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

10Chapter 1Introduction tothe Frameworkon complete programs that cover allthe standards at every grade level. Thecriteria for evaluating K–8 science instructionalmaterials (see Chapter 9)state: “All content Standards as specifiedat each grade level are supportedby topics or concepts, lessons, activities,investigations, examples, and/orillustrations, etc., as appropriate.”At the high school level, the ScienceContent Standards document does notprescribe a single high school curriculum.To allow LEAs and teachers flexibility,the standards for grades ninethrough twelve are organized as contentstrands. There is no mandate thata particular content strand be completedin a particular grade. Studentsenrolled in science courses are expectedto master the standards that apply tothe curriculum they are studying regardlessof the sequence of the content.Students in grades nine through twelveuse instructional materials that reflectthe Science Content Standards and thisframework, and LEAs must criticallyreview the standards maps that are nowto be provided by publishers of highschool instructional materials. 16The California Standards Tests forgrades nine through eleven pertainspecifically to the content of the particularscience courses in which studentsare enrolled. The CaliforniaDepartment of Education makes blueprintsfor those tests and sample questionsavailable to the public. Localeducational agencies are encouraged toreview and improve (as necessary) theirhigh school science programs toachieve the following results:1. All high school science courses thatmeet state or local graduation requirementsor the entrance requirementsof the University of Californiaor The California State Universityare based on the Science ContentStandards.2. Every laboratory science course isbased on the content standards andensures that students master boththe content-specific standards andInvestigation and Experimentationstandards.3. Every science program ensures thatstudents are prepared to be successfulon the California Standards Tests.4. All students take, at a minimum, twoyears of laboratory science providingfundamental knowledge in at leasttwo of the following content strands:biology/life sciences, chemistry, andphysics. Laboratory courses in earthsciences are acceptable if prerequisitecourses are required (or provide basicknowledge) in biology, chemistry, orphysics. 17Effective science programsdevelop students’ command ofthe academic language ofscience used in the content standards.The lessons explicitly teach scientificterms as they are presented inthe content standards. New words(e.g., photosynthesis) are introduced toreflect students’ expanding knowledge,and the definitions of common words(e.g., table) are expanded to incorporatespecific meanings in science. Developingstudents’ command of the academiclanguage of science must be a part ofinstruction at all grade levels (kindergartenthrough grade eight) and in thefour content strands (grades ninethrough twelve). Scientific vocabulary isimportant in building conceptual understanding.Teachers need to provide