New Haven Public Schools
SCIENCE
CURRICULUM
OVERVIEW
New Haven Public Schools Science Curriculum
Vision
SCIENCE IS FOR ALL
STUDENTS
All
students, regardless of age, sex, cultural or ethnic background, disabilities,
aspirations, or interest and motivation in science, should have the opportunity
to attain high levels of scientific literacy. Excellence in science education embodies the ideal that all
students can achieve understanding of science if they are given the
opportunity. Our goal is to ensure
that all students at all levels achieve science literacy, for science is the
key to their future.
SCIENCE LITERACY
Science literacy is a combination of understanding major science
concepts and theories, using scientific reasoning, and recognizing the complex
interactions between science, technology and society. Scientific literacy
requires the ability to apply critical thinking skills when dealing with
science-related issues. A
scientifically literate person is able to transfer knowledge of the academic
theories and principles of science to practical applications in the real
world. Scientific literacy also
implies having the capacity to pose and evaluate arguments based on evidence
and to apply logical conclusions from such arguments. Scientific literacy means that a person can ask, find, or
determine answers to questions derived from curiosity about everyday
experiences. It means that a
person has the ability to describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena. Scientific literacy entails being able
to read with understanding articles about science in the popular press and to engage
in social conversation about the validity of the conclusions. Scientific literacy implies that a
person can identify scientific issues underlying national and local decisions
and express positions that are scientifically and technologically informed.
LEARNING SCIENCE IS AN
ACTIVE PROCESS
Learning
science is something students do, not something that is done to them. In learning science, students describe objects
and events, ask questions, acquire knowledge, construct explanations of natural
phenomena, test those explanations in many different ways, and communicate their
ideas to others. This term “active
process” implies physical and mental activity. Hands-on activities are not enough—students also must
have “minds-on” experiences. Science
teaching must involve students in inquiry-oriented investigations in which they
interact with their teachers and peers.
Students establish connections between their current knowledge of science
and the scientific knowledge found in many sources; they apply science content
to new questions; they engage in problem solving, planning, decision making, and
group discussions; and they experience assessments that are consistent with an
active approach to learning. Emphasizing
active science learning means shifting emphasis away from teachers presenting
information and “covering” science topics. The perceived need to include all the topics, vocabulary, and
information in textbooks is in direct conflict with the central goal of having
students learn scientific knowledge with understanding. Inquiry into authentic
questions generated from student experiences is the central strategy for
teaching science.
TEACHERS OF SCIENCE GUIDE
AND FACILITATE LEARNING In doing this, teachers:
-Display and demand respect
for the diverse ideas, skills, and experiences of all students.
-Focus and support inquiries
while interacting with students.
-Encourage, model, and
emphasize the skills, attitudes, and values of scientific inquiry, as well as
the curiosity, openness to new ideas and data, and skepticism that characterize
science.
-Orchestrate discourse and
ongoing discussion among students about scientific ideas.
-Challenge students to accept
and share responsibility for their own learning and the learning of all members
of the community.
-Recognize and respond to
student diversity and encourage all students to participate fully in science
learning
-Enable students to have a
significant voice in decisions about the content and context of their work.
-Nurture collaboration among
students.
SCIENCE INSTRUCTION
Science uses instructional strategies and resources to
promote thinking about the content, and students are encouraged to critically
discuss ideas, seek information, and validate explanations.
Concepts: The
overall instructional strategy for teaching science skills and concepts is that
of learning by doing. Abstract
concepts in science are explained in class using diagrams, models, simulations,
and a variety of media. Students
take notes in class, and participate in class discussions. There are questions asked of the
students daily, both written and oral, that ask them to explain concepts and
relate scientific behavior to real life phenomena. The teacher models the use of quantitative and qualitative
analysis through some problem solving strategies in class, which the students
then practice, both in groups and individually.
