Published to glowing praise in 1990, Science for All Americans defined the science-literate American--describing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes all students should retain from their learning experience--and offered a series of recommendations for reforming our system of education in science, mathematics, and technology. Benchmarks for Science Literacy takes this one step further. Created in close consultation with a cross-section of American teachers, administrators, and scientists, Benchmarks elaborates on the recommendations to provide guidelines for 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. These grade levels offer reasonable checkpoints for student progress toward science literacy, but do not suggest a rigid formula for teaching. Benchmarks is not a proposed curriculum, nor is it a plan for one: it is a tool educators can use as they design curricula that fit their student's needs and meet the goals first outlined in Science for All Americans. Far from pressing for a single educational program, Project 2061 advocates a reform strategy that will lead to more curriculum diversity than is common today. IBenchmarks emerged from the work of six diverse school-district teams who were asked to rethink the K-12 curriculum and outline alternative ways of achieving science literacy for all students. These teams based their work on published research and the continuing advice of prominent educators, as well as their own teaching experience. Focusing on the understanding and interconnection of key concepts rather than rote memorization of terms and isolated facts, Benchmarks advocates building a lasting understanding of science and related fields. In a culture increasingly pervaded by science, mathematics, and technology, science literacy require habits of mind that will enable citizens to understand the world around them, make some sense of new technologies as they emerge and grow, and deal sensibly with problems that involve evidence, numbers, patterns, logical arguments, and technology--as well as the relationship of these disciplines to the arts, humanities, and vocational sciences--making science literacy relevant to all students, regardless of their career paths. If Americans are to participate in a world shaped by modern science and mathematics, a world where technological know-how will offer the keys to economic and political stability in the twenty-first century, education in these areas must become one of the nation's highest priorities. Together with Science for All Americans, Benchmarks for Science Literacy offers a bold new agenda for the future of science education in this country, one that is certain to prepare our children for life in the twenty-first century.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy (Benchmarks for Science Literacy, Project 2061)

Science & Math

American Association For The Advancement Of Science

Science for Kids

Oxford University Press

When Benchmarks for Science Literacy was first published, Bruce Alberts, president of the National Academy of Sciences praised it as "another milestone in the long standing effort of Project 2061 to improve the teaching and learning of science for all Americans." Now, the monumental achievement of Benchmarks for Science Literacy is available in a computer disk format for use on IBM-compatible personal computers in MS-DOS. This superb science learning tool enables users to browse, assemble, and print benchmarks in various formats. Users can also review conceptual "strands"--a new tool on the electronic version--that provides sequences of benchmarks that students should progress through on the way toward a specific science-literacy goal. In addition, teachers can brainstorm about how to coordinate seemingly unrelated benchmarks by using "benchmark roulette," a function which creates a random sample of six benchmarks, at two grade levels, that can be used as a basis for discussion.    Benchmarks for Science Literacy on Disk greatly enhances the capablities of its companion book, alllowing teachers to tailor searches that are relevant to the grades and subjects they teach. Both quick and easy to use, this extraordinary program allows instant reference access to the entire spectrum of teaching and learning possiblities available with Benchmarks.   Focusing on the understanding and interconnection of key concepts rather than rote memorization of terms and isolated facts, Benchmarks advocates building a lasting knowledge of science and related fields. In a culture increasingly pervaded by science, mathematics, and technology, science literacy requires habits of mind that will enable citizens to understand the world around them, make sense of new technologies as they emerge and grow, and deal sensibly with problems that involve evidence, numbers, patterns, logical arguements, and technology--as well as the relationship of these disciplines to the arts, humanities, and vocational studies--making science literacy relevant to all students, regardless of the career path they may choose.   Together, Science for All Americans, Benchmarks for Science Literacy, and Benchmarks for Science Literacy on Disk offer a bold new agenda for the future of science in this country, one that is certain to prepare our children for the challenges they will face in the future.      Hardware and Software requirements:   IBM or compatible PC, 8086, 286, or better, with hard drive. 4 MB free space on hard disk. 2 MB free RAM. MS-DOS 4.0 or higher and 3.5" drive. Mouse and color monitor preferable.      Specifications:   The package contains one 3.5" high density diskette and a thirty-six page user manual.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy on Disk: Version 1.0 for MS-DOS

