High School

science

program Philosophy

Science is a way of knowing that requires empirical evidence to support reasoning. It is human nature to be curious and curiosity motivates an individual to seek understanding and reason. Science education aims to leverage this natural human emotion to help students learn explanations for natural phenomena.

The Ramsey Science Curriculum provides learning experiences in which students use science and engineering practices and apply crosscutting concepts to make sense of scientific phenomena and deepen their understanding of core ideas in earth and space science, life science, and physical science. The goal is to produce scientifically literate citizens who can engage in public discussions of science-related issues, be critical consumers of scientific information related to their everyday lives, and to continue to learn about science throughout their lives.

*Adapted from A Vision and Plan for Science Teaching and Learning (2015)

What does it Look like in the Classroom?

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) reflect the most current research on science education outlined in A Framework for K-12 Science Education, a National Research Council publication. The standards are a set of performance expectations that focuses on a three dimensional approach to instruction and assessment that emphasizes the following:

Crosscutting Concepts—themes that permeate all science disciplines;
Disciplinary Core Ideas –conceptual understandings i.e. content from the science disciplines (life, physical, earth, and space);
Science and Engineering Practices –a set of skills that scientists and engineers use to do their work.

For each performance expectation in the NGSS, the three dimensions – disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts – are integrated into a single statement that represents what is to be assessed at the end of a grade level or grade band. To meet these student performance targets, classroom instruction involves deeper learning of science concepts contextualized in a phenomenon and by students using the science and engineering practices routinely and with more sophistication throughout their K-12 science career. In this setting students are challenged with “figuring it out” rather than passively learning about a science topic. In addition, real world science and engineering is a collaborative endeavor. Our classrooms mirror this. Students collaborate regularly as they ask questions; conduct investigations; analyze and interpret data; weigh evidence; engage in research; and develop explanations, models, and arguments. This approach is largely student-centered and is a significant shift from past K-12 science instruction. What then is the teacher's role in the classroom? The teacher is the linchpin- the activator creating the classroom culture that supports student learning by adeptly scaffolding learning activities, providing feedback, and administering assessments that track student growth across the three dimensions.

A science notebook remains important to the student as a learning tool. For today's learner it holds their questions, their early ideas or models explaining a natural event, their data from investigations that can serve as evidence, their evidence-based explanations and arguments, their reflection upon learning in addition to the relevant scientific facts. Copious notes are still important, however, these notes are crafted by the student from small group and whole class dialogue or come about as the result of doing the work of the discipline or "doing science."

*In New Jersey the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are officially known as the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science (NJSLS) to match how all of New Jersey's core content standards are named.