The Montana content standards for math and science contain many similiarities. I agree with Leslie that the science standards are more general, but I do not look at that as a negative difference. Science is a bit more open ended than math, in math there are basic skills students must master, such as algbra, geometry, etc. The math standards contain more specifics than the science standards, which I feel makes perfect sense.
I also agree with Tara that both standards focus on inquiry based learning. The word demonstrate is used in both content standards which is an indicator that inquiry based learning is the established approach to teaching math and science. Students learn by doing and engaging.
Although the standards do have differences I feel that they coorelate very well with one another. I liked what Jennie said about how teaching an integrated unit is easier to teach than group lessons. I would like to add that integrated units are more fun for the students and the teacher. When students can draw connections between subject matter they will gain a much stronger understanding.
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The blogs I have read thus far are very extensive and well thought out. I agree with a number of you when you say that the difference between science and math standards are more than noticable.
Math, as Bryn suggested is very specifics oriented in the way it is written. Bryn it can be frustrating to have to teach in such a specific manner in order to comply. Yet when you look at the two subjects at their very base level it is clear that they require such a gap in standards.
Science is a topic that is at its very heart open ended, so having specific close ended standards would be unacheiveable. Not only that it would defete the whole purpose of science. Science is meant to be broad and questionable with room for new ideas.
It seems that this argument I am making is backed up by JennieF and Leslie. So it seems that the overall response is a need for open ended standards in order to be able to teach to each individual student as best as you can. Though then the question is how open ended can the math standards be due to the nature of math itself?
By the way good job everyone on blogging, these answers are all really intense. I hope I lived up to the standards. Get it standards, he he.
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