Standards+for+Learning

Be sure to identify standards for the 21st-Century Learner as well as at least one content area standard.

Principles of Earth and Space Science - 12th grade Indiana Department of Education Academic Standards
**//Core Standard //** · Describe the age, origin and evolution of our solar system and describe the characteristics of objects in our solar system.

ü ES.2.2 Describe the motions of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids. Explain that Kepler’s laws determine the orbits of those objects and know that Kepler’s laws are a direct consequence of Newton’s law of universal gravitation together with his laws of motion.

ü ES 2.3 Describe the characteristics of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids. Recognize that planets have been identified in the neighborhood of stars other than the sun.

Principles of Earth and Space Science - 7th grade Indiana Department of Education Academic Standards
ES.1.7
 * ES.1
 * Students investigate, through laboratory and fieldwork, the universe, the Earth, and the processes that shape the Earth. They understand that the Earth operates as a collection of interconnected systems that may be changing or may be in equilibrium. Students connect the concepts of energy, matter, conservation, and gravitation to the Earth, solar system, and universe. Students utilize knowledge of the materials and processes of the Earth, planets, and stars in the context of the scales of time and size.
 * Describe the characteristics and motions of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids. Explain that Kepler's laws determine the orbits of the planets. (Core Standard)

AASL Standards for 21st Century Learning

1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.

2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems.  3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively

4.1.6 Organize personal knowledge in a way that can be called upon easily.

In order to evolve from novice to expert, the 7th graders need boosters to reach the metacognition (how do I think, which way does my process go?), we want to reach the level in which they can ignore text and facts and images that will not help them in their queries, simply by asking, "Does this answer my question?" of "Is this on my issue or off my issue?" Students of all ages need reminding and encouraging to organize their data, and make connections with their knowledge. Concept maps can help collect and prioritize data into a visual organizational chart. So, a teacher may ask a 7th grader, "How does this bit of information apply to the question you are trying to answer?" Whereas by the time a 7th grader has moved into high school and practiced his information inquiry skills, as a senior, he may need less help in organizing and applying knowledge, and more help in identifying context changes, truly vetting sources for a controversial debate topic, or perhaps time management (read: DON'T PROCRASTINATE!) High school seniors have myriad pressures on their schedules, what with SAT, ACT, PROM, Banquets, extracurriculars, service hours, college applications, so time management is crucial. The time limits presented in the project planner help keep them on track to completing tasks in a timely manner. HOWEVER, each student evolves at a different pace, so expectations must be limited to basic until otherwise proven. For instance, if a freshman or sophomore is already making connections within the data to chief project concepts, then the scaffolder can move onto more complex ideas, encouraging the student to perhaps go beyond the stated requirements (stay flexbile!) and explore lateral issues - (berrypicking!)

Unfortunately, listening and paying attention is a skill more and more frequently missing in students. Encouraging engaged listening to other students' presentations begins in grade 1 and continues through...well, like I said, each student is different. But certainly, assessing the listening stage through peer review and discussion may compel lazy listeners to sit up and take notice.

We hope to move the 7th grader from questions such as "Will this be on the test?" and "Why do I have to know this?" to personal queries of interest related to curriculum. At the end of senior year in high school, the student scientist should be able to:


 * Pose useful questions to themselves throughout the process
 * Identify relevant information and ignore irrelevant information
 * Respond to context and select information to address specific needs
 * Recognize meaningful patterns and connections in information
 * Organize knowledge around key principles and concepts
 * Self-regulate their time and efforts including goal setting, time management, self-evaluation, self-motivation
 * Self-motivate through varying their methods of study and practice
 * Remain flexible in thinking adapting to changing needs (Lamb, Annette. "Expert vs. Novice" page. Information Age Inquiry online)