Looking for a solid science K-12 curriculum for fall? Here is some welcome news from The National Association of Scholars (
NAS) and Freedom in Education (
FIE), organizations dedicated to improving America’s science education. On June 18 they are releasing
The Franklin Standards: Model K-12 State Science Standards. NAS and FIE want to inspire America’s state education departments to provide science standards that teach American students to claim their country’s scientific and technological heritage as scientists, engineers, and informed citizens—much like Benjamin Franklin himself.
State standards are the single most influential (and controversial!) documents in America’s education system. State education departments use them to provide guidance to each public K-12 school district and charter school as they create their own courses. State standards also influence what textbook authors write and what assessment companies such as the College Board test for in their advanced placement examinations. They affect teacher training and they provide the framework for teachers’ individual lesson plans. Private schools and homeschool/microschool parents also keep an eye on state standards.
Yet too many state education departments have imposed state science standards drawing on sources such as the Next Generation Science Standards, which combine misguided pedagogical theory, low academic standards, politicized instruction, and training in activism. America at large has suffered from their success. Too many Americans have emerged from our schools ignorant of the basics of scientific knowledge. America has too few scientists, engineers, and technicians—and the failure of our schools is becoming a national security risk, as America faces ever sharper scientific and technological rivalry from its peer competitor, China. You already know this – that is why you are part of the growing microschool and homeschool community.
The Franklin Standards prepares America’s children for college and career with comprehensive content knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Technology and Engineering, and History of Science, as well as substantial mathematical content knowledge. The Franklin Standards integrates its standards with sustained attention to the scientific method and the distinction between theory and fact. It emphasizes that science is never settled, but is always subject to testing and revision, and should never be decided by authority or a consensus.
The Franklin Standards’ straightforward structure makes it easy for teachers to use and easy for parents to hold teachers accountable for how well they teach science. The Franklin Standards’ intensive content standards also facilitate reliable assessment, whether by state-level testing or tests by school districts or individual teachers.
Microschools can rely on science standards modeled on the Franklin Standards because it teaches American students their heritage of scientific and technological excellence.
The curriculum is free to download so take advantage of this valuable new microschool resource."
Submitted by Kathryn E Kelly, DrPH, MEd, Executive Director, I-School, Carson City, NV, and President of National Association of Scholars, Nevada Chapter