Science Literacy
Introduction
The Next Generation Science Standards give students the opportunity to build on the concepts that were introduced in earlier grades. Their understanding of ecosystems, interdependency, and evolution will be expanded upon through essential questions such as "how do structures of organisms enable life's functions," and "how are the characteristics from one generation related to those of their past?" These questions, and this study of living environments needs a literacy and science discovery foundation. Many students have been entering the workforce unprepared in the science, technology, and engineering fields because they have not had a background founded in critical thinking, problem solving, and effective communication skills, even though these concepts are necessary in almost every job sector. Students also need to foster their creativity and social connections in our ever changing global economy. These new standards will foster student achievement and create more opportunity.
The standards include three dimensions that need to be evidenced in each standard. These standards embody the skills, the scientific investigation, and the inquiry aspect of the process.
The standards include Crosscutting Concepts which help students explore connections across the four domains of science, including Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, and Engineering Design.
When these concepts, such as “cause and effect”, are made explicit for students, they can help students use critical thinking to develop a coherent and scientifically-based view of the world around them.
Finally, the core ideas have multiple criteria features, including organization and connections. This study and rubric will focus on the disciplinary core ideas focused on Life Sciences: molecules to organisms, ecosystems, heredity, and evolution, using problem solving skills to allow for critical thinking and student directed learning throughout the process. For more information, click here.
Creating Cross-Curricular Opportunities
English and science are often thought of as polar opposites. Increasingly though, maintaining this idea of separate entities is not enough to prepare students for the data-drenched and unpredictable workplace of the twenty-first century.
Combining English and science in the curriculum could be the answer. From science skills, students learn about sound methods for testing hypotheses, and about interpreting and drawing valid conclusions from data. From English skills, they will also learn about developing arguments, and about understanding, moving, and changing the minds of diverse audiences.
Integrated studies bring together diverse disciplines in a comprehensive manner, enabling students to develop a meaningful understanding of the complex associations and influences within a topic. One positive aspect of this approach, which is often coupled with project-based learning, is that it makes school more interesting and productive for students and teachers.
In today's dynamic global economy, centered on the development and exchange of knowledge and information, individuals prosper who are fluent in several disciplines and comfortable moving among them. Creativity, adaptability, critical reasoning, and collaboration are highly valued skills. When it comes to fostering those skills in the classroom, integrated study is an extremely effective approach, helping students develop multifaceted expertise and grasp the important role interrelationships can play in the real world.
"The Logic of Interdisciplinary Studies," an exhaustive 1997 research report, found broad consensus among dozens of researchers as to what the report called the "positive educational outcomes" for students in an integrated- studies program:
- Increased understanding, retention, and application of general concepts.
- Better overall comprehension of global interdependencies, along with the development of multiple perspectives and points of view, as well as values (Jstor)
- Increased ability to make decisions, think critically and creatively, and synthesize knowledge beyond the disciplines.
- Enhanced ability to identify, assess, and transfer significant information needed for solving novel problems.
- Promotion of cooperative learning and a better attitude toward oneself as a learner and as a meaningful member of a community.
- Increased motivation.
- Our daily life and work are not stratified into "the math part, the science part, the history part, and the English part," Rosenstock states, "Kids don't experience the world that way." Instead, they -- and all of us -- live in a truly interdisciplinary fashion (44)." If life isn’t experienced in this separate manner, why is education?
Process
In order for the student's learning outcomes to be met, teachers need to examine their curriculum to make sure it meets the new standards. The rubric used on this website will allow teachers to examine their lessons to make sure they are effective. Teachers need to make sure that the lessons are clear and have a focus on innovation, and critical thinking.
Certain aspects are expected to be found in the curriculum materials. These include, but are not limited to:
- formative assessment
- effective technology integration
- college/career readiness
- collaboration
- communication
- creativity
- critical thinking
Reflection
Cooperative learning is characterized by positive interdependence, where students perceive that better performance by individuals produces better performance by the entire group (Johnson, et al., 2014).
One lesson learned from this experience: everyone is growing, transitioning and experiencing life at different levels/phases. Knowing and accepting this is paramount to excel as a colleague and/or peer. Conversations have been enlightening, allowing this group project to take a different shape throughout the process.
We have learned how to accept our own weaknesses and draw from other group members’ strengths. We have learned how to delegate, as well as embrace new challenges that perhaps took us from our comfort zones.
Through the lens of the science curriculum, the intent is to highlight the importance of integrating the foundational skills of ELA with all disciplines. We built a website that provides a rationale for educational integration, and developed a formula that enables teachers and administrators to enter a lesson into an e-form, and to receive feedback that allows them to gauge where it stands in relation to the ELA and science Common Core Standards. The website includes a plethora of resource links that assist teachers in improving their lessons regarding the integration of ELA with science (or respective disciplines). It is our hope that this website will also serve as a catalyst for future conversations surrounding education discipline integration and encourage new ways of engaging in this discussion.
At the end of this process, we have presented a project that will address the following:
Curriculum Content
• presents multiple perspectives drawn from varying disciplines
• is based on a strong teaching-research nexus, and so reflects high quality disciplinary and interdisciplinary research
• has clear and explicit interdisciplinary expectations and aims
• gives students a clear understanding of what interdisciplinary inquiry is and its importance
• explicitly describes the integrative structure and interdisciplinary operations needed for synthesizing the diverse perspectives
• has assessment task (CCS Formula) that reflects interdisciplinary aims and objectives
Student Cohort
• leads to a strong cohort experience for students from multiple core disciplines
• has teaching that is appropriate and accessible for students from multiple disciplines
• provides a high quality learning experience for students from multiple disciplines
• neither rewards nor penalizes students from any particular disciplinary background
Outcomes
• enables students to produce interdisciplinary work
• ensures that students learn to critically synthesize and evaluate knowledge from a broad range of disciplines
• leads students to “understand the relativity of discipline knowledge and the value of bringing different perspectives to bear on a field of inquiry” (Eliott, et. al., 2009)