An Overview of Washington's K-10 Science Instruction
The Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) for Washington State describe a connected series of learning competencies necessary to create scientifically literate citizens. The GLEs define the knowledge and skills that students should gain from kindergarten through the 10th grade. These expectations should not be the end of the science experience for students. Rather, they serve as a solid foundation on which continued application of learning of science contributes to success in high school and beyond.
The recommended sequence presented in the GLE document represents one of several
possible paths students might take in learning the Washington state science
standards grade by grade. For instance in the GLE document it is recommended
that students study human body systems (GLE 1.2.8) in grade 7.
| Below is a general description of concepts learned in each grade level based on Washington State Grade Level Expectations(GLEs). |
For more specific information on our school district curriculum, click the links for each grade level on the curriculum page. |
| Kindergarten | 1st Grade | 2nd Grade | |
| 4th Grade | 5th Grade | ||
| 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade | |
| 9th Grade | 10th Grade |
| In kindergarten students begin their scientific inquiry. They understand scientists observe carefully and ask questions. Students develop the skills of observing, sorting, identifying parts and begin using scientific tools to understand the natural world. | |||
| Guiding Question: | How do we (as scientists) explore and observe our natural world. | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Exploring Observing Sorting |
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| Kindergarten Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
| In first grade students learn to find the patterns and ask their own questions about their natural world, both living and non-living. Students learn to ask, for example, What do plant and animals need to live? Why does weather change? How is weather measured? Students develop skills with sorting, describing, comparing and recording their observations. They begin to look for patterns in the natural world. | |||
| Guiding Question: | How do we ask questions about the natural world? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Asking Questions Observing Describing Comparing Finding Patterns |
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| 1st Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
In second grade students expand their investigation skills. They use their prior knowledge to begin making predictions and finding patterns based on careful observation. A second grade student will be looking and examining more closely the natural world by classifying based on properties and describing characteristics of living and non-living things. |
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| Guiding Question: | How do we find patterns within the natural world? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Predicting Classifying Describing in Detail |
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| 2nd Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
In third grade students begin to explore more complex systems and make inferences about their observations. Students are developing an understanding of systems and are able to identify individual parts and how they work together. In order to understand how the connections between the parts interact students begin to manipulate one part and look for a change in the system. For example students may study a system of plant growth by observing what happens to plant growth under different light conditions. |
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| Guiding Question: | How do we use our understanding of patterns and connections (interdependence) to describe systems in our natural world? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Inferring Analyzing Quantifying observations |
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| 3rd Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
In fourth grade students use their developing investigative skills to begin to compare systems. They examine cause and effect and ask what is fact and what is opinion in science. They are primarily exploring more complex systems in a more complex manner such as the changes of earth systems over time.
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| Guiding Question: | How do we investigate cause and effect in the earth system over time? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Determining Cause and Effect Comparing and Contrasting Recognizing Fact and Opinion Synthesizing |
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| 4th Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
| In fifth grade students begin to discover the inputs and outputs
and determine the flow and transfer of energy within a system. They become
more sophisticated in their analysis of the interconnections within systems.
When investigating students use data to support their conclusions and logical
arguments. They begin to determine factors that contribute to scientific
bias. |
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| Guiding Question: | How does our investigative process lead to new questions about the flow of matter and energy within a system? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Data analysis Detecting scientific bias Investigative Skills |
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| 5th Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
| In sixth grade students become more like scientists in their
thinking and their investigations. They learn how to identify the problems
and generate questions that can be answered scientifically. They learn the
importance of sound investigative practices. Students begin to apply their
understandings to designing solutions to real world problems.
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| Guiding Question: | How do scientists use investigation to solve real problems in my community? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Designing solutions Decision making Hypothesizing |
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| 6th Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
| In seventh grade students become more proficient with both
field and controlled investigative skills. When investigating they learn
to make judgments about data and determine multiple criteria to support
valid conclusions. They examine systems micro to macro with the use of models.
Seventh grade students take the ability to investigate the immediate world
and apply this to new situations that may be more difficult to directly
experience. |
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| Guiding Question: | How do we use scientific thinking to analyze systems - micro to macro – across time? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Analysis of systems Application to new systems Making judgments supported by valid conclusions |
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| 7th Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
| In eighth grade students begin to use concrete evidence to
develop a new, more abstract, level of understanding about matter, energy
and systems. Students will begin to develop models to describe complex systems
and learn how investigation can provide evidence to test models. Students
will begin to differentiate between questions, that can be scientifically
investigated, and those that cannot. |
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| Guiding Question: | How do we use scientific models to explain systems? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Analysis of models Synthesizing using data or models |
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| 8th Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
| In ninth and tenth grade students examine scientific theories
and master both their field and controlled investigative skills. They develop
physical, conceptual, and mathematical models to represent and investigate
objects, events, systems, and processes. Students infer and make predictions
based on scientific evidence and then apply their skills and knowledge to
new situations.
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| Guiding Question: | How do we investigate to validate or contribute to our understanding of theories used to explain natural systems? | ||
| Investigative Skills: | Evaluating using data Inferring using data Predictions based on scientific evidence Application |
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| 9th & 10th Grade Level Expectations for Science (draft 2004) | Meridian School District Frameworks | ||
| Meridian High School Course Offerings | |||
| Meridian High School Course Offerings | |
| Meridian School District Frameworks |