Oxford University Press, USA

When Benchmarks for Science Literacy was first published, Bruce Alberts, president of the National Academy of Sciences praised it as "Another milestone in the long standing effort of Project 2061 to improve the teaching and learning of science for all Americans." Science for All Americans defined the scientifically literate American, offering a series of recommendations for reforming our system of education in science, mathematics, and technology. Benchmarks for Science Literacy helped make the goals set forth in Science for All Americans a reality. Now, the monumental achievement of Benchmarks for Science Literacy is available in a computer disk format for use on Macintosh and IBM-compatible personal computers. This superb science learning tool enables users to browse, assemble, and print benchmarks in various formats. Users can also review conceptual "strands"--a new tool on the electronic version--which provides sequences of benchmarks that students should progress through on the way toward a specific science-literacy goal. In addition, teachers can brainstorm about how to coordinate seemingly unrelated benchmarks by using "benchmark roulette," a function which creates a random sample of six benchmarks, at two grade levels, which can be used as a basis for discussion.  Created in close consultation with a cross-section of American teachers, administrators, and scientists, Benchmarks elaborates on the recommendations provided by Science for All Americans to provide guidelines for 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. Benchmarks is not a proposed curriculum, nor is it a plan for one: it is a tool educators can use as they design curricula that fit their students' needs and meet the goals recommended in Science for All Americans. Benchmarks on disk greatly enhances the capablities of its companion book, offering teachers a "molding" quality that will allow them to tailor Benchmarks into sections that are relevant to the grades and subjects they teach. Both quick and easy to use, this extraordinary program allows instant reference access to the entire spectrum of teaching and learning possiblities available with Benchmarks. Focusing on the understanding and interconnection of key concepts rather than rote memorization of terms and isolated facts, Benchmarks advocates building a lasting knowledge of science and related fields. In a culture increasingly pervaded by science, mathematics, and technology, science literacy requires habits of mind that will enable citizens to understand the world around them, make sense of new technologies as they emerge and grow, and deal sensibly with problems that involve evidence, numbers, patterns, logical arguements, and technology--as well as the relationship of these disciplines to the arts, humanities, and vocational studies--making science literacy relevant to all students, regardless of the career path they may choose. Together, Science for All Americans, Benchmarks for Science Literacy, and Benchmarks on disk offer a bold new agenda for the future of science in this country, one that is certain to prepare our children for the challenges they will face in the future.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy on Disk: Version 1.0 for Apple Macintosh

When Benchmarks for Science Literacy was first published, Bruce Alberts, president of the National Academy of Sciences praised it as "another milestone in the long standing effort of Project 2061 to improve the teaching and learning of science for all Americans." Now, the monumental achievement of Benchmarks for Science Literacy is available in a computer disk format for use on IBM-compatible personal computers in MS-DOS. This superb science learning tool enables users to browse, assemble, and print benchmarks in various formats. Users can also review conceptual "strands"--a new tool on the electronic version--that provides sequences of benchmarks that students should progress through on the way toward a specific science-literacy goal. In addition, teachers can brainstorm about how to coordinate seemingly unrelated benchmarks by using "benchmark roulette," a function which creates a random sample of six benchmarks, at two grade levels, that can be used as a basis for discussion.  Benchmarks for Science Literacy on Disk greatly enhances the capablities of its companion book, alllowing teachers to tailor searches that are relevant to the grades and subjects they teach. Both quick and easy to use, this extraordinary program allows instant reference access to the entire spectrum of teaching and learning possiblities available with Benchmarks. Focusing on the understanding and interconnection of key concepts rather than rote memorization of terms and isolated facts, Benchmarks advocates building a lasting knowledge of science and related fields. In a culture increasingly pervaded by science, mathematics, and technology, science literacy requires habits of mind that will enable citizens to understand the world around them, make sense of new technologies as they emerge and grow, and deal sensibly with problems that involve evidence, numbers, patterns, logical arguements, and technology--as well as the relationship of these disciplines to the arts, humanities, and vocational studies--making science literacy relevant to all students, regardless of the career path they may choose. Together, Science for All Americans, Benchmarks for Science Literacy, and Benchmarks for Science Literacy on Disk offer a bold new agenda for the future of science in this country, one that is certain to prepare our children for the challenges they will face in the future.  Hardware and Software requirements: IBM or compatible PC, 8086, 286, or better, with hard drive. 4 MB free space on hard disk. 2 MB free RAM. MS-DOS 4.0 or higher and 3.5" drive. Mouse and color monitor preferable.  Specifications: The package contains one 3.5" high density diskette and a thirty-six page user manual.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy on Disk: Version 1.0 for Microsoft Windows

