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Learning Goals

Lasting science education reform must begin with learning goals. Learning goals should guide development of curriculum materials, research and testing, and materials for families and communities. Clear and specific learning goals, along with time, resources, collaboration, and leadership are necessary for science literacy. The nationally recognized standards represented in Benchmarks for Science Literacy and published by Project 2061 have influenced state and local science, mathematics, and technology standards for many years.

In this section, you will find a collection of material on the subject of Learning Goals. Foremost among them is Benchmarks On-Line, an electronic version of the Benchmarks for Science Literacy. In addition, there are press releases and newspaper, magazine and research journal articles, as well as other resources relevant to Learning Goals.

Resources

Atlas of Science Literacy
Atlas of Science Literacy is a collection of 49 conceptual strand maps that show how students' understanding of the ideas and skills that lead to literacy in science, mathematics, and technology might grow over time. Each map depicts how K–12 learning goals for a particular topic relate to each other and progress from one grade level to the next.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy
Benchmarks for Science Literacy is the Project 2061 statement of what all students should know and be able to do in science, mathematics, and technology by the end of grades 2, 5, 8, and 12. The recommendations at each grade level suggest reasonable progress toward the adult science literacy goals laid out in the project's 1989 report Science for All Americans.

Science for All Americans
Science for All Americans defines science literacy and lays out some principles for effective learning and teaching. In coherent prose, it articulates and connects fundamental ideas in science without technical vocabulary and dense detail.

Articles

Creating Benchmarks For Science Education
Project 2061 has been constructing goals for science, mathematics, and technology education since 1985. The benchmarks are to be used by school districts or curriculum developers in constructing alternative K- 12 curriculum models adapted to their own populations and circumstances.

Lessons from Project 2061: Practical ways to implement benchmarks and standards
The science books used in the classroom today provide a lot of facts, but they don't help children grasp the most basic concepts about the world we live in.

Press Releases

New Tool Mapping the Growth of K–12 Science Understanding Released by AAAS's Project 2061 and NSTA
(2001-01-22) In a first-ever joint publishing arrangement, Project 2061 and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) provide educators with an innovative tool that graphically depicts connections among key learning goals for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Remarks on the Release of the NAEP 2000 Science Assessment Results
(2001-11-20) Dr. George Nelson remarks on the release of the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress. The results show students are lagging in science education. There has been no significant improvement in average scores or achievement levels over the last four years.

Elsewhere on the Web

NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
Principles and Standards represents a continuing effort by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) to support mathematics teachers and ensure that every student receives a high-quality mathematics education. The document delineates six Principles that set forth important characteristics of Mathematics programs and ten Standards that discuss the mathematics students need to be able to know and do across the grades.

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Translations:
Proyecto 2061 en español