Science
Grade-Level Indicators
Scientific Ways of Knowing
Students realize that the current body of scientific knowledge must be based on evidence, be predictive, logical, subject to modification, and limited to the natural world. This includes demonstrating an understanding that scientific knowledge grows and advances as new evidence is discovered to support or modify existing theories, as well as to encourage the development of new theories. Students are able to reflect on ethical scientific practices and demonstrate an understanding of how the current body of scientific knowledge reflects the historical and cultural contributions of women and men who provide us with a more reliable and comprehensive understanding of the natural world.
Nature of Science 1. Recognize that scientific investigations involve asking open-ended questions. (How? What if?)
2. Recognize that people are more likely to accept your ideas if you can give good reasons for them.
Ethical Practices 3. Interact with living things and the environment in
ways that promote respect.
Science and Society 4. Demonstrate ways science is practiced by people everyday (children and adults).
Nature of Science 1. Discover that when a science investigation is done
the same way multiple times, one can expect to get very similar results each
time it is performed.
2. Demonstrate good explanations based on evidence from investigations and observations.
Science and Society 3. Explain that everybody can do science, invent things
and have scientific ideas no matter where they live.
Nature of Science 1. Describe that scientific investigations
generally work the same way under the same conditions.
2. Explain why scientists review and ask questions about the results of other scientists’ work.
Ethical Practices 3. Describe ways in which using the solution to a
problem might affect other people and the environment.
Science and Society 4. Demonstrate that in science it is helpful to work
with a team and share findings with others.
Nature of Science 1. Describe different kinds of investigations that scientists use depending on the questions they are trying to answer.
Ethical Practices 2. Keep
records of investigations and observations and do not change the records that
are different from someone else’s work.
Science and Society 3. Explore through stories how men and women
have contributed to the development of science.
4. Identify various careers in science.
5. Discuss how both men and women find science rewarding as a career and in their everyday lives.
Nature of Science 1. Differentiate fact from opinion and explain that
scientists do not rely on claims or conclusions unless they are backed by
observations that can be confirmed.
2. Record the results and data from an investigation and make a reasonable explanation.
3. Explain discrepancies in an investigation using evidence to support findings.
Ethical Practices 4. Explain why keeping records of observations
and investigations is important.
Nature of Science 1. Summarize how conclusions and ideas change as new
knowledge is gained.
2. Develop descriptions, explanations and models using evidence to defend/support findings.
3. Explain why an experiment must be repeated by different people or at different times or places and yield consistent results before the results are accepted.
4. Identify how scientists use different kinds of ongoing investigations depending on the questions they are trying to answer (e.g., observations of things or events in nature, data collection, controlled experiments).
Ethical Practices 5. Keep records of investigations and observations that are
understandable weeks or months later.
Science and Society 6. Identify a variety of scientific and technological work that people of all ages, backgrounds and groups perform.
Nature of Science 1. Identify that hypotheses are valuable even when they
are not supported.
Ethical Practices 2. Describe why it is important to keep clear, thorough and accurate records.
Science and Society 3. Identify ways scientific thinking is helpful in a
variety of everyday settings.
4. Describe how the pursuit of scientific knowledge is beneficial for any career and for daily life.
5. Research how men and women of all countries and cultures have contributed to the development of science.
Ethical Practices 1. Show that the reproducibility of results is
essential to reduce bias in scientific investigations.
2. Describe how repetition of an experiment may reduce bias.
Science and Society 3. Describe
how the work of science requires a variety of human abilities and qualities
that are helpful in daily life (e.g., reasoning, creativity, skepticism,
openness).
Nature of Science 1. Identify the difference between description (e.g.,
observation and summary) and explanation (e.g., inference, prediction,
significance, importance).
Ethical Practices 2. Explain why
it is important to examine data objectively and not let bias affect
observations.
Nature of Science 1. Comprehend that many scientific investigations
require the contributions of women and men from different disciplines in and
out of science. These people study different topics, use different techniques
and have different standards of evidence but share a common purpose - to better
understand a portion of our universe.
2. Illustrate that the methods and procedures used to obtain evidence must be clearly reported to enhance opportunities for further investigations.
3. Demonstrate that reliable scientific evidence improves the ability of scientists to offer accurate predictions.
Ethical Practices 4. Explain how support of ethical practices in science (e.g., individual observations and confirmations, accurate reporting, peer review and publication) are required to reduce bias.
Scientific Theories 5. Justify
that scientific theories are explanations of large bodies of information and/or
observations that withstand repeated testing.
