Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2000-05-03

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 0309064767

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Humans, especially children, are naturally curious. Yet, people often balk at the thought of learning scienceâ€"the "eyes glazed over" syndrome. Teachers may find teaching science a major challenge in an era when science ranges from the hardly imaginable quark to the distant, blazing quasar. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards is the book that educators have been waiting forâ€"a practical guide to teaching inquiry and teaching through inquiry, as recommended by the National Science Education Standards. This will be an important resource for educators who must help school boards, parents, and teachers understand "why we can't teach the way we used to." "Inquiry" refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and in which students grasp science knowledge and the methods by which that knowledge is produced. This book explains and illustrates how inquiry helps students learn science content, master how to do science, and understand the nature of science. This book explores the dimensions of teaching and learning science as inquiry for K-12 students across a range of science topics. Detailed examples help clarify when teachers should use the inquiry-based approach and how much structure, guidance, and coaching they should provide. The book dispels myths that may have discouraged educators from the inquiry-based approach and illuminates the subtle interplay between concepts, processes, and science as it is experienced in the classroom. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards shows how to bring the standards to life, with features such as classroom vignettes exploring different kinds of inquiries for elementary, middle, and high school and Frequently Asked Questions for teachers, responding to common concerns such as obtaining teaching supplies. Turning to assessment, the committee discusses why assessment is important, looks at existing schemes and formats, and addresses how to involve students in assessing their own learning achievements. In addition, this book discusses administrative assistance, communication with parents, appropriate teacher evaluation, and other avenues to promoting and supporting this new teaching paradigm.


Standards in the Classroom

Standards in the Classroom

Author: Richard H. Audet

Publisher: Corwin Press

Published: 2002-11-20

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 1544334370

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"The ′standards movement′ offers great promise for strengthening American education; however, its success will depend upon how the standards affect classroom practice. Standards in the Classroom provides an excellent set of strategies to assist teachers in this critical task. Audet and Jordan have written a clear guide for making standards work in science and math education." Larry Wakeford, Clinical Professor of Biology/Science Education Brown University "Studying Audet and Jordan′s book before I developed my biology and chemistry curricula allowed a more thorough understanding of state adopted standards and how I can help all students meet them." Dale Rudolph, High School Biology and Chemistry Teacher Clarksville High School, TN "In my work with teachers and teaching fellows, I have found no better method for enhancing understanding of the importance of standards and their implementation into content lessons than this book." Vicki Metzgar, Coordinator, NSF Grade K-12 Teaching Fellows Vanderbilt University Medical Center Discover how to effectively integrate standards-based reform into the curriculum! Standards have been executed at the national, state, district, and school levels. Teachers, however, have not received the support needed to effectively implement them into their classrooms. Now, professional educators and authors Richard H. Audet and Linda K. Jordan have designed a much-needed, unique guide that gives educators the tools for understanding today′s standards and aligning them with their curriculum and instruction. While primarily targeting math and science, this book allows teachers to adapt its contents to any subject while proceeding at their own timetable and pace. Clearly written, practical, and easy to use, the book provides the missing link in standards-based reform. Comprehensive in its coverage of topics related to standards, the book is a valuable resource for both preservice and practicing teachers. A full range of issues and topics are presented in this guide, including: Understanding the principles of teacher change, and teaching and learning in a constructivist environment Using national standards resources to better understand state and local standards Developing performance assessments linked to standards and using them to direct the selection of curriculum materials Mapping a curriculum by using principles in the guide Understanding the standards-based reform movement Standards in the Classroom is organized around a five-stage learning cycle that models good teaching instruction. It applies an interactive approach that incorporates follow-up reflections, questionnaires, surveys, inventories, and rubrics to help users monitor their progress towards mastery of key concepts and applications. This guide is an absolute must for teachers, administrators, and professors to provide the support needed to effectively implement standards in the classroom.


Investigating the Influence of Standards

Investigating the Influence of Standards

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2002-01-27

Total Pages: 149

ISBN-13: 030907276X

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Since 1989, with the publication of Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for Mathematics by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, standards have been at the forefront of the education reform movement in the United States. The mathematics standards, which were revised in 2000, have been joined by standards in many subjects, including the National Research Council's National Science Education Standards published in 1996 and the Standards for Technical Literacy issued by the International Technology Education Association in 2000. There is no doubt that standards have begun to influence the education system. The question remains, however, what the nature of that influence is and, most importantly, whether standards truly improve student learning. To answer those questions, one must begin to examine the ways in which components of the system have been influenced by the standards. Investigating the Influence of Standards provides a framework to guide the design, conduct, and interpretation of research regarding the influences of nationally promulgated standards in mathematics, science, and technology education on student learning. Researchers and consumers of research such as teachers, teacher educators, and administrators will find the framework useful as they work toward developing an understanding of the influence of standards.