Computers & Technology

Ten years ago, Project 2061 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) set out to define what it means to be science literate. Project 2061 confronted this issue head on with the creation of Science for All Americans, a work that defined the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind that all citizens need to live interesting, responsible, and productive lives in a culture shaped by science and technology. Benchmarks for Science Literacy took this a step further, mapping how student understanding should progress from simple ideas intelligible to kindergartners toward the more sophisticated knowledge recommended for high school graduates. Now, Project 2061 has turned its attention toward the educators themselves, focusing on the manner in which teachers prepare for their work in the classroom. Resources for Science Literacy, a new two-part, CD-ROM tool, offers educators the opportunity to enhance their understanding of science literacy; make sound decisions about curriculum materials, classroom instruction, and assessment; and make better use of Science for All Americans and Benchmarks for Science Literacy. At same time, it works to bypass some of the obstacles that have stymied education reform efforts in the past. Few teachers can be expected to understand all of the topics included in Science for All Americans--from the natural and social sciences, mathematics, technology, and their interconnection to the history and nature of science and technology. Experts on teacher education and professional development recognize this dilemma and how it affects the ability to adequately convey what students need to know. Resources for Science Literacy: Professional Development has been created to meet the needs of today's teachers, offering help in overcoming the difficulties of making science literacy a reality. Resources for Science Literacy: Professional Development offers a carefully selected collection of references, workshop activities, research, analyses, and course plans that illustrate many aspects of science literacy and its application to K-12 science education. Links throughout the text allow users to search for resources relating to specific topics presented in Science for All Americans, Professional Development places a veritable storehouse of developmental tools and strategies right at the user's fingertips. For example, users can create a customized list of recommended trade books dealing with the scientific inquiry chapter of Science for All Americans, then review the specific learning goals related to that topic recommended in Benchmarks for Science Literacy and the National Science Education Standards, go on to explore the cognitive research on student learning of concepts related to scientific inquiry, and, finally, examine the college course syllabi for guidance on developing a systematic approach to learning more about the topic. For teachers planning their own professional growth, individuals and higher education institutions involved in planning preservice and inservice education, and school districts designing staff development programs, Resources for Science Literacy: Professional Development will be an invaluable asset. Key Features: * Full text of Science for All Americans * Science Trade Books * Cognitive Research * College Course's * Comparisons of Benchmarks to National Standards * Project 2061 Workshop Guide The Resources for Science Literacy: Professional Development CD-ROM makes available for the first time the full text of Science for All Americans in an electronic format. Its other major components are: Project 2061 Workshop Guide Project 2061 receives frequent requests from educators for help in understanding and using Science for All Americans and Benchmarks for Science Literacy as tools to plan curriculum, instruction, and assessment. In response, it has developed workshops for a variety of purposes and audiences, including teachers, administrators, curriculum developers, and policymakers. Developed by over three dozen teachers from Project 2061 School-District Center teams and other consultants, the Workshop Guide brings together a wide array of workshop options so that educators can design their own workshops to suit specific needs, audiences, and time frames. The Guide includes detailed instructions for planning a Project 2061 workshop; essential workshop components, including recommended options for making progress toward particular goals; suggestions for evaluating audience understanding of a presentation; and sample workshop plans, agendas, handouts, transparencies, and evaluation forms. And an easy-to-use table of contents provides brief summaries of each workshop and its purpose, offering a simple way to preview and select appropriate options. Science Trade Books Most teachers will be quite knowledgeable about some of the topics in Science for All Americans but less familiar with others. In turn, the Science Trade Books component consists of books that range from basic introductions--some actually written with young adults in mind--to more sophisticated treatments requiring considerable background knowledge. In addition to nonfiction science books, this database includes novels, philosophical works, and collections of essays that shed light on various aspects of science literacy. Featuring more than two hundred citations, users may browse the entire collection of entries alphabetically by author or title, or by calling up books related to a particular section of Science for All Americans, while links allow users to view brief introductions to the books, notes on special characteristics of some works, bibliographic information, and reviews where available. Each title has been critically reviewed by the AAAS's Science Book and Films or a similar source and explicitly addresses content in Science for All Americans. College Courses College Courses provides fifteen syllabi from college courses that were designed to increase students' knowledge of science, mathematics, and technology and their interconnections. The courses chosen for Professional Development were submitted by university faculty that had analyzed their existing syllabi for strong links to Science for All Americans. As with Science Trade Books, a special effort was made to include syllabi that cover topics found in Science for All Americans with which teachers are least likely to be familiar, such as technology, cross-cutting themes, and the nature and history of science. Easily accessed by title, author, or relevant Science for All Americans chapter, each syllabus contains information on the course author or contact person, a general description of the course, the topics it covers, the sequence of those topics, and student assignments. Also included are reading lists, lab manuals, and any other published materials related to the course, as well as links, identified by the course author, between the course and chapters of Science for All Americans. Many authors were able to provide a more detailed explanation of how the course specifically relates to Science for All Americans, an extended syllabus, a short summary of how the course design supports student learning, and any research (published or not) related to student understanding of the course content. Comparisons of Benchmarks to National Standards Shortly after Project 2061 published Science for All Americans in 1989, the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics released its Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics. Five years later Project 2061 published Benchmarks for Science Literacy, the National Research Council published its National Science Education Standards and the National Council for the Social Studies published its Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Project 2061 has analyzed these documents and made detailed comparisons of each with Science for All Americans and Benchmarks for Science Literacy. These three comparisons have been made available on CD-ROM so that educators can make informed use of the documents together or separately. Moreover, the comparisons illustrate the growing consensus on what students should know in science, mathematics, and technology. Cognitive Research Many teachers have little access to the latest education research or experience applying it to instruction. Most would agree, however, with Benchmarks for Science Literacy's claim that, "Overestimation of what students can learn at a given age results in student frustration, lack of confidence, and unproductive learning strategies, such as memorization without understanding." Because understanding the research on how students learn science concepts is so important to promoting science literacy goals, Benchmarks for Science Literacy included Chapter 15: The Research Base, a survey of the research that influenced the content and grade-level placement of benchmark ideas. However, it did not include any articles, reports, or books specifically written for teachers. The Cognitive Research component has been developed to supplement Chapter 15, providing references to additional reading that teachers can pursue based on their own personal interest or as part of their inservice/preservice education. It includes descriptions of over eighty articles and reports, seventeen books, and four videos related to student learning of concepts from Science for All Americans and Benchmarks for Science Literacy. All the research can be accessed through an alphabetical listing of articles, books, and videos by author or title, or by selecting research related to a specific Science for All Americans chapter or section. A Work in Progress Resources for Science Literacy: Professional Development is an evolving tool. To create this first edition, Project 2061 consulted numerous teachers and other educational experts. Yet this compilation of material is by no means exhaustive. Project 2061 invites you and your colleagues to recommend additional science trade books, research studies, college courses, and workshop activities and materials that you have encountered and would like to share for future versions. Publication of this Professional Development component will be followed by the publication of Resources for Science Literacy: Curriculum Materials. It too will be available as a CD-ROM with a companion print volume. Eventually, both components will be revised, expanded, and merged into a single CD-ROM that will be periodically updated.

