Natural Sciences

Natural Science Outcomes:

1. Analyze the interactions of specific disciplines (e.g. science, mathematics, social science, humanities, history, languages, or arts) with human culture

2. Apply scientific vocabulary, data, methods, and/or principles to explain natural or human phenomena

Using these outcomes to design a course

Courses in this category examine the complex interplay of humans, ideas, forms of expression, institutions, and context that make up human culture. Courses in this category will focus on one discipline in the natural sciences, while examining the contributions of that discipline to human culture, including scientific methods. In addition to content knowledge from the discipline, courses in this category are expected to reinforce intellectual and practical skills (e.g. inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, written and oral communication, quantitative literacy, quantitative literacy, information literacy, teamwork and problem solving) and/or draw integrative connections between the discipline and knowledge/concepts from other disciplines or from students’ experiences. Courses in this category also must include or be partnered with a lab component.

The Natural Science course design guidelines and the rubric, both below, are good starting points for thinking about the design of your course.