A Better Way to Learn Science

Six years of consideration have led researchers to reject the current American K-12 science curriculum and propose instead a plan that would teach students the relationships between fundamental concepts across the disciplines, rather than force the memorization of loosely connected facts. –ARK

Phys.Org:

The 8+1 concepts were derived from two basic questions: What are things made of and how do systems interact and change? The eight concepts are: atoms, cells, radiation, systems change, forces, energy, conservation of mass and energy, and variation.

Traditionally, science in the United States has been taught in isolated disciplines such as chemistry, biology and physics without clear connections being made between the subjects. The 8+1 effort encourages K-12 teachers to use the eight science concepts to build understanding within and between their courses as students advance through the grades.

“The natural world seems to operate through these laws and concepts, but when it comes to schooling we don’t teach children these laws and then show how these apply in different situations,” [Michigan State University professor William] Schmidt said.

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