Resources for Science Literacy: Professional DevelopmentCD-ROM and Companion Paperback

What would it cost the education system to adopt policies that emphasize science literacy for all students? How can we ensure that tests measure what educators, parents, and others want them to? How can universities set admissions policies that motivate K-12 institutions to produce science literate graduates? Project 2061 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science believes that serious efforts to reform the K-12 curriculum in this country require an understanding of the whole of education. To gain this kind of perspective, Project 2061 commissioned experts to prepare reports on a dozen areas of the education system that would have implications for the implementation of the reforms defined in their earlier volumes Science for All Americans and Benchmarks for Science Literacy. Blueprints for Reform is a summation of those reports offering teachers, parents, policymakers, business leaders, and others a starting point for their exploration of the education system and its response to reform. Blueprints for Reform includes discussions of equity, assessment, teacher education, policy, finance, school organization, curriculum connections, family and community, research, materials and technology, and business and industry. A chapter is devoted to each of these topics providing an overview of the issue and some recommendations on how to move forward. The idea behind this strategy is to bring current research together in one place so anyone working in the area of science education and reform can have complete access to the latest information, methods, and debates. To spark the kind of thoughtful debate that can lead to meaningful change, Blueprints for Reform also has an on-line component providing summaries of the chapters in the book, as well as a database of bibliographies and science- and education-related topics. Through Blueprints On-Line, anyone with a stake in improving science education can share experiences with peers, find information on interrelated facets of the education system, or air their views on how best to go about systemic change. Blueprints for Reform offers a bold new examination of the current system to determine what changes are desirable and possible in science education, and how best to ensure our children are prepared for life in the twenty-first century.