Labs/Activities: In
each unit of study, students participate in laboratory investigations at least
once a week. The lab
investigations are sometimes set procedures in which the students practice the
skills of observation, measurement, and data analysis. Many other lab experiences ask the
students to design their own safe experiment: formulating hypothesis,
controlling variables, and communicating and explaining their results and
conclusions. The lab experiences
directly relate to the concepts as well as show real life applications of
science concepts. Students explore
phenomena and collect empirical evidence to support their own
explanations.
Real Life: Students
apply the knowledge they have learned by using science concepts to make
decisions about current issues in each unit. They write persuasive essays, conduct collaborative and
independent research, and participate in forums and debates. The students are expected to synthesize
information from various resources and construct carefully reasoned opinions
about the issue. There are case
studies and simulations that require students to learn and apply their science
knowledge and make judgments.
The emphasis in all the
instructional activities is to promote higher order thinking skills and making
connections. Students learn how to
use resources, rather than memorizing many facts, and apply their laboratory
experiences to other situations.
A useful structure for
inquiry-based learning units follows a LEARNING CYCLE model. One such model, the “5-E Model”, engages
students in experiences that allow them to observe, question and make tentative
explanations before formal instruction and terminology is introduced.
Generally, there are five stages in an inquiry-learning unit:
Engagement: stimulate students’ interest, curiosity, and
preconceptions.
Exploration: first-hand experiences with concepts without direct
instruction;
Explanation: students’ explanations followed by introduction of
formal terms and clarifications;
Elaboration: applying knowledge to solve a problem. Students frequently develop and
complete their own well-designed investigations.
Evaluation: students and teachers reflect on change in conceptual
understanding and identify ideas still “under development”.
KEY RESEARCH BASED SCIENCE
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
(Strategies adopted from
Marzano, Journal of Research in Science Education, others)
-Create a Climate for
Learning: well planned lessons,
positive teacher attitude, safe, secure, enriching environment.
-Follow a Guided Inquiry Learning Cycle Modelà Open Ended Inquiry: Guided Inquiry into a teacher
posed question by students leads to students investigating their own questions.
-Generating and Testing
Hypotheses: students given the
opportunity to investigate their ideas.
-Setting
Objectives/Providing Feedback:
Objectives are always clear for all class activities, students always know how
they are meeting objectives.
-Use Warm Up Activities,
Questions, Cues, Advance Organizers:
Starter questions generate interest, cue students as to learning activities,
and provide a reference throughout a lesson
-Assess Prior
Knowledge/Misconceptions: Students
have to construct their internal model of science concepts and reconcile it
with previous experience, often leading to hard to overcome
misconceptions.
-Self-Explanation/Discussion: Students given the opportunity to explain and
discuss ideas are better able to connect prior and new knowledge and
experiences.
-Opportunities to
Communicate/Cooperative Learning:
Science is a group endeavor, as is it’s learning. Students learn best by communicating and learning from each
other.
-Vary the Way Students
Work: Lab groups, learning centers,
projects, and other alternatives to traditional lecture allow for
individualized instruction.
-Practice Effective
Questioning Techniques: Questions are
the tool to move towards a student-centered classroom, and different types of
questions help guide instruction and learning.
-Vary the Structure of
Lessons, Use Research Based
Strategies: Lesson structure depends on the concepts and skills being learned
and assessed. Brain based research
in learning points to specific effective varying structures.
-Identify Similarities and
Differences/Graphic Organizers:
Science concepts are often organized into structures by humans attempting to
understand nature. Help students
understand the classification and organization of knowledge by continually
comparing, classifying, as well as describing analogies and relationships.
-Scaffolded Writing
Practice: Students can move from oral
explanation to written explanation through careful guidance/practice, including
both expository and persuasive writing in science.
-Strengthen Comprehension
for Content Area Reading Text:
provide guided focus question, organizers, response and discussion questions,
summarize, evaluative prompts based on reading.
-Non-Linguistic
Representations: Models, drawings,
and pictures all can help understand science.
-Allow Opportunities for
Peer Review: Students are frequently
asked to evaluate others’ work on standardized testing and must be given
regular opportunities as part of their science experience.
