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Boulder Valley School District Standards

 

Boulder Valley Public Schools
Academic Content Standards: Science

    Background 

    Content Standards are general statements of what a student should know or be able to do relative to a particular academic area. A rationale statement accompanies each content standard. Benchmarks describe what most students should understand and be able to do at specified grade levels to meet each standard. The development and implementation of state content standards were mandated in May 1993, by Colorado HB 93-1313. 

    Local standards must meet or exceed state standards. This process was begun in BVSD during the summer of 1992 in all four content areas (English/language arts, history and geography, mathematics, and science) by groups of teachers, community members, and university faculty. By 1995, two drafts had been completed and work samples to illustrate each standard in math and English/language arts had been collected from the schools. During the 1995-96 school year, the Board of Education initiated the development of Curriculum Councils. The Councils compared Boulder Valley School Districtís Draft #2 with the adopted Colorado standards and additional documents collected from within Colorado as well as nationally. The Councils also began a review of Boulder Valley School Districtís curriculum to align the curriculum with standards. 

    Focus groups were held fall 1996 that included diverse constituencies from informational meetings conducted at each school, from community organizations, and from district advisory groups. Representatives of the School of Education and other academic departments of the University of Colorado were also included. Board of Education work sessions were held concurrently, prior to the Board of Education meetings for formal discussion and adoption of the standards. As a result of the additional input from focus groups and Board work sessions, council leaders completed standards revisions. The standards were adopted by the Board of Education December 19, 1996. 

    The standards adopted in 1996 were professionally reviewed in 1997/98 by the Mid-Continental Regional Educational Lab (McREL) for comparison with similar standards around the nation. BVSD Curriculum Councils reviewed McRELís recommendations and comments in developing revised standards. 

    Curriculum implementation follows the adoption of standards. Revised curriculum documents will include standards, rationale, benchmarks, and the specific grade level or subject area curricula. A scope and sequence of skills and content will be developed for Kñ12 to illustrate how specific skills are introduced, practiced, and independently applied throughout the studentís educational career. Performance assessments will provide a means for helping students reach proficiency levels and reporting overall District performance patterns. The assessments will indicate whether a student has met, exceeded, or continues to need additional work to meet the standards. This process will help to ensure that we have a system that is accountable for student learning. 

    As required by the 1992 "Rules (for the) Administration of Accreditation of School Districts," specific consideration will be taken in all aspects of the development and implementation of standards-based education to address the special learning needs of all exceptional children, including but not limited to students with disabilities and gifted and talented students. 

     

    Comparison of Colorado and BVSD Content Standards

     

Comparison of Colorado and BVSD Content Standards
    Colorado Content Standards 
    (Adopted 5/10/95; Amended 11/9/95) 

BVSD Content Standards

(Adopted 12/19/96) 
1. Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and are able to design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations.  1. Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and are able to design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations. 
2. Students know and understand common properties, forms, and interactions of matter and energy.  2. Students know and understand common physical and chemical properties, forms of matter and energy, and the laws that define their interactions. 
2.1 Students know that matter has characteristic properties which are related to its composition and structure.  2.1 Students know that matter has characteristic properties which are related to its composition and structure. 
2.2 Students know that energy appears in different forms and can move (be transferred) and change (be transformed).  2.2 Students know that energy appears in different forms, and can be transferred and transformed. 
2.3 Students understand that interactions can produce changes in a system, although the total quantities of matter and energy remain unchanged.  2.3 Students understand that interactions can produce changes in a system, although the total quantities of matter and energy remain unchanged. 
3. Students know and understand the characteristics and structure of living things, the processes of life, and how living things interact with each other and their environment.  3. Students know and understand the characteristics, structures, processes, and relationships of organisms and how these may be affected by environmental changes and the passages of time. 
3.1 Students know and understand the characteristics of living things, the diversity of life, and how living things interact with each other and their environment.  3.1 Students investigate diversity of physical characteristics and life processes of organisms. 
3.2 Students know and understand how matter cycles and energy moves (transfers) and changes (transforms) through living systems.  3.2 Students know how matter cycles and energy transfers and transforms through living systems, both within organisms and between organisms. 
3.3 Students know and understand how the human body functions, the factors that influence its structures and functions, and how these structures and functions compare with those of other organisms.  3.3 Students know and understand how organisms interact with each other and with the environment. 
3.4 Students know and understand how organisms change over time in terms of evolution and genetics.  3.4 Students know and understand how organisms change over time in terms of evolution and genetics. 
 
    Colorado Content Standards 
    (Adopted 5/10/95; Amended 11/9/95) 

BVSD Content Standards

(Adopted 12/19/96) 
4. Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earthís systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space.  4. Students know and understand the structure, processes, interactions, and dynamics of the Earth and other objects in space. 
4.1 Students know the composition of Earth, its history, and the natural processes that shape it.  4.1 Students know and understand the composition of Earth, its history, and the human and other natural processes that shape it. 
4.2 Students know and understand the general characteristics of the atmosphere and fundamental processes of weather.  4.2 Students know and understand the general characteristics of the atmosphere, including climate and fundamental processes of weather. 
4.3 Students know major sources of water, its uses, importance, and cyclic patterns of movement through the environment.  4.3 Students know and understand major sources of water, its uses and importance, and its cyclic patterns of movement through the environment. 
4.4 Students know the structure of the solar system, the dynamics of the universe, and how space is explored.  4.4 Students know and understand the structure of the solar system, the composition and dynamics of the universe, and how and why space was and is explored. 
5. Students know and understand ways science, technology, and human activity can affect the world.  5. Students know and evaluate interrelationships among science, technology, and human activity and how they can affect the world. 
6. Students understand that science is a particular way of knowing and understanding common connections among different disciplines.  6. Students understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and understanding common connections among different scientific disciplines. 
  7. Students know how to appropriately select and safely and effectively use tools (including laboratory materials, equipment and electronic resources) to conduct scientific investigations. 
 
 
How Standards and Curriculum Fit Together
Content  
Standards 
K-4 Benchmarks 5-8 Benchmarks 9-12 Benchmarks
Grade Level Curriculum   

(Essential Learning 
Results)  
s Topics/Content 
s Skills 
s Concepts

Grade / Course Level  
Curriculum 
(Essential Learning  
Results)  
s Topics/Content 
s Skills  
s Concepts
Grade / Course Level  
Curriculum 
(Essential Learning 
Results) 
s Topics/Content 
s Skills 
s Concepts
Performance  
Indicators 
(Assessments)
Performance  
Indicators 
(Assessments)
Performance  
Indicators 
(Assessments)
 
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Last Page Update - Tuesday December 27, 2005