Designing Mathematics or Science Curriculum Programs

Designing Mathematics or Science Curriculum Programs

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1999-11-15

Total Pages: 70

ISBN-13: 0309185629

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With the publication of the National Science Education Standards and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, a clear set of goals and guidelines for achieving literacy in mathematics and science was established. Designing Mathematics or Science Curriculum Programs has been developed to help state- and district-level education leaders create coherent, multi-year curriculum programs that provide students with opportunities to learn both mathematics and science in a connected and cumulative way throughout their schooling. Researchers have confirmed that as U.S. students move through the grade levels, they slip further and further behind students of other nations in mathematics and science achievement. Experts now believe that U.S. student performance is hindered by the lack of coherence in the mathematics and science curricula in many American schools. By structuring curriculum programs that capitalize on what students have already learned, the new concepts and processes that they can learn will be richer, more complex, and at a higher level. Designing Mathematics or Science Curriculum Programs outlines: Components of effective mathematics and science programs. Criteria by which these components can be judged. A process for developing curriculum that is structured, focused, and coherent. Perhaps most important, this book emphasizes the need for designing curricula across the entire 13-year span that our children spend in elementary and secondary school as a way to improve the quality of education. Ultimately, it will help state and district educators use national and state standards to design or re-build mathematics and science curriculum programs that develop new ideas and skills based on earlier onesâ€"from lesson to lesson, unit to unit, year to year. Anyone responsible for designing or influencing mathematics or science curriculum programs will find this guide valuable.


Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards

Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2015-03-27

Total Pages: 190

ISBN-13: 0309305152

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A Framework for K-12 Science Education and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) describe a new vision for science learning and teaching that is catalyzing improvements in science classrooms across the United States. Achieving this new vision will require time, resources, and ongoing commitment from state, district, and school leaders, as well as classroom teachers. Successful implementation of the NGSS will ensure that all K-12 students have high-quality opportunities to learn science. Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards provides guidance to district and school leaders and teachers charged with developing a plan and implementing the NGSS as they change their curriculum, instruction, professional learning, policies, and assessment to align with the new standards. For each of these elements, this report lays out recommendations for action around key issues and cautions about potential pitfalls. Coordinating changes in these aspects of the education system is challenging. As a foundation for that process, Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards identifies some overarching principles that should guide the planning and implementation process. The new standards present a vision of science and engineering learning designed to bring these subjects alive for all students, emphasizing the satisfaction of pursuing compelling questions and the joy of discovery and invention. Achieving this vision in all science classrooms will be a major undertaking and will require changes to many aspects of science education. Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards will be a valuable resource for states, districts, and schools charged with planning and implementing changes, to help them achieve the goal of teaching science for the 21st century.


What Is the Influence of the National Science Education Standards?

What Is the Influence of the National Science Education Standards?

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2002-12-05

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 0309087430

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In 2001, with support from National Science Foundation, the National Research Council began a review of the evidence concerning whether or not the National Science Education Standards have had an impact on the science education enterprise to date, and if so, what that impact has been. This publication represents the second phase of a three-phase effort by the National Research Council to answer that broad and very important question. Phase I began in 1999 and was completed in 2001, with publication of Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education (National Research Council, 2002). That report provided organizing principles for the design, conduct, and interpretation of research regarding the influence of national standards. The Framework developed in Phase I was used to structure the current review of research that is reported here. Phase II began in mid-2001, involved a thorough search and review of the research literature on the influence of the NSES, and concludes with this publication, which summarizes the proceedings of a workshop conducted on May 10, 2002, in Washington, DC. Phase III will provide input, collected in 2002, from science educators, administrators at all levels, and other practitioners and policy makers regarding their views of the NSES, the ways and extent to which the NSES are influencing their work and the systems that support science education, and what next steps are needed.


Step Into STEAM, Grades K-5

Step Into STEAM, Grades K-5

Author: Sarah B. Bush

Publisher: Corwin Press

Published: 2019-03-14

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1544337213

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Create meaningful and transformative K-5 STEAM learning experiences for each and every student Make the most of your limited instructional time and become part of the Step into STEAM movement! Seamlessly design and implement K-5 STEAM inquiries that align carefully to key mathematics and science content and practices and prepare elementary students for their bright futures. Taking an opposite approach to existing resources that provide collections of disjointed STEAM activities, this book empowers teachers and schools to build cohesive and sustainable STEAM infrastructures—grounded in grade-level standards and purposeful assessment—to deepen the mathematics and science learning of each and every student.


National Science Education Standards

National Science Education Standards

Author: National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1995-12-21

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 030954985X

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Americans agree that our students urgently need better science education. But what should they be expected to know and be able to do? Can the same expectations be applied across our diverse society? These and other fundamental issues are addressed in National Science Education Standards--a landmark development effort that reflects the contributions of thousands of teachers, scientists, science educators, and other experts across the country. The National Science Education Standards offer a coherent vision of what it means to be scientifically literate, describing what all students regardless of background or circumstance should understand and be able to do at different grade levels in various science categories. The standards address: The exemplary practice of science teaching that provides students with experiences that enable them to achieve scientific literacy. Criteria for assessing and analyzing students' attainments in science and the learning opportunities that school science programs afford. The nature and design of the school and district science program. The support and resources needed for students to learn science. These standards reflect the principles that learning science is an inquiry-based process, that science in schools should reflect the intellectual traditions of contemporary science, and that all Americans have a role in improving science education. This document will be invaluable to education policymakers, school system administrators, teacher educators, individual teachers, and concerned parents.