Science Standards 2009:Themes, Implications, Metaphors

Nancy Butler SongerThe University of Michigan

10 October 2009NSF DR-K12 Principal Investigator’s Meeting

National-Level Science Standards Themes

1.Fewer, Clearer, Higher

NSTA Science Anchors scienceanchors.nsta.org

• Science Anchors serve as a model for K-12 science education standards that draw from current national standards documents, but would be more streamlined and focused.

• Propose 12 or fewer Big Ideas that develop over several years and unify many component concepts.

• Big Ideas spiral through grade levels building in complexity until full understanding in high school.

National Academies BOSE: New Science Education Standards

http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Science_Standards_Framework_Homepage.html

• Opportunity to rethink and revise science education standards over the next two years

• Fewer, clearer and higher standards representing core disciplinary and cross-disciplinary ideas in the natural and applied sciences

• Held two half day meetings in October to discuss plans

College Board Science Standards for College

Successhttp://professionals.collegeboard.com

/k-12/standards

• Emphasize the “big ideas” of science• 6-12th grade discipline-specific content

knowledge and scientific practices that college faculty expect students to possess by the time they enter college.

• “Created to close the gap between secondary school requirements and college-level expectations”

National-Level Science Standards Themes

2. Dimensionality (2D, 3D

integration of content and practices)

Example: NSTA Anchors Abacus Model

Example: NSTA Anchors Abacus ModelThe Universe consists of all

known space, time, matter and energy

• 11-12 evolution of the universe

• 9-10 stars and galaxies• 6-8 solar system• 4-5 earth in space• 2-3 daily motion• K-1 observing sun and

moon

Standard LS.4 Matter and EnergyBiological systems utilize energy and molecular building blocks to

carry out life’s essential functions.

Objective LS 4.1 Matter CyclingStudents understand that matter is continuously recycled within the biological system and between the biological (biotic) and physical (abiotic) components of an ecosystem.

Performance Expectations ( 6-8) LSM-PE 4.1.3

Predict and justify what might happen to an ecosystem if there were no bacteria or fungi present. Predictions and justification are based on ideas about matter recycling between the biological (biotic) and physical (abiotic) parts of an ecosystem.

College Board Science Standards

Why these trends: What research tells us

• We do poorly, particularly on complex reasoning tasks

• Way to success is not to lower the bar (e.g., states) but to raise it

• Fewer topics allow time for complex reasoning about core ideas

• Dimensionality promotes systematic building of concepts on one another

• Dimensionality supports systematic guidance

What the trends do not tell us

Implications of Standards for Work in our DR-K12 Portfolio

• 1. Focus on deep thinking about essential science

• 2. Design resources that support the ability to revisit and deepen understandings in a systematic manner

• 3. Study systematic guidance in developing more complex ideas

• 4. Assessment: Include “messy middle knowledge” tasks that characterize the path towards complex thinking

Curr

•

5th curricular activity/ embedded assessment illustrating content and reasoning scaffolds

Results: Achievement by Completion as Measured by Three Tests (N= 1885)