K-5++Matter+Properties+&+Change

K-5 Matter: Properties & Change

Martha Way mway@randolph.k12.nc.us Randolph County Schools

Joanie Clark joclark@chathamcharter.org Chatham Charter School

Career & College, Ready, Set, Go! was the notable quote for today.

A student would need to know what makes a seed grow into a tree, process and cycle, which would go into more depth, including cell structure, etc., depending on the educational level of the student. It would begin in kindergarten and then would be added to each year. If one year a teacher doesn't teach the standards for science as he should, there will be huge holes in the student's knowledge which would be hard to fill.

The mapping activity makes it very clear to see how crucial it is for teachers work together in vertical planning to ensure that there are no gaps in the learning progression of the science curriculum K-12. This is also true in the other subject areas as well. Each learning standard builds on another previously taught concept, therefore making it imperative that teachers in all grade levels cover the NCSCOS.

It is not enough to simply know random facts. Students must be able to do something with those facts...apply what they have learned...use the knowledge that comes with those facts to set up and test theories and experiements, etc. Without an actual "creation" of something with the facts (like the house from the bricks) no conclusions can be drawn, no conjectures can be made.