Alignment with National Standards

Teachers can use project resources to provide opportunities for students to work toward the following standards from the National Science Education Standards:

• Content Standards

  • A: Science as Inquiry - Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and understandings about scientific inquiry
    • Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations.
    • Design and conduct scientific investigations.
    • Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications.
    • Formulate and revise scientific explanation and models using logic and evidence.
    • Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models.
    • Communicate and defend a scientific argument.
  • B: Physical Science - Developing student understanding
    • Structure and properties of matter
    • Interactions of energy and matter
  • G: History and Nature of Science - Developing student understanding
  • Nature of scientific knowledge

Teachers can use project resources to provide opportunities for students to work toward the following standards from the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics:

• Data Analysis and Probability Standard:

  • Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them.
    • Understand the meaning of measurement data and categorical data, of univariate and bivariate data, and of the term variable.
    • Understand histograms, parallel box plots, and scatter plots and use them to display data.
  • Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data.
    • Understand how sample statistics reflect the values of population parameters and use sampling distributions as the basis for informal inference.
    • Evaluate published reports that are based on data by examining the design of the study, the appropriateness of the data analysis, and the validity of conclusions.

• Measurement Standard:

  • Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement.
    • Make decisions about units and scales that are appropriate for problem situations involving measurement.

Teachers can use project resources to provide opportunities for students to work toward the following standards from the NCTE/IRA Standards for the English Language Arts:

3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Teachers can use project resources to provide opportunities for students to work toward the following standards from the National Education Technology Standards:

1. Basic Operations and Concepts

   • Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
   • Students are proficient in the use of technology.

2. Social, Ethical, and Human Issues

   • Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
   • Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

3. Technology Productivity Tools

   • Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
   • Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

4. Technology Communications Tools

   • Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
   • Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

5. Technology Research Tools

   • Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
   • Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
   • Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

6. Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Tools

   • Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
   • Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.