1. Ensuring wide reading from complex text that varies in length.
2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
3. Emphasizing text-specific complex questions, and cognitively complex tasks, reinforce focus on the text and cultivate independence.
4. Emphasizing students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text.
5. Providing extensive research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).

• Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering).
• Developing and using models.
• Planning and carrying out investigations.
• Analyzing and interpreting data.
• Using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking.
• Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering).
• Engaging in argument from evidence.
• Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.

Special Notes: 
Instructional Practices 
Teaching from a range of complex text is optimized when teachers in all subject areas implement the following strategies on a routine basis: 

1. Ensuring wide reading from complex text that varies in length.
2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
3. Emphasizing text-specific complex questions, and cognitively complex tasks, reinforce focus on the text and cultivate independence.
4. Emphasizing students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text.
5. Providing extensive research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).

Science and Engineering Practices (NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education, 2010)

• Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering).
• Developing and using models.
• Planning and carrying out investigations.
• Analyzing and interpreting data.
• Using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking.
• Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering).
• Engaging in argument from evidence.
• Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.

Honors and Advanced Level Course Note: Advanced courses require a greater demand on students through increased academic rigor.  Academic rigor is obtained through the application, analysis, evaluation, and creation of complex ideas that are often abstract and multi-faceted.  Students are challenged to think and collaborate critically on the content they are learning. Honors level rigor will be achieved by increasing text complexity through text selection, focus on high-level qualitative measures, and complexity of task. Instruction will be structured to give students a deeper understanding of conceptual themes and organization within and across disciplines. Academic rigor is more than simply assigning to students a greater quantity of work.

This course has been designed for the teacher to select and teach only the appropriate standards corresponding to a student's grade level and/or instructional needs.

English Language Development ELD Standards Special Notes Section:

Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate information, ideas and concepts for academic success in the content area of Science. For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL’s need for communication and social skills. To access an ELL supporting document which delineates performance definitions and descriptors, please click on the following link: {{AzureStorageLink}}/uploads/docs/standards/eld/sc.pdf.