STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY

EARLY GRADES K-5

The elementary science section of the SCS integrates the unifying concepts of science to provide continuity in science instruction across grade levels and among science disciplines. These unifying concepts are:

• Systems, Order and Organization.
• Evidence, Models, and Explanation.
• Constancy, Change, and Measurement.
• Evolution and Equilibrium.
• Form and Function.

The elementary science section of the SCS strands provides unifying threads of understanding that span the content areas of elementary science. The strands include the following goals:

Nature of Science

As a result of activities in grades K-5, all students should develop an understanding of:

• Science as a human endeavor.
• Science as inquiry.
• The nature of scientific inquiry.

Science as Inquiry

As a result of activities in grades K-5, all students should develop:

• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
• Abilities necessary to understand, to use, and to apply the unifying concepts and processes of science including:
• evidence, explanation, measurement.
• ordering, organizing.
• changes (time, rate, scale, patterns, trends, cycles).
• Systems.
  • boundaries
  • components.
  • resources.
  • flow.
  • feedback.
• form, function, equilibrium.
• models.

Science and Technology

As a result of activities in grades K-5, all students should develop:

• Ability to use and create technological designs.
• Understanding about technology and design.
• Ability to distinguish between natural and human made objects.

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

As a result of activities in grades K-5, all students should develop understanding of:

• Impacts of science and technology on their daily lives.
• The relationship of science to personal health and welfare.
• Characteristics of and changes in populations.
• Applications of science and technology to local challenges.