-Create and Embed Science,
Technology and Society (STS), issues,
and other items relevant to students’ lives. These interdisciplinary learning activities are designed to
engage students in the applications of science using their critical thinking
skills and content knowledge. They
afford students the opportunity to examine ideas and data related to
historical, technological, and/or social aspects of science concepts and
content.
ASSESSMENT:
Assessment Strategies:
Students
are assessed with a variety of methods on their knowledge of science concepts
and skills and how they apply to the real world.
Diagnostic assessment can be
used to determine the learning needs of students.
Formative assessment can be
used during instruction in order to guide students and increase learning. Summative assessments are used to
identify achievement of goals and objectives.
Daily
classwork and homework is used to check for understanding of main ideas and application
of the techniques and skills of science.
These daily assessment tools include a mixture of written explanations,
diagrams, model building, and problem solving. Students are assessed on their laboratory skills using
rubrics and class monitoring.
Students are assessed on their ability to explain unit-related concepts
and their conclusions on experimentation results by written lab reports,
written explanations on quizzes and tests, as well as occasional oral
explanation of laboratory ideas and procedures.
There
are periodic unit quizzes and tests, which assess students’ skills and
knowledge in a similar manner to their daily instructional activities. The written quizzes and tests include a
mixture of knowledge and comprehension questions, as well as questions which
require students to demonstrate knowledge of inquiry skills, explanation of
concepts, as well as making connections to other concepts and everyday
experiences. The assessment tools
include questions about cause and effect, steps of scientific processes, and
explanation of phenomena, and are not focused on just vocabulary and word
problem solving. Tests and
quizzes, as well as midterm and final exams, may include a lab performance
component.
Students
are assessed on their ability to explain science ideas, do research, and defend
decisions about scientific issues by the use of projects and class
simulations. Projects require some
level of judgment and thinking by the students and extend beyond research into
analysis and synthesis. Group and
interpersonal skills are included.
Rubrics detailing students’ ability to present, discuss, and use
scientific research, both lab results and issues, are used by students, peers,
and the teacher.
SCIENCE
CURRICULUM MODEL:
Each science grade K-6, and
each science course 7-12, follows the essential same format, and is linked in
content, skills, and format to the CT State Science Frameworks, standardized
test guidelines, and Grade Level Expectations. Revised versions and
update found at www.newhavenscience.org
The
state of Connecticut has published State Science Frameworks, which have
specific content standards, in four units per grade level K-10, as well as 9-10
overall skill/inquiry standards.
Further unwrapping has produced specific performance expectation
standards (10-18) per grade level, and a further 10-20 list of specific grade
level concept expectations per unit.
There is one CT state required embedded performance task in grades 3-8,
and 10 in grades 9-10. Currently,
standardized testing is conducted in grades 5, 8, and 10, each testing
students’ knowledge and skills on science content in previous grades.
For New Haven Public Schools:
Each
science course/grade has:
-Overview
and Pacing Guide
-Course
Goals/ Objectives
UNIT:
Each
unit, 4 units in grades K-6, and 7 units each year in grades 7-12 have the
format:
-Unit
Goal/Introduction Description/Essential Question
-Power
Standards, link to applicable CT State Performance Expectations.
-Essential
Concepts/ Essential Skills: The essential
content and concepts for each unit, leading to the unit standards. Linked to CT State Grade Level
Expectations where available.
-Science
Misconceptions: linked to essential
concepts, based on research
-Essential
Vocabulary: To be used as a guide for teachers.
-Outline
of Suggested Sequence of Instructional Activities: In each unit, some activities are references, and
some are required. Links to some teacher and student templates are provided.
-Reading
for Information Piece In some 7-12
units, a suggested reading for information piece is provided.
-Significant
Task: A learning activity that
addresses the essential power standard and concepts of the units. Student and teacher materials are
provided, along with assessment tools.
-Suggested
Assessments: Other suggested
assessment tools
-Resources:
A list of unit related resources,
websites, and activities. This
will be constantly edited and revised as feedback is given.
-Quarterly
Assessments: In grades 7-12, district
wide quarterly assessments are given in science courses, focusing on skills and
concepts to be found on CT standardized tests and are required.
