PART ONE Washington Science Standards Middle School (Grades 6-8) High School (Grades 9-12) Physical Science-1-1 2 2 PS-1-2 2 2 PS-1-3 2 2 PS-1-4 2 2 PS-1-5 2 2 PS-1-6 2 1 PS-1-7 Not applicable 2 PS-1-8 Not applicable 2 PS-2-1 2 3 PS-2-2 2 3 PS-2-3 2 2 PS-2-4 3 2 PS-2-5 2 2 PS-2-6 Not applicable 2 PS-3-1 2 1 PS-3-2 2 2 PS-3-3 3 3 PS-3-4 2 3 PS-3-5 2 2 PS-4-1 2 2 PS-4-2 3 4 PS-4-3 1 2 PS-4-4 Not applicable 2 PS-4-5 Not applicable 1 Life Science-1-1 3 2 LS-1-2 3 2 LS-1-3 2 3 LS-1-4 3 4 LS-1-5 2 3 LS-1-6 3 2 LS-1-7 1 2 LS-1-8 3 Not applicable 1
LS-2-1 2 2 LS-2-2 2 2 LS-2-3 2 2 LS-2-4 2 2 LS-2-5 3 3 LS-2-6 Not applicable 2 LS-2-7 Not applicable 3 LS-2-8 Not applicable 2 LS-3-1 2 3 LS-3-2 3 3 LS-3-3 Not applicable 2 LS-4-1 2 2 LS-4-2 3 3 LS-4-3 3 3 LS-4-4 2 2 LS-4-5 2 3 LS-4-6 3 3 Earth and Space Science-1-1 4 2 ESS-1-2 3 3 ESS-1-3 4 2 ESS-1-4 2 3 ESS-1-5 Not applicable 2 ESS-1-6 Not applicable 3 ESS-2-1 2 2 ESS-2-2 3 2 ESS-2-3 2 2 ESS-2-4 4 1 ESS-2-5 2 3 ESS-2-6 1 2 ESS-2-7 Not applicable 2 ESS-3-1 2 3 ESS-3-2 2 2 ESS-3-3 2 3 ESS-3-4 3 3 2
ESS-3-5 3 3 ESS-3-6 Not applicable 3 Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science-1-1 1 3 ETS-1-2 2 2 ETS-1-3 3 3 ETS-1-4 2 2 PART TWO 1) In today s world, scientific careers are held in the highest esteem, and millions of dollars are set aside by the United States government for research and discovering solutions to medical, aeronautical, and sustainability problems, among many other issues. Chances are that with the morning newspaper, stories on scientific advancement and development would be featured prominently. Hundreds of websites are geared toward relating the last news and technology. Magazines and publications are frequently updated to accommodate new and startling information. Scientific observation and study are thus considered crucial subjects of study for students especially given that many students may one day find themselves working in a scientific field. One major way that the sciences play out in the world is through the life sciences. Biological careers find root in the study of marine life, medicine, and the mind. Neuroscience and genetics are two rapidly growing fields that generate a wealth of research into how the mind works, how to cure brain disorders, how the brain affects behavior, the role genetics has in behavioral and physical disorders, and so forth. The discipline of Life Science within the science standards can help students pose these questions, and prepare to uncover research that has been made into such inquiry. Studying mitosis and meiosis, for instance, can help students prepare for genetic research by uncovering the reasons behind mutations, the role that DNA plays in determining what traits and phenotypes will express themselves in an individual, and how individuals can tell if they are genetically predisposed for diabetes, heart disease, and so forth. Studying the way in which the brain s synapses help to carry information can prepare students for studies in neuroscience, especially when it comes to uncovering why certain people seem more vulnerable to depression and anxiety two characteristics that are becoming 3
increasingly prevalent in the adolescent population. The sciences also play out in aerospace developments in the solar system. Although NASA has lost the funding and support that once made it a prominent part of American history, much has been discovered about the solar system through NASA s advancements with the Hubble telescope, the Mars and Lunar Rovers, and the space missions that helped uncover many of the universe s mysteries. Students could be encouraged to closely observe the world around them by studying the way the stars and the moon appear to move across the sky. A meteor shower or a lunar eclipse both which appear several times in a year are excellent ways for students to experience first-hand the way that the atmosphere and gravity cause meteors to appear to streak across the sky, and why this occurs. Lunar eclipses are also excellent examples to teach students the way that the moon waxes and wanes, where its position is in contrast with the sun, and why and how these phenomena occur. 2) I would be most prepared to teach MS-ESS1-1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons. I have rated myself as a 4 on this standard because, for leisure, I try to keep up-to-date with astronomical phenomena. I have researched eclipses and lunar phases through observations, and have kept track of such phenomena that have occurred locally. For instance, last month I woke up at 3 in the morning to attempt to witness first-hand the Blood Moon, and although the Washington skies were too cloudy to view this, I managed to watch the eclipse live on NASA s website and listen to interviews conducted with specialists at Griffith Observatory and at observatories in Australia. Additionally, I track the moon s phases with my calendar, and I observe when the moon is waxing and when it is waning. I feel that I can confidently explain solar and lunar phenomena, and provide a range of examples that would help a student understand the significance of studying this standard. Additionally, I would be prepared to teach MS-ESS2-4: Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity. I feel that not only I, but most of my cohort in the MiT program would have rated ourselves as a 4 on the rubric because of the lessons that we 4
covered on the Water Cycle. I made sure to research aspects of the Water Cycle that I did not understand, and to clarify the ways that water and energy are transferred in the environment. I have connected my learning to the ways I see the Hydrologic Cycle played out in my life, most notably with the almost-continuous precipitation in Olympia. I feel very confident in my abilities to relay a lesson on the water cycle, especially because I have already given one in class. Additionally, my colleagues have provided me with a range of real-world examples that could help students understand the Hydrologic Cycle, and why it is so vital to our ecosystem and life itself. 3) I would be least prepared to teach HS-PS1-6: Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium. I rated myself as a 1 on the rubric because I do not have background knowledge on Le Chatelier s Principle. Additionally, the description of the standard does not resonate with me in that I am not sure what this part of the standard is referring to. In order to teach this standard as part of the preparation for planning a unit, I would first acquaint myself with Le Chatelier s Principle and all it entails. I would then try to find diagrams, charts, and videos demonstrating this principle in action. Finally, if all else fails I would seek help from a colleague who has a working knowledge of chemical reaction systems at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. I would also not be prepared to teach MS-ESS2-6: Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. I have no knowledge of what the Coriolis effect is, or what its role is on the environment. I also did not know that the rotation of the Earth affects the way that weather patterns occur; I doubt that my teachers in grade school and middle school taught me this phenomenon, because I do not recall studying weather patterns or the way that weather occurs on Earth. To prepare and plan a unit, I would need to research the Coriolis Effect and how it impacts the environment and weather. I would then need to find diagrams, simulations, and videos on how weather is created, how weather patterns affect the environment, and what the Coriolis Effect s role is within this scheme. Finally, I would look to real-life examples and try to connect what is happening weather-wise with what I learned about the way that weather is formed. 5