Blueprints for Reform: Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education

The call for science curriculum reform has been made over and over again for much of the twentieth century. Arguments have been made that the content of the curriculum is not appropriate for meeting the individual and social needs of people living in the modern world; that the curriculum has become overstuffed with topics and does not serve students especially well; and above all, that the curriculum does not generate the student learning it is expected to produce. The latest volume in a continuing series of publications from the AAAS designed to reform science education, Designs for Science Literacy presupposes that curriculum reform must be considerably more extensive and fundamental than the tinkering with individual courses and subjects that has been going on for decades. Designs deals with the critical issues involved in assembling sound instructional materials into a new, coherent K-12 whole. The book pays special attention to the need to link science-oriented studies to the arts and humanities, and also proposes how to align the curriculum with an established set of learning goals while preserving the American tradition of local responsibility for the curriculum itself. If fundamental curriculum reform is ever to occur, a new process for creating alternatives will have to be developed. Designs for Science Literacy provides the groundwork for such a process.

Designs for Science Literacy

Science and the Concept of Race

Leading scientists examine the biological, social, and psychological aspects of race as determined by empirical research and relate these findings to current social trends.

Columbia Univ. Pr.

The same technologies that fuel scientific advances also pose potential risks--that the knowledge, tools, and techniques gained through legitimate biotechnology research could be misused to create biological weapons or for bioterrorism. This is often called the dual use dilemma of the life sciences. Yet even research with the greatest potential for misuse may offer significant benefits. Determining how to constrain the danger without harming essential scientific research is critical for national security as well as prosperity and well-being. This book discusses a 2007 survey of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) members in the life sciences about their knowledge of dual use issues and attitudes about their responsibilities to help mitigate the risks of misuse of their research. Overall, the results suggest that there may be considerable support for approaches to oversight that rely on measures that are developed and implemented by the scientific community itself. The responses also suggest that there is a need to clarify the scope of research activities of concern and to provide guidance about what actions scientists can take to reduce the risk that their research will be misused by those with malicious intent.

A Survey of Attitudes and Actions on Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences: A Collaborative Effort of the National Research Council and the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Policy and Global Affairs

Division on Earth and Life Studies

Board on Life Sciences

Development, Security, and Cooperation

National, Research Council

Committee on Assessing Fundamental Attitudes of Life Scientists as a Basis for Biosecurity Education

Biological Sciences

National Academies Press

The AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment is an important analysis of the relationships between human population and the environment. Illustrating through text, maps, and diagrams how population factors such as rates of growth, density, movement, and resource consumption, along with the use of certain technologies, affect the world's ecosystems and natural resources both in the short and long term, the Atlas brings together a wealth of information from the most up-to-date sources. In view of the profound significance of these issues as we enter the new century, this accessible resource will be an invaluable tool for individuals, academics, governments, and corporations. The Atlas draws on research and data from a number of academic institutions and international organizations, including the United Nations, its specialist organizations and agencies; the World Resources Institute; the Center for International Earth Sciences Information Network; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; U.S. Geological Survey; and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Using sophisticated mapping and graphic techniques, it provides quantitative analyses of the important links between such factors as human population density, rates of growth, migration, resource consumption, and technologies, and the state of the global environment. While the impact of people on the environment may have seemed intuitively obvious in the past, the Atlas makes accessible a wealth of badly needed empirical evidence that will be invaluable for both specialists and general readers. This pathbreaking book tackles the difficult job of connecting the social and natural sciences to provide a thorough analysis of the interplay between population and the environment. Its interdisciplinary approach brings a unique comparative perspective to the discussion and makes it pertinent to a broad range of disciplines.

AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment

Politics & Social Sciences

Raven, Peter H.

Pearce, Fred

Harrison, Paul

Social Sciences

University of California Press

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