NSES Content Standard G
History and Nature of Science: Historical perspectives 
Grades 9-12, page 201 

Usually, changes in science occur as small modifications in extant knowledge. The daily work of science and engineering results in incremental advances in our understanding of the world and our ability to meet human needs and aspirations. Much can be learned about the internal workings of science and the nature of science from study of individual scientists, their daily work, and their efforts to advance scientific knowledge in their area of study. 
 
 
Benchmark 1A The Nature of Science: The Scientific World View
Grades 9-12, page 8
From time to time, major shifts occur in the scientific view of how the world works. More often, however, the changes that take place in the body of scientific knowledge are small modifications of prior knowledge. Change and continuity are persistent features of science.

Benchmark 1B The Nature of Science: Scientific Inquiry
Grades 9-12, page 13
New ideas in science are limited by the context in which they are conceived; are often rejected by the scientific establishment; sometimes spring from unexpected findings; and usually grow slowly, through contributions from many investigators.