Section 26.340  Curriculum:  Science

The competent elementary teacher understands the interrelationships among science, technology, and society; understands the fundamental concepts of earth and space science, the life sciences, the physical sciences, and the environmental sciences; and uses strategies to engage all students in acquiring new knowledge through the use of scientific thinking and reasoning.

a)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent elementary teacher:

1)         understands the interrelationships among science, technology, and society in historical and contemporary contexts.

2)         understands the fundamental concepts, principles, and interconnections of the life sciences, the physical sciences, the environmental sciences, and earth and space science and their use to interpret, analyze, and explain phenomena.

3)         understands principles and procedures, including safety practices, related to the design and implementation of scientific investigations and the application of inquiry skills and processes to develop explanations of natural phenomena.

4)         understands the use of scientific investigation and inquiry skills across the sciences to conduct experiments and solve problems.

b)         Performance Indicators – The competent elementary teacher:

1)         demonstrates and communicates the concepts, theories, and practices of science.

2)         demonstrates and uses strategies to engage students in acquiring new knowledge through the use of scientific thinking and reasoning.

3)         selects and uses a wide range of instructional resources and technologies to support scientific learning.