Science Department

In 2000, Indiana established Academic Standards in science to outline what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and are based upon Benchmarks for Science Literacy, from Project 2061 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Throughout their school years, all students - not just those with scientific careers in mind - should be gaining knowledge and skills in science and math to prepare them to live in a world increasingly shaped by science and technology.

Indiana’s Academic Standards for each high school science course contain two Standards, a general content Standard and historical perspectives Standard. Concepts and skills listed underneath each Standard build the framework for each course. In addition, integrating four supporting themes from the Kindergarten through Grade 8 Standards enables students to understand that science, mathematics, and technology are interdependent human enterprises, and that scientific knowledge and scientific thinking serve both individual and community purposes. The four supporting themes are: The Nature of Science and Technology, Scientific Thinking, The Mathematical World, and Common Themes.

All approved high school science courses are laboratory courses and must be taught as laboratory courses. A laboratory course, as defined in 511 IAC 6.1-1-2, is one in which a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the total instructional time is devoted to laboratory investigations. Laboratory investigations are defined as those activities in which the pupil, both individually and in a group setting, follows appropriate and safe laboratory procedures using standard scientific equipment.

The Rules of the State Board of Education require four (4) credits in science for graduation. The rules further specify that these credits shall include content from more than one of the following three (3) major science discipline categories: Life Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences, and Physical Sciences.

Courses

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