Grades K-5

Nature of Science

One goal of science education is to help students become scientifically literate citizens that are able to use science as a way of knowing about the natural and material world. All students should have sufficient understanding of scientific knowledge and scientific processes to enable them to distinguish what is science from what is not science, to make informed decisions about career choices, health maintenance, quality of life, community and other decisions that impact not only themselves but others too.

● Knowledge of science content can be applied to real world challenges; ● Based on their own explorations, observations and questions, students plan and conduct simple scientific investigations; ● Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend their senses; ● Develop and communicate descriptions, models, explanations, and predictions; ● Think critically and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others; ● Use data and mathematical thinking to construct reasonable explanations; and ● Communicate about their investigations and data with others; ● Knowledge of science content can be applied to real world challenges.

● Through exploration, you discover the world around you. ● Exploration leads to observation. You can ask questions about what you observe. ● Students perceive that natural events happen today as they happened in the past. ● Students observe events happening in regular patterns and cycles in the natural world; ● Science is both a body of knowledge and processes to discover new knowledge. ● Science is a way of knowing about the world around us based on evidence from experimentation and observations. ● Science assumes that objects and events occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observation.