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Science
PK-12 Curriculum

 

 

 


Introduction

This latest revision of Colegio Maya's Science Curriculum has been completed in such a way as to meet two basic objectives. First, we want to bring what we do in science classes more in line with the National Science Education Standards (NSES). Second, we wish to strengthen our approach to developing and taking advantage of the natural inquisitiveness exhibited by young minds by increasing our emphasis on lessons that promote science inquiry.

We have therefore created benchmarks and selected texts, that by their completion, will help students not only gain a better command of scientific concepts as outlined by the NSES, but also increase their understanding of what science is, what are the goals of science, how science works, how to do science, and how they themselves can apply scientific thinking in their lives.

While studying in the various science disciplines, including life science, earth science, physical science, chemistry, biology, health, and environmental science, the revised curriculum also allows students to explore science in personal & social perspectives, the history and nature of science, and science technology.

 

 


Philosophy

It is the overall goal of our curriculum to appropriately challenge and engage students in such a way as to develop confidence in science and to help them develop a clear understanding of the value of what they are learning and how it is relevant to their lives. The role of science teachers and the curriculum they follow should be one that exploits the natural curiosity of students and assists them in reaching their full potential, especially with regards to asking good questions and finding answers to these through the use of controlled investigations. We believe that acquiring scientific knowledge must be done, as often as possible, using the fundamental investigative skills they have learned while in our classrooms, so that retention and comprehension are at their highest levels.

We also believe that curriculum and the instruction provided to convey it should:

  • Be interesting, challenging, and relevant to children while being age appropriate and building on their strengths.
  • Be based on research, best practices and/or lesson ideas, and results.
  • Be developed in a participatory process involving major stakeholders. Be organized around a core of publicly stated standards, using the National Science Education Standards as a starting point.
  • Be organized in a coherent, logical manner for ease of instructional delivery.
  • Provide an evolving knowledge base, thinking processes, learning how to learn, and life-long learning skills for all students.
  • Allow for creative teacher delivery and meaningful student learning through an accessible, manageable, and flexible curriculum.
  • Allow students to progress through the curriculum at different rates without meeting artificial barriers to learning (i.e. language, gender, socio-economic status, disability, and race).
  • Maximize the use of technology as a tool for learning.
  • Use assessment tools that accurately reflect the attainment of the expectations of curriculum standards.

Bullets adapted from the Montgomery County Public Schools Curriculum Framework

 

 


Expected Student Outcomes for Science Inquiry

At this point, a definition of "inquiry" as used by the National Standards should be included. "First, it refers to the abilities students develop to be able to design and conduct scientific investigations and to the understandings they should gain about the nature of scientific inquiry. Second, it refers to the teaching and learning strategies that enable scientific concepts to be mastered through investigations" (National Research Council xv).

By using science inquiry we hope to foster the inquisitiveness within children, and to develop an intrinsic interest in students for becoming self-directed life-long learners and problem solvers. In the end, we hope that by knowing how investigations are conducted, students will be able to apply a general problem solving strategy, not just in scientific endeavors, but also to their daily lives.

 

 

 


Enduring Understandings & Abilities for Science Inquiry

Students completing our curriculum should:

  • Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.
  • Know that scientific investigations involve asking and answering a question and comparing the answer to what scientists already know about the world.
  • Design and conduct scientific investigations while using technology and mathematics to perform accurate scientific investigations and to communicate their findings, procedures, and explanations.
  • Use appropriate tools and equipment to extend the senses so that they can gather, analyze, and interpret data.
  • Know that scientific inquiry relies upon objectivity and an unbiased approach in making qualitative and quantitative observations and forming conclusions, and that different people may interpret the same set of observations in other ways.
  • Know that all scientific ideas are tentative and subject to change and improvement in principle, but for most core ideas in science, there is much experimental and observational confirmation.
  • Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.
  • Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.
  • Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.
  • Know that good scientific explanations are based on evidence (observations) and scientific knowledge must meet certain criteria to be considered valid.

 
 


Organizational Overview

The curriculum has been rewritten so that it will be a practical document for any teacher joining Colegio Maya's faculty. It has been organized in such a way as to make information easily available for administrators, teachers, and parents.

