanding of the planet on which they live. In addition, all bodies in space, including earth, are influenced by forces acting throughout the solar system and the universe. Studying the universe enhances students' understanding of earth's origins, its place in the universe, and its future. Understanding these geologic, meteorological, astronomical, and oceanographic processes allows students to make responsible choices and to evaluate the consequences of their choices.

F.4.3 Illustrate* the different ways that organisms grow through life stages and survive to produce new members of their type: In an animal theme I do for children is to provide a section on ocean animals/fish.  One amazing happening which also supports the eduction of reproduction and birth is a video clip I show with a [male] seahorse giving birth.  This 45 second video provides and covers many aspects of the cycle of life  and that children's curiosity sparks many questions and comments to:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKrkXXaRMUI

• Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics and structures of living things, the processes of life, and how living things interact with one another and their environment.  Note: For more details of the content of life and environmental sciences, see National Science Education Standards* (1996, p. 115 - 201).
• RationaleStudents will enhance their natural curiosity about living things and their environment through study of the structure and function of living things, ecosystems, life cycles, energy movement (transfer), energy change (transformation), and changes in populations of organisms through time. Knowledge of these concepts and processes of life and environmental science will assist students in making informed choices regarding their lifestyles and the impact they have on communities of living things in their environment.

G.4.3 Determine what science discoveries have led to changes in technologies that are being used in the workplace by someone employed locally:  The day care I work at is ECO-FRIENDLY/AWARE which provides an abundant of healthy ways of living for our children and education to their families and the community, such as, BPA free toys, marmoleum flooring, light tunnels, all organic foods, filtered water for us to drink, rain barrels to provide watering to our garden, etc.  With this mind set our staff include the teachings of our local resources such as the farmer's market, wind and solar facilities, Lake Menomin department of natural resource association for cleaner water, and the Ethanol plant Western Wisconsin Energy LLC (WWE) http://www.westernwisconsinenergy.com/

• Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between science and technology and the ways in which that relationship influences human activities.
• Rationale: Science and technology compliment each other. Science helps drive technology and technology provides science with tools for investigation, inquiry, and analysis. Together, science and technology applications provide solutions to human problems, needs, and aspirations. Students should understand that advances in science and technology affect the earth's systems.

H.4.2 Using the science themes*, identify* local and state issues that are helped by science and technology and explain* how science and technology can also cause a problem:  The ethanol plant, WWE, for example provides locally grown crown to provides natural recourse of food for cow with and a fuel resource.  Although the production of ethanol is energy efficient the output of CO2 is contradicting to the good of the products. 

• Rationale An important purpose of science education is to give students a means to understand and act on personal, economic, social, political, and international issues. Knowledge and methodology of the earth and space, life and environmental, and physical sciences facilitate analysis of topics related to personal health, environment, and management of resources, and help evaluate the merits of alternative courses of action.

2) The Next Generation Science Standards were also explored for this activity. These are new standards that are being proposed at the federal level that many states, including Wisconsin, are now in the process of developing adoption plans.  http://www.nextgenscience.org/

1. What do you see are big changes compared to the previous standards?  As stated in the web page, one change is the limited purpose of these standards is only to emphasize what all students are expected to know and be able to do as a result of the Pre-K–12 education, and this latest set of standards includes an increased emphasis on engineering and technology for the following reasons:

"The rationale for this increased emphasis on engineering and technology rests on two arguments in A Framework for K–12 Science Education (NRC 2011). One argument is inspirational; the other is practical. From an inspirational standpoint, the Framework emphasizes the importance of technology and engineering in solving meaningful problems. From a practical standpoint the Framework notes that engineering and technology provide opportunities for students to deepen
their understanding of science by applying their developing scientific knowledge in different contexts. Both arguments converge on the powerful idea that by integrating technology and engineering into the science curriculum, teachers can enable their students to use what they learn in their everyday lives."
 http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Standards%20for%20Engineering%20Technology%20and%20the%20Applications%20of%20Science%20May%20Draft%20FINAL_0.pdf
2. How are these standards connected to the other disciplines such as math and literacy?  Math and literacy are interconnected by the means of understanding science and technology.  As stated in the web page,  http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Conceptual%20Shifts%20in%20the%20Next%20Generation%20Science%20Standards%20POST%20PUBLIC%20May%20Draft.pdf

"The idea of integrating technology and engineering into science standards is not new. Chapters on the nature of technology and the human-built world were included in Science for All Americans (AAAS 1989) and Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS 1993, 2008). Standards for "Science and Technology" were included for all grade spans in the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996)." 

3. What do you see will be challenges for teachers when considering some of the changes in the proposed science standards?  A challenge for teachers would be feeling that standards may need to go over and beyond standards being put into place therefore leading to creating more jobs to produce more science/tech specific course to fill the gaps.  Another major issue would be funding and the NCLB law.  We must also take into consideration the under funded schools and institutions that are at the lower ends of fulfilling mandates and the high school graduation percentages and drop out rates.  Who will make sure that these poverty stricken schools and communities are held up by these high expectations that the NRC is holding accountable?  Of course our teachers are expected to have high expectations for their students, that's what the students want; however, the expectations that the law makers may have to revise another plan for funding and paying the teachers better salaries so they too can ihave the opportunity to increase their eduction in helping provide better services as well.