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What’s Core from the Vantage Point of Science Content Jacqueline Barber Lawrence Hall of Science University of California, Berkeley

+Where’s the Science in the Common Core?

  Common Core Standards for ELA and Mathematics   Created by Achieve June 2010

  Next Generation Standards for Science   NRC: Framework due out in June 2011 (delayed from Dec 2010)

  Achieve will create standards (one year later—June 2012)

  Not known if the NGA and CCSO will adopt these standards as part of the “Common Core” standards

+Common Core Standards for ELA and Mathematics

  Mathematics   1 appearance of the word science!   Quantification is important for science, as when surface area suddenly

“stands out” as an important variable in evaporation. Page 58

  English Language Arts   45 appearances of the word science!   Grades K-5

  Reading Standards for Informational Text   Writing in explanatory and informational genres

  Grades 6-12   Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects   Writing Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects

+ Common Core Standards for ELA

  Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development

  Recognizes the importance of disciplinary literacy—in fact, echoes themes from the NRC report, Taking Science to School (2007)   Science as a way of doing, thinking, talking, reading, and writing

  Knowing the norms for presenting scientific arguments and evidence

+ Draft Framework for the Next Generation Standards in Science

  Fewer, Clearer, Higher (4x4)   Example of one: Earth’s surface continually changes from the

cycling of water and rock driven by sunlight and gravity

  Learning is a developmental progression

  Knowledge AND practices

  More than inquiry—inquiry is an important practice of science, but not the only one

  Rethinks young children’s capacity for science (example: explanations not just for older kids: start in K)

  More attention paid to communication (reading and writing science text)

  Argumentation

+Reading

“…scientists and engineers were found to consider reading as essential to their work and as their primary source of creative stimulation. Thus the dominant practice in science and engineering is not ‘hands-on’ manipulation of the material world but rather a ‘minds-on’ social and cognitive engagement with ideas, evidence and argument.” (p. 5-6)

+Highly compatible and mutually supportive

+6-12 Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects

  Reading is critical to building knowledge in science and technical subjects.

  College and career ready reading in these fields requires an appreciation of the norms and conventions of each discipline   the kinds of evidence used in science;

  an understanding of domain-specific words and phrases;

  an attention to precise details;

  the capacity to evaluate intricate arguments, synthesize complex information, and follow detailed descriptions of concepts

  gain knowledge from challenging texts that often make extensive use of elaborate diagrams and data to convey information and illustrate concepts

+6-12 Writing Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects

  Writing is a key means of asserting and defending claims, showing what students know about a subject

  To be college and career ready writers, students must:   Write arguments focused on science-specific content

  Write informative and explanatory texts including scientific procedures/experiments or technical processes

  Conduct short research projects to answer a question

  Draw evidence from informational text to support analysis, reflection, and research