Science & STEM 

Instructional Site 

Science and STEM In the Community

The New Standards Vision for Science

All students PreK-12 will have access to grade level science that prepares them for College and Career Readiness with the necessary foundation in the three dimensions of the standardsdisciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and cross cutting concepts.  The k-11 Science block in APS will include explicit opportunities for all students to engage in science learning and apply the science and engineering practices to  solve authentic STEM challenges.  Along with developing technical literacy skills in the science block, each of the STEM disciplines will be incorporated into the block in the following ways:

Theory of Action

If we have a dedicated time for science learning experiences in grades k-8 that:

Then we will have students who can apply their deep conceptual understanding of ELA, Math and Science  to solve real world STEM challenges.

Model Based Inquiry instructional framework  has  four core practices developed by University of Washington through National Science Foundation research grants. The four practices work together throughout every unit of study to support students in understanding the natural and physical worlds. The first  practices is Planning for Engagement with Important Science Ideas which is supported through the storylines of each unit.  The second practice is  Eliciting Students’ Ideas in order to on make visible what students currently know about the science being taught. The third practice is Supporting Ongoing Changes in Student Thinking. In this practice  teachers guide sense-making talk around investigations, lab activities or readings to help students make sense of the phenomena and big science ideas.  Finally, Pressing for Evidence-Based Explanations,  is where teacher scaffold students’ efforts to put everything together. For more information please visit the  Ambitious Science Teaching  website.