Science is beautiful when it makes simple explanations of phenomena or connections between different observations. Examples include the double helix in biology and the fundamental equations of physics.
-Stephen Hawking
-Stephen Hawking
Purpose
Science and engineering significantly impact our lives. From everyday technologies that thirty years ago would have seemed impossible (smart phones) to significant human accomplishments (human footprints on the moon, human-built rovers exploring the surface of Mars) to things we take for granted (electricity) to medicines and practices that save lives, the pursuit of science has made all these things possible. And for naturally curious human beings, science helps us understand the world around us.
Two main factors contributed to the need for the Monte Vista School District to revise its science curriculum. First, it was time - the district science curriculum had not been revised in twenty years. Second, the release of A Framework for K-12 Science Education in 2012 prompted a research-based foundation for national science standards based on how students best learn science and emphasizing that science should be taught as a process more than a body of knowledge. The Next Generation Science Standards arose from that work.
A team of science teachers led by the part-time district curriculum coordinator (a position created in 2017-2018 in response to the need to revise curriculum) was charged with the task of creating a district-wide science curriculum during the 2018-2019 school year. Team members had already found the Next Generation Science Standards to be more effective than the Colorado Academic Standards for science and made the decision to revise the district science curriculum to the NGSS. The Colorado Department of Education has since adopted the NGSS as the state standards for Colorado, with one exception. The state did not adopt the fourth NGSS standard (Engineering). The team felt it was important for our students to meet this standard as well and recommended the full adoption of NGSS for district science curriculum alignment. The results of the science curriculum team work is presented here.
Much appreciation goes to the team of educators who put in many hours in the process of developing this curriculum:
Two main factors contributed to the need for the Monte Vista School District to revise its science curriculum. First, it was time - the district science curriculum had not been revised in twenty years. Second, the release of A Framework for K-12 Science Education in 2012 prompted a research-based foundation for national science standards based on how students best learn science and emphasizing that science should be taught as a process more than a body of knowledge. The Next Generation Science Standards arose from that work.
A team of science teachers led by the part-time district curriculum coordinator (a position created in 2017-2018 in response to the need to revise curriculum) was charged with the task of creating a district-wide science curriculum during the 2018-2019 school year. Team members had already found the Next Generation Science Standards to be more effective than the Colorado Academic Standards for science and made the decision to revise the district science curriculum to the NGSS. The Colorado Department of Education has since adopted the NGSS as the state standards for Colorado, with one exception. The state did not adopt the fourth NGSS standard (Engineering). The team felt it was important for our students to meet this standard as well and recommended the full adoption of NGSS for district science curriculum alignment. The results of the science curriculum team work is presented here.
Much appreciation goes to the team of educators who put in many hours in the process of developing this curriculum:
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Karyn Futrell (K)
Heidi Stevenson (1st Grade) Antonette Reyes (2nd Grade) Heather Smith (3rd Grade) Sabina Malouff (4th Grade) |
Luanne Torres (5th Grade)
Tate Smith (6th Grade) Loraine Glidewell (7th Grade) Bruce Velasquez (8th Grade) Laura Moore (DELTA/OLA) |
Loreé Harvey (High School)
Eric Hotz (High School) Chris Vance (High School) Dirk Oden (Curriculum Coordinator) |