40 NaTIoNal SCIENCE TEaChERS aSSoCIaTIoN
Chapter 2 The Teaching of Science Content
Figure 2.2
Example of Challenging Content From the National Science Education
Standards
Challenging content for the science curriculum centers on the conceptual orientation
of the standards.Example from the National Science Education Standards: As a result of activities in
grades K–4, all students should develop understanding of- Organisms and Their Environments
However, identifying the content for school science is not enough. One must
attend to other curricular and instructional issues. The design of programs must
address focus, the depth of treatment for fundamental concepts, and procedures.
Figure 2.3 presents an example of focus based on the national standards. Note
that the statements include clearly delimited content for the science curriculum
and assessments.
Figure 2.3
Example of Instructional Focus From the National Science Education
Standards
Instructional Focus refers to the depth of treatment of content.
Organisms and Their Environments (Grades K–4)- All animals depend on plants. Some animals eat plants for food. Other animals eat
animals that eat plants. - An organism’s patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism’s
environment, including the kinds and numbers of other organisms present,
the availability of food and resources, and the physical characteristics of the
environment. When the environment changes, some plants and animals survive
and reproduce, and others die or move to new locations. - All organisms cause changes in the environment where they live. Some of these
changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, whereas others are
beneficial. - Humans depend on their natural and constructed environments. Humans change
environments in ways that can be either beneficial or detrimental for themselves
and other organisms.
Source: National Research Council. 1996. National science education standards. Washington, DC:
National Academies Press.
Appropriate time to learn is closely related to focus. The teaching of science
requires one to ask not only what content should be in the curriculum but also
the depth to which the content should be developed. Science teachers must judge
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