New Report Outlines a Framework for K-12 Science Education

In a Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas, an 18-member committee comprised of experts in education and scientists proposes a foundation for new national K-12 science education standards. The report identifies core ideas in four areas that students should understand by the time they finish high school. The four areas include:

• Life sciences;
• Physical sciences;
• Earth and space sciences; and,
• Engineering, technology and the applications of science.

"Rather than acquire shallow knowledge of many topics," the report contends this framework would "help students gradually deepen their knowledge of core ideas in four disciplinary areas over multiple years of school." It emphasizes eight specific practices of science (e.g., asking questions, defining problems and interpreting data) and evidence-based discussion. The committee also identified seven crosscutting concepts that have explanatory value across much of science and engineering — such as "cause and effect" and "stability and change." According to the report, not only must these concepts be taught in their core disciplines, teachers also must use a common language for these concepts across disciplines, so that students understand the same concept is relevant in many fields. The National Research Council, a division of the National Academies, authored and published the report. Carnegie Corporation of New York sponsored the study. Read the report...