Areas of Concentration:  Biology  Physical Science (Physics & Chemistry)  Mathematics  Technology  Earth & Space Science

Science for All Americans Chapters for assigned reading:  Biology: Chapters 5 & 6  Physical Science: Ch 4 & 8  Mathematics: Chapters 2 & 9  Technology: Chapters 3 & 8  Earth & Space Science: Ch. 4 & 8  All – Choose any TWO of these: Chapters 1, 10, 11, 12, 13

SFAA Orientation 1. Who are the authors? Who really wrote it? 2. What content areas are included? 3. Why was it written? 4. What is significant about the date? (Project 2061) 5. What is in the book? What is not in the book? 6. Were the “important concepts” you listed in class similar to what you found in the SFAA chapters?

1. Who are the authors? Who really wrote it? The authors of record are F. James Rutherford and Andrew Ahlgren; they were responsible for the final writing and editing. However, the text of the document was generated by a many hundreds of contributors, including scientists, mathematicians, teachers, engineers, philosophers, and historians, as well as consultants and review panels. 2. What content areas are included? AAAS Project 2061 suggests a broad definition of scientific literacy, which encompasses knowledge of the natural sciences but also mathematical science, technology and all the social sciences (economics, history, sociology, etc.) (SFAA also contains many examples of visual art and poetry.)

3. Why was it written? The ultimate goal is to help transform the nation ’ s school system so that all students become well educated in science, mathematics, and technology. In order for schools to teach science more effectively, scientific literacy had to be defined. 4. What is significant about the date? (Project 2061) The hope is that today ’ s children will have achieved scientific literacy by the time Halley ’ s Comet next returns, in the year 2061.

5. What is in the book? What is NOT in the book? SFAA is a report that describes what all students should know, understand, and be able to do as a result of their school experience. It is a ‘ hypothesis ’ about the nature of knowledge and understanding possessed by a scientifically literate person. SFAA is not a curriculum document or a textbook. It does not recommend what should be taught at any particular grade level. (For that information, see Benchmarks for Science Literacy.)

 Format Example: 7F, K-2, #2, p. 172  Study the Grade 1 – 2 curriculum materials from Scholastic, Inc. Skim both the Student Activity sheets and the Teachers’ Guide.  Make a list of all Benchmarks which are in any way related to the topics in the curriculum. (Use the format above.)  List all related Benchmarks at any grade level.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy  Read the research on Water Cycle, p. 336 in Benchmarks  Discuss this research at your table (if given time)  Skim other areas of research in Chapter 15. (VERY useful for developing a Work Sample, by the way)

Oregon Benchmarks Benchmarks related to Water Cycle lesson Grade 3: Identify examples of change over time. Identify daily and seasonal weather changes. Describe objects according to their physical properties. Ask questions about objects, organisms and events based on observations. Plan and conduct a simple investigation. Use data collected from investigation to explain results. Compare objects, drawings and constructions to the real things they represent. Grade 8: Explain the water cycle and its relationship to weather and climate.

The Need for Curriculum Alignment  Intended Curriculum - the district ‘ Scope and Sequence ’ or Curriculum Framework  Implemented Curriculum - what the teachers actually teach  Achieved Curriculum - what the students actually learn If students are being assessed on what the district or the teacher intended, but not on what they actually learned, the situation is unfair – and students will score poorly. The need for Curriculum Alignment is clear.

Note: In these activities it has become apparent that the lessons on the Water Cycle (Scholastic) are not age-appropriate and are not aligned with national science standards. However – it is often appropriate to introduce an idea at an age when the students are not yet ready for it conceptually but can gain from it experientially. For example, you might have a Cartesian Diver (2-L bottle with eye dropper) sitting around a K or 1 st grade classroom so that students have experience with the apparatus, even though they are not yet ready to understand volume/pressure relationships and density (and they certainly shouldn’t be assessed on these concepts). But having familiarity with the device may help develop their curiosity, and can provide a foundation of experiences on which to build the understanding later on. Project 2061

Note: The title Science for all Americans includes the assumption that all means: 90% of Americans will know 90% of the concepts in the text. To read full-text on-line (both SFAA and Benchmarks), go to the Publications page at either of the following: a/default.htm Project 2061

To purchase either of the texts from me directly (at a 40% discount), please write a check to me in the following amounts: SFAA$10.50 Benchmarks$18.00 Project 2061