Middle school science changes under revised standards
South Dakota has revised science standards for grades K-12, thanks to the work of nearly 50 dedicated educators across the state. The biggest change comes in the area of middle school science. In addition, the revised standards integrate the widely used Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.
At the middle-school level, the revised standards call for 6th-grade science to remain integrated. Seventh-grade science will focus specifically on Life Science, while 8 th-grade will focus specifically on Earth Science. “The change was made to ensure that both Life Science and Earth Science receive equal attention,” said Wade Pogany, the department’s director of curriculum and instruction.
Educators also will notice a new format for the standards. It incorporates Bloom’s Taxonomy, a system for classifying students’ understanding as a result of instruction. No longer a laundry list of items to be mastered, the revised standards serve as a tool for teachers to develop curricula that address the various standards.
Beginning in spring of 2007, the Dakota STEP will include a science component. The Dakota STEP will be aligned to the new standards during the 2005-06 school year. Districts should begin to teach with the new standards that year, too.
The South Dakota Board of Education approved the revised science standards at its March 2005 meeting. A complete copy will be available on the department’s Web site by mid-May. This summer, the department plans to offer a professional development opportunity for middle school science teachers.
For more information, contact Jennifer Neuhauser, science curriculum specialist, at (605) 773-2533. jennifer.neuhauser@state.sd.us
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