Since the school is using Understanding by Design (UbD), each grade level set of benchmarks begins with Understanding(s) and Essential Question(s) sections, helping any reader see the direction that the set of benchmarks is leading the students. It is also here that readers can find the spiraling thread that the benchmarks belong to. Teachers will find these sections helpful as they write quarterly lesson plans using the UbD and Atlas formats.

The Benchmarks are worded using observable behaviors (adapted from Bloom's taxonomy) facilitating the monitoring of student progress. These benchmarks show what students should know or be able to do at each grade level.

Clarifying Examples have been provided for the elementary parts of the curriculum to aid teachers' understanding of exactly what the benchmarks relate to, clarify the expected level students should attain, and what vocabulary should be covered. With the exception of 6th grade, this column only notes vocabulary for the secondary parts of the curriculum.

The Best practices and/or lesson ideas column is included to show lesson resources that will help teachers meet a particular benchmark. This will be invaluable as new teachers join the faculty and look for Colegio Maya materials to meet their objectives.

Finally, an area for Notes has been included to encourage teacher input with regards to future curriculum revisions.

 

 

 


Table of Standards

Science as Inquiry Standard
PK - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12

Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry

Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry

Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry
Understanding about
scientific inquiry
Understanding about
scientific inquiry
Understanding about
scientific inquiry

 

Physical Science
PK - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12
Properties of objects and
materials
Properties and changes of
properties in matter
Structure of atoms
Position and motion of objects
Motion and forces
Structure and properties of
matter
Light, heat, electricity, &
magnetism
Transfer of energy
Chemical reactions
  
  
Motions and forces
  
  
Conservation of energy and
increase in disorder
  
  
Interactions of energy and
matter

 

Life Science
PK - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12
The characteristics of
organisms
Structure and function in
living systems
The Cell
Life cycles of organisms
Reproduction and heredity
Molecular basis of heredity
Organisms & environments
Regulation and behavior
Biological evolution
  
Populations and ecosystems
Interdependence of organisms
  
Diversity and adaptations of
organisms
Matter, energy, and
organization in living systems
  
  
Behavior of organisms

 

Earth and Space Science
PK - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12
Properties of earth
materials
Structure of the earth system
Energy in the earth system
Objects in the sky
Earth's history
Geochemical cycles
Changes in earth and sky
Earth in the solar system
Origin and evolution of the
earth systems

 

History and Nature of Science
PK - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12
Science as a human endeavor
Science as a human endeavor
Science as a human endeavor
  
History of science
History of science

 

Science and Technology
PK - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12
Abilities of technology design
Abilities of technology design
Abilities of technology design
Understandings about science
and technology
Understandings about science
and technology
Understandings about science
and technology
Abilities to distinguish between
natural objects and objects
made by humans
      

 

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
PK - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12
Personal health
Personal health
Personal and
community health
Characteristics and changes in
populations
Populations, resources, and
environments
Population growth
Types of resources
Natural hazards
Natural resources
Changes in environments
Risks and benefits
Environmental quality
Science and technology
in local challenges
Science and technology
in society
Natural and
human-induced hazards
  
  
Science and technology in local,
national, and global challenges

 

 


Science in Personal & Social Perspectives

This section will be added after the Health Curriculum has been updated.

Pre-K to 5th Grade

Personal health
Characteristics and changes in populations
Types of resources
Changes in environments
Science and technology in local challenges
Science as a human endeavor
Abilities of technology design
Understandings about science and technology
Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans


The following benchmarks should be incorporated into the lessons taught during Physical, Life, and Earth units. These benchmarks should not be taught as separate skills.

 

 

 


Curriculum Resources

"California Correlation Documents". AIMS Education Foundation. February 20, 2005.
      <http://www.aimsedu.org/statedocs/california/california.html>

"Major Categories in the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives". University of Washington.
      February 20, 2005. <http://faculty.washington.edu/krumme/guides/bloom.html>

Montgomery County Public Schools. Curriculum Revision In Montgomergy County Schools.
      February 23, 2005. <http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/info/curriculum/framework.html>

National Research Council. Inquiry & the National Science Education Standards: A Guide for
      Teaching & Learning. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2000.

"National Science Education Standards" The National Academies Press. February 20, 2005.
      <http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/>

 
     

 

 

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