6. Explain that inquiry fuels observation and experimentation that produce data that are the foundation of scientific disciplines. Theories are explanations of these data.
7. Recognize that scientific knowledge and explanations have changed over time, almost always building on earlier knowledge.
Science and Society 8. Illustrate that much can be learned about the
internal workings of science and the nature of science from the study of
scientists, their daily work and their efforts to advance scientific knowledge
in their area of study.
9. Investigate how the knowledge, skills and interests learned in science classes apply to the careers students plan to pursue.
Nature of Science 1. Discuss science as a dynamic body of
knowledge that can lead to the development of entirely new disciplines.
2. Describe that scientists may disagree about explanations of phenomena, about interpretation of data or about the value of rival theories, but they do agree that questioning, response to criticism and open communication are integral to the process of science.
3. Recognize that science is a systematic method of continuing investigation, based on observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, and theory building, which leads to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena.
Ethical Practices 4. Recognize that ethical considerations limit what
scientists can do.
5. Recognize that research involving voluntary human subjects should be conducted only with the informed consent of the subjects and follow rigid guidelines and/or laws.
6. Recognize that animal-based research must be conducted according to currently accepted professional standards and laws.
Science and Society 7. Investigate how the knowledge, skills and interests learned in science classes apply to the careers students plan to pursue.
Nature of Science 1. Analyze a set
of data to derive a hypothesis and apply that hypothesis to a similar
phenomenon (e.g., biome data).
2. Apply scientific inquiry to evaluate results of scientific investigations, observations, theoretical models and the explanations proposed by other scientists.
3. Demonstrate that scientific explanations adhere to established criteria, for example a proposed explanation must be logically consistent, it must abide by the rules of evidence and it must be open to questions and modifications.
4. Explain why scientists can assume that the universe is a vast single system in which the basic rules are the same everywhere.
Ethical Practices 5. Recognize
that bias affects outcomes. People tend to ignore evidence that challenges
their beliefs but accept evidence that supports their beliefs. Scientist attempt to avoid bias in their
work.
6. Describe the strongly held traditions of science that serve to keep scientists within the bounds of ethical professional behavior.
Scientific Theories 7. Explain how theories are judged by how well they fit with other theories, the range of included observations, how well they explain observations and how effective they are in predicting new findings.
Science and Society 8. Explain that the decision to develop a new
technology is influenced by societal opinions and demands and by cost benefit
considerations.
9. Explain how natural and human-induced hazards present the need for humans to assess potential danger and risk. Many changes in the environment designed by humans bring benefits to society as well as cause risks.
10. Describe costs and trade-offs of various hazards - ranging from those with minor risk to a few people, to major catastrophes with major risk to many people. The scale of events and the accuracy with which scientists and engineers can (and cannot) predict events are important considerations.
11. Research the role of science and technology in careers that students plan to pursue.
Nature of Science 1. Give examples that show how science is a social
endeavor in which scientists share their knowledge with the expectation that it
will be challenged continuously by the scientific community and others.
2. Evaluate scientific investigations by reviewing current scientific knowledge and the experimental procedures used, examining the evidence, identifying faulty reasoning, pointing out statements that go beyond the evidence and suggesting alternative explanations for the same observations.
3. Select a scientific model, concept or theory and explain how it has been revised over time based on new knowledge, perceptions or technology.
4. Analyze a set of data to derive a principle and then apply that principle to a similar phenomenon (e.g., predator-prey relationships, properties of semiconductors).
5. Describe how individuals and teams contribute to science and engineering at different levels of complexity (e.g., an individual may conduct basic field studies, hundreds of people may work together on major scientific questions or technical problem).
Ethical Practices 6. Explain
that scientists may develop and apply ethical tests to evaluate the
consequences of their research when appropriate.
Science and Society 7. Describe the current and historical contributions of diverse peoples and cultures to science and technology and the scarcity and inaccessibility of information on some of these contributions.
8. Recognize that individuals and society must decide on proposals involving new research and the introduction of new technologies into society. Decisions involve assessment of alternatives, risks, costs and benefits and consideration of who benefits and who suffers, who pays and gains, and what the risks are and who bears them.
9. Recognize the appropriateness and value of basic questions “What can happen?” “What are the odds?” and “How do scientists and engineers know what will happen?”
10. Recognize that social issues and challenges can affect progress in science and technology. (e.g., Funding priorities for specific health problems serve as examples of ways that social issues influence science and technology.)
11. Research how advances in scientific knowledge have impacted society on a local, national or global level.