A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period.
Standards, Benchmarks, and Science Literacy Documents
National Standards and Benchmarks
Here is a list of national standards and benchmarks for K-12 students that cover science, mathematics, geography, and technology education. If you are aware of other national standards that would be relevant to the NESTA community, please submit your suggestions here.
- National Science Education Standards - National Academy of Sciences, 1995
- Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy - American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993
- Principles and Standards for School Mathematics - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
- National Geography Education Standards - The National Council of Geographic Education
- National Educational Technology Standards - International Society for Technology in Education, 2007
State Science Standards
Each state has its own standards or benchmarks for K-12 science education. The links below take you to all of these state documents.
Science Literacy Documents
The following is a list of science literacy documents, including information about general science literacy as well as specific literacy topics such as climate change, oceans, and Earth system science. If you are aware of other science literacy documents that would be relevant to the NESTA community, please submit your suggestions here.
- Atlas of Science Literacy: Mapping K-12 Science Learning -
Atlas of Science Literacy is a two-volume collection of conceptual strand maps—and commentary on those maps—that show how students' understanding of the ideas and skills that lead to literacy in science, mathematics, and technology might develop from kindergarten through 12th grade.
- Blueprint for Change: Report from the National Conference on the Revolution in Earth and Space Science Education - June 21-24, 2001, Snowmass, Colorado. (PDF, 4.6 MB)
- Campaign for Environmental Literacy Homepage
- Children's misconceptions about weather: A review of the literature - Understanding misconceptions is crucial to fostering science literacy. This literature review was presented by Laura Henriques in a paper at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA, April 29, 2000.
- Climate Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts - This guide reflects the current efforts in defining climate literacy.
- Communicating and Learning About Global Climate Change - An Abbreviated Guide for Teaching Climate Change, from Project 2061 at AAAS (PDF 33 MB)
- Earth's Climate System Paradigm - One page document from AMS (October, 2007)
- Environmental Literacy at Michigan State University Homepage
- Environmental Literacy Council Homepage
- Framework for Earth System Education - Seven Understandings developed by Ohio State University and the University of Northern Colorado
- Guidelines for Sustainability Literacy: The Intricacies of Living in an Interactive World - From By members of the Critical Issues Committee, Geological Society of America, E-an Zen and Allison R. (Pete) Palmer (1999, from BASIN.org)
- Ocean Literacy - The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences K-12 - Published by National Geographic Society in 2005, this framework was the produce of a two-week online workshop hosted by the College of Exploration in October 2004 and involved NOAA, the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) and the national marine Educators Association.
- Revolutionizing Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century - Report and Recommendations from a 50-State Analysis of Earth Science Education conducted by TERC for NOAA, Posted June 11, 2007. (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Science for All Americans: Education for a Changing Future - A set of recommendations from Project 2061 on what understandings and ways of thinking are essential for all citizens in a world shaped by science and technology.
- Teaching About Global Climate Change -
NSTA Reports--P. John Whitsett, NSTA President- September 10, 2007
- Toward Carbon Literacy - Online brochure from U.K. consulting company Carbon Sense
Other documents
The following is a list of other documents associated with standards and frameworks, submitted by NESTA members.
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Montana Science Standards
Montana Office of Public Instruction
The 2006 version of the Montana Science Standards.
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Earth Science Literacy Initiative
The Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI)
The primary outcome of the Earth Science Literacy Initiative is a community-based document that clearly and succinctly states the underlying principles and ideas of Earth science across a wide variety of research fields that are funded through the NSF-EAR program, including Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry, Geomorphology and Land-Use Dynamics, Geophysics, Hydrologic Sciences, Petrology and Geochemistry, Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology, and Tectonics.
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Earth Science Literacy Initiative
The Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI)
The primary outcome of the Earth Science Literacy Initiative is a community-based document that clearly and succinctly states the underlying principles and ideas of Earth science across a wide variety of research fields that are funded through the NSF-EAR program, including Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry, Geomorphology and Land-Use Dynamics, Geophysics, Hydrologic Sciences, Petrology and Geochemistry, Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology, and Tectonics.
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Information about your local watershed
EPA
On this EPA site , one can find information about your local watershed, or any other in the U.S.
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Sand- using as a classrom resource, for activities and studies
The International Sand Society
Describes curricular connections, suggests actvities, the make-up and uses for sand.
Has microscopic views of sands from all over the world.
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Foraminifera activities/ resources
Berkley
Using Formanifera to determine climate change
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Interactive Atlas of Science Literacy
AAAS
This website provides information on how to acquire AAAS Atlas of Science Literacy Volumes I & II, and also provides interactive maps from the atlases. Use these maps to link directly to resources for that support the content of the maps. Searchable by grade band.
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Earth Science Literacy Initiative
The Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI)
"The primary outcome of the Earth Science Literacy Initiative is a community-based document that clearly and succinctly states the underlying principles and ideas of Earth science across a wide variety of research fields that are funded through the NSF-EAR program, including Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry, Geomorphology and Land-Use Dynamics, Geophysics, Hydrologic Sciences, Petrology and Geochemistry, Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology, and Tectonics."
