Activity 4: Exploration of Science Education Standards

Assignment:

CHEM 105 not only provides an opportunity for students to learn more about chemistry and science, but it also offers an opportunity for future educators, parents and members of society to understand the expectations society has created for science education standards. In the last four activities (5-8) we will explore science concepts and also relate these to the science standards we will first explore in Activity 4.
For this activity please refer to the Wisconsin Science Standards at this website:
http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/standards/sciintro.html

At this site you will find Standards A- H for grades 4, 8 and 12.  Since most of the students in this class are future early childhood educators, I would like for you to focus on the Grade 4 Standards.  If you would like, feel free to address the other grade levels if you would like! 

To complete Activity 4, choose a sub-standard under each of the Standards A thru H and describe something that you have done either in this class or outside of this class, perhaps in previous classes, that indicates that you have met the sub-standard. Each of these descriptions should be at least a paragraph long.

Also for this activity, you are to explore the Next Generation Science Standards.  These are new standards that are being proposed at the federal level that many states, including Wisconsin, are now in the process of developing adoption plans.
http://www.nextgenscience.org/
As you explore this site, and perhaps others that are related, answer the following three questions.
1. What do you see are big changes compared to the previous standards?
2. How are these standards connected to the other disciplines such as math and literacy?
3. What do you see will be challenges for teachers when considering some of the changes in the proposed science standards?

Science, Standard A: Science Connections
Performance Standards - Grade 4

A.4.3 When investigating a science-related problem, decide what data can be collected to determine the most useful explanations.

In doing Activity 1 for this class, I had to investigate science-related problems. When I looked at the three questions that were given to me, does hot water or cold water freeze faster, does hot water or cold water boil faster, and does salt water freeze faster or slower than regular water, I had to decide what information would be necessary for me to track in order to collect accurate data. The information I decided to collect and use in data charts was type of water, temperature of water, and time it took to reach freezing point or boiling point. By creating a system of how to collect the data along with what data was needed to be collected prior to the experiment, it was easy to collect accurate data. The data collected allowed me to find out if my hypothesis was correct and provided useful explanations of why it was or was not correct.
Science, Standard B: Nature of Science
Performance Standards - Grade 4
B.4.2 Acquire information about people who have contributed to the development of major ideas in the sciences and learn about the cultures in which these people lived and worked.
In preparation for the activities done for this class, readings were suggested to be read. In these readings I learned about contributions people like Francis Bacon, Rachel Carson, Aristotle, Lavoisier, John Dalton, and Dmitri Mandeleev who all contributed to various areas of science. Dmitri Mandeleev played a major role in the periodic table of elements by arranging them in order of increasing atomic mass. He also predicted properties of elements yet to be discovered after his lifetime.
Science, Standard C: Science Inquiry
Performance Standards - Grade 4

C.4.3 Select multiple sources of information to help answer questions selected for classroom investigations

To complete Activities 2 and 3, I had to use various sources of information to figure out what different elements and molecule structures looked like. I also had to investigate what different chemicals molecular formulas were. The internet and a chemistry text book provided a large variety of information to help answer my questions related to tasks that were assigned. Information had to be compared in order to find out what was accurate.
Science, Standard D: Physical Science
Performance Standards - Grade 4
D.4.3. Understand that substances can exist in different states-solid, liquid, gas
Through Activity 1, I was able to witness the change of water from liquid to solid and liquid to gas. This shows that some substances can exist in different states but still be the original substance. On the periodic chart of elements, the elements are arranged in a manner in which a person can tell which elements are solid, liquid, or gas.
Science, Standard E: Earth and Space Science
Performance Standards - Grade 4

E.4.7 Using the science themes, describe resources used in the home, community, and nation as a whole

In a geography class I took, I explored where my resources came from. This included food, clothing, and many other resources. Using government websites and textbooks, I explored where different resources came from and where the majority of things are grown and mined around the world. This also showed a part of the trading system of present and past.
Science, Standard F: Life and Environmental Science
Performance Standards - Grade 4
F.4.4 Using the science themes*, develop explanations* for the connections among living and non-living things in various environments
Through taking a Biology course, I learned how living and non-living things interact in an environment. In the course, the task of cleaning up the lake in Menomonie, WI was discussed. I assisted in researching how different chemicals, plants, and animals could all assist the lake in becoming cleaner. I learned that though these things could all improve the lake; there is the possibility of creating greater problems if the solution is not done properly.
Science, Standard G: Science Applications
Performance Standards - Grade 4
G.4.1 Identify* the technology used by someone employed in a job or position in Wisconsin and explain* how the technology helps
The process of mining in Wisconsin has changed over the years due to technology. Technology can now be used to see what is under the earth’s surface. This allows less random mining to be done and the mining is more accurate and profitable. This technology saves on time and prevents unnecessary destruction on the land that we live on.
Science, Standard H: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Performance Standards - Grade 4
H.4.1 Describe* how science and technology have helped, and in some cases hindered, progress in providing better food, more rapid information, quicker and safer transportation, and more effective health care
Because of the improvements in all areas of life due to technology, our standards for living have all increased. Due to technology, more is expected of people and more information and advances are always expected. Some areas of technology are advancing faster than others, and some are advancing at so fast of a pace it is now difficult to understand and is above our knowledge capabilities. In some cases, like food, instead of planting what we know will grow and create food, scientists are adjusting the genes of the plants and trying to create better plants that produce more food. When this fails, there may become a shortage of food because when normal seeds would have worked, the scientific ones were planted and failed. In other cases, technology has improved so much that there are less jobs available for people because machines have taken over.



1. What do you see are big changes compared to the previous standards?
These standards that are being worked on seem to bring more student interaction into the learning. The standards are being changed because the students are no longer meeting the standards. By changing the standards, the curriculum can also change, making what the students are learning more relevant to things in their lives.
2. How are these standards connected to the other disciplines such as math and literacy?
The standards of science depend on literacy and mathematics. In order to conduct experiments and learn about different areas, the children need to learn to read and write properly. These science standards require students to expand their vocabulary and reading and writing capabilities. In doing experiments, students need to learn how to read data, graphs, and charts. Measurements also need to be taken and understood, this is all a part of math. Subjects can be separated, but they can also be learned as one and it is more efficient to teach everything as one.
3. What do you see will be challenges for teachers when considering some of the changes in the proposed science standards?
There will always be something changing in the field of teaching. Teachers do their best to keep up with the new standards, though sometimes it may be difficult to change their way of teaching when necessary. For those teachers who think about teaching subjects separately, it will be difficult for them to understand that they are teaching more than one subject at once. Some of the changes in the proposed science standards may require more work and effort on the teacher's half for a while until they get used to the program and new set up, later it will become easy again until the next changes come about.