Science Standards: Setting a Bar for College Readiness

1. Science Standards: Setting a Bar for College Readiness Council of Chief State School Officers Tuesday, June 22, 2010 For more information, please contact: Christopher C. Lazzaro, Associate Director of Science Education clazzaro@collegeboard.org 212.520.8628

2. Today's Focus: • Christopher Lazzaro (College Board) - Overview of the Science College Board Standards for College Success, organizational structure and key components of the framework. • Stephen Pruitt (GA Dept. of Ed) - How states will utilize these standards. • Robert Ridky (US Geological Survey) - How the College Board Standards support other initiatives in Science Education • Q&A 2

3. The College Board Standards for College Success 3

4. Why did the College Board develop Science Standards? Key goals: Define college readiness in science to better prepare students for readiness in introductory level science courses. Provide teachers, schools, districts, and states with a model set of standards to support NCLB focus on science standards, assessments, and accountability. Articulate a way of understanding science that will better prepare students for college-level work as well as AP courses. 4

5. Development of the Science CBSCS Leading Frameworks that Informed the Standards College Board AP Science Redesign and Course Frameworks Benchmarks for Science Literacy (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993) National Science Education Standards (National Research Council [NRC], 1996) ICT Literacy Map — Science (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2004) Assessing Scientific, Reading and Mathematical Literacy: A Framework for PISA 2006 (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development [OECD], 2006) Science Framework for the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (National Assessment Governing Board [NAGB], 2008) Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 National Center for Educational Statistics 5

6. Science Advisory Committees : Learning Specialists Chemistry Physics Earth Science Biology Advisory Committee Composition: Middle School Teachers High School Teachers Scientists Professors of Science Professors of Science Education National Professional Organizations External Reviewers: Achieve Inc. Science Academic Advisory Panel High School Teachers Middle School Teachers Three former Presidents from the NSTA Scientists Professors of Science Professors of Science Education National Professional Organizations Development of the Science CBSCS Diversity of the Standards Committees and Reviewers 6

7. The Science CBSCS target college readiness as the end goal as opposed to general scientific literacy. Science Literacy is a very broad goal. Students can only be considered more or less developed in their scientific literacy, but a bar can be set for college readiness. The Science CBSCS outline clear and interdisciplinary scientific practices that all students should engage in – how to approach science as a scientist. How are the College Board Science Standards different than other frameworks? 7

8. Science College Board Standards for College Success Organizing Structure Science College-level Work AP Environmental Science AP Biology AP Chemistry AP Physics Grades 9-12 Earth Science Life Science Chemistry Physics Grades 6-8 Earth Science Life Science Physical Science 8

9. Objectives describe the target understanding for college readiness; they explain specific learning goals that relate to the corresponding standard. Performance expectations (PEs) specify what students should know, understand, and be able to do in order to be successful in college. They also illustrate how students engage in science practices to develop a better understanding of the essential knowledge statements and the objective. Essential knowledge (EK)statements describe conceptual targets for student learning that support the corresponding objective. They provide language and boundaries of the performance expectations. Standardsrepresent the core, overarching ideas of each discipline. Each standard has its own unique code or letter/number combination with the letter(s) representing the relevant discipline. Science College Board Standards for College Success Organizing Structure 9

10. STANDARDS OUTLINE: SCIENCE PRACTICES p.iii STANDARD SP.1 • Asking scientific questions that can be tested empirically and structuring these questions in the form of testable predictions • OBJECTIVES: • SP.1.1 Scientific Questions • SP.1.2 Predictions STANDARD SP.3 • Searching for regularities and patterns in observations and measurements (i.e., data analysis) • OBJECTIVE: • SP.3.1 Analyzing Data for Patterns STANDARD SP.2 • Collecting data to address scientific questions and to support predictions • OBJECTIVES: • SP.2.1 Data Collection • SP.2.2 Evaluating Data for Evidence SP.4.2 Models and Representations STANDARD SP.4 • Using evidence and science knowledge to construct scientific explanations, models, and representations • OBJECTIVES: • SP.4.1 Constructing Explanations • SP.4.2 Models and Representations • SP4.3 Evaluating Explanations STANDARD SP.5 • Using mathematical reasoning and quantitative applications to interpret and analyze data to solve problems • OBJECTIVES: • SP.5.1 Proportionality Between Variables • SP.5.2 Patterns of Bivariate Relationships Students construct, use, re-express and revise models and representations of natural and designed objects, systems, phenomena and scientific ideas in the appropriate context and in formulating their explanation. 10

