Science Framework, part 1 - Free Downloads (CA Dept of Education)

2Introduction tothe FrameworkCalifornia is a world leader inscience and technology and, asa result, enjoys both prosperityand a wealth of intellectual talent. Thenation and the state of California havea history that is rich in innovation andinvention. Educators have the opportunityto foster and inspire in students aninterest in science; the goal is to havestudents gain the knowledge and skillsnecessary for California’s workforce tobe competitive in the global, information-basedeconomy of the twenty-firstcentury.The Science Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools is the blueprint forreform of the science curriculum, instruction,professional preparation anddevelopment, and instructional materialsin California. The framework outlinesthe implementation of the ScienceContent Standards for California PublicSchools (adopted by the State Board ofEducation in 1998) 1 and connects thelearning of science with the fundamentalskills of reading, writing, and mathematics.The science standards containa concise description of what to teachat specific grade levels; this frameworkextends those guidelines by providingthe scientific background and the classroomcontext.Glenn T. Seaborg, one of the greatscientific minds of this era, definedscience as follows: “Science is an organizedbody of knowledge and a methodof proceeding to an extension of thisknowledge by hypothesis and experi-ment.” 2 This framework is intended to(1) organize the body of knowledgethat students need to learn during theirelementary and secondary school years;and (2) illuminate the methods of sciencethat will be used to extend thatknowledge during the students’ lifetimes.Although the world will certainlychange in ways that can hardly be predictedin the new century, Californiastudents will be prepared to meet newchallenges if they have received asound, basic education. This frameworkoutlines the foundation of scienceknowledge needed by students and theanalytical skills that will enable them toadvance that knowledge and absorbnew discoveries.Audiences for theFrameworkOne of the primary audiences forthis framework is the teachers who areresponsible for implementing the sciencestandards. These teachers are elementaryand middle school teacherswith multiple-subject credentials,middle and high school teachers withsingle-subject credentials in science,and those who may be teaching outsidetheir primary area of expertise. TheScience Framework is designed to providevaluable insights to both noviceand expert science teachers.For designers of science instructionalmaterials, the framework may