11. Guide to Using the Science Standards PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS (6–8) Ways in which students know and use, as well as engage with, the essential knowledge in order to understand, or enhance their understanding of, the objective: LSM-PE.4.1.1 to describe the from the physical (abiotic) environment through the molecules of the biological (biotic) components of an ecosystem back to the physical (abiotic) environment. [BOUNDARY: The chemical structure of any of the molecules is not appropriate.] LSM-PE.4.1.2a claim concerning whether a particular molecule of oxygen inhaled today could be made of the same inhaled by someone a hundred years ago. a claim concerning whether a particular molecule of water today could be made of the same atoms of hydrogen and oxygen consumed by someone a hundred years ago. LSM-PE.4.1.3 what might happen to an if there were no bacteria or fungi present. Create a representation cycling of a carbon atom Make and justify atoms of oxygen Make and justify consumed consumed Predict and justify ecosystem Prediction and justification are based on ideas about matter recycling between the biological (biotic) and physical (abiotic) parts of a system Performance expectations (PEs) specify what students should know, understand and be able to do in order to be successful in college. They also illustrate how students engage in science practices to develop a better understanding of the essential knowledge statements and the objective. 11

12. How states will utilize these standards?Stephen PruittGeorgia Department of Education

13. How will states use the College Board Standards for College Success? • Standards Development/Revision • Assessment Development • Quality Implementation

14. State Standards Development / Revisions

15. State Standards Revisions • States’ Standards Revision Processes Vary from state to state • Departments of Education and State Boards of Education • Legislative requirements or approval • Common themes • Teachers tend to be a common factor in the revision of standards • National documents act as a basis for developing or revising standards • State Departments of Education work hard to ensure quality science and teacher support • The College Board Standards for College Success gives states an updated version of national standards that blend the content of science with scientific practices in a meaningful way.

16. Science Assessment

17. Science Assessment • States and their assessment developers need quality guidance on the development of quality science items • Assessing science can be really easy and all wrong or really hard and be quality • Assessing facts is easy • Assessing a student’s ability to think scientifically using science content is difficult • The College Board Standards for College Success are developed to guide classroom instruction and assessment toward quality science which includes both content and scientific practice.

18. Quality Implementation

19. Quality Implementation • “It is easier to move a graveyard than to change a curriculum.” – Woodrow Wilson • The greatest standards in the world are useless without quality implementation • Quality implementation requires teachers to • Understand the intent of the standards • Understand the rigor of the standards and the appropriate evidence to determine proficiency on the part of the student • Collaborate with peers to develop quality instructional and assessment plans • The College Board Standards for College Success can be used in Teacher Professional Development as an additional resource to help teachers understand quality science instruction and assessment.

20. Science Standards – When Used Properly…

21. College Board Standards support other initiatives in Science Education. Robert RidkyUnited States Geological Survey

22. “Students can study topics in depth and develop conceptual understanding only if curricula do not present excessive numbers of topics. Currently, AP and IB programs are inconsistent with this precept.” Setting the Direction “Curricula for advanced study should emphasize depth of understanding over exhaustive coverage of content.”

23. “Instruction in advanced courses should engagestudents in inquiryby providing opportunities to experiment, analyzeinformation critically, make conjectures and argue about their validity, and solve problemsboth individually and in groups.”

24. Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Essential Content Unifying Concepts Integrated Learning

25. Reform of A.P. Science Courses and • Science Standards for College Success (the why …) • Need to identify what they need to know to prepare students for college-level work as well as AP courses. • Provide teachers, schools, districts, and states with a model set of standards to support NCLB focus on science standards, assessments, and accountability. • Articulate a way of understanding science that will set clear and interdisciplinary scientific practices in which all students should engage in – how to approach science.

26. College Board Science Standards Science College Board Standards for College Success (SCBSCS) Identifies minimal knowledge & scientific practices expected for all college-bound students. Outlines a progression of critical thinking skills from 6-12th grade, leading to AP level Defines a specific Earth Science track Focuses on development of knowledge, skills & practices required to understand the overarching principles & core ideas having explanatory power within & across science disciplines

27. EARTH SCIENCE OUTLINE Standard1: Dynamic processes shape and order Earth  1.1 Earth’s Surface 1.2 Energy Transfer 1.3 Tectonism 1.4 Weather Processes 1.5 Rock-Forming Environment Standard 2 Earth is composed of interdependent and interacting systems. 2.1 Atmosphere as a System 2.2 Oceans as a System 2.3 Lithosphere as a System 2.4 Climate 2.5 Planetary Evolution Standard 3: Earth’s history can be inferred from evidence left from past events.   3.1 Relative and Absolute Dating 3.2 Rock and Fossil Records Standard 4 Matter on Earth is finite and moves through various cycles that are driven by the transformation of energy.  4.1 Water Cycle 4.2 Carbon Cycle Standard 5 Humans and the environment impact each other. 5.1 Humans and Natural Resources 5.2 Humans and Natural Hazards 5.3 Humans’ Impact on the Environment

28. Ocean Literacy Atmospheric Literacy Earth Science Literacy Climate Literacy

31. Atlas contemplates yet another round of STANDARDS SCREW IT! Why should I waste MY time. SCREW IT! Why should I waste MY time.

32. For more information on the Science College Board Standards for College Success please contact: Christopher C. Lazzaro Associate Director of Science Education Research & Development The College Board 45 Columbus Avenue New York, NY 10023-6992 p:212.520.8628 f: 212.649.8427 clazzaro@collegeboard.org Thank you!