Alaska Science
Key Element C7

A student who meets the content standard should understand that major scientific breakthroughs may link large amounts of knowledge, build upon the contributions of many scientists, and cross different lines of study.

Performance Standard Level 3, Ages 11–14

Students design concept webs that show how contributions across a variety of fields are used to produce inventions.

Sample Assessment Ideas

• Students research and write a short report tracing the history of a scientific concept or invention (e.g., atomic theory, telephone).

• Students discuss the scientific contributions from a variety of fields necessary to develop technology (e.g., Global Positioning System, Alaska Pipeline, Space Shuttle).

Standards Cross-References
( Alaska Department of Education & Early Development Standards)

National Science Education Standards

Many different people in different cultures have made and continue to make contributions to science and technology. (Page 166)

Science and technology have advanced through contributions of many different people, in different cultures, at different times in history. Science and technology have contributed enormously to economic growth and productivity among societies and groups within societies. (Page 169)

Scientists and engineers work in many different settings, including colleges and universities, businesses and industries, specific research institutes, and government agencies. (Page 169)

Women and men of various social and ethnic backgrounds-and with diverse interests, talents, qualities, and motivations—engage in the activities of science, engineering, and related fields such as the health professions. Some scientists work in teams, and some work alone, but all communicate extensively with others. (Page 170)

Scientists formulate and test their explanations of nature using observation, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models. Although all scientific ideas are tentative and subject to change and improvement in principle, for most major ideas in science, there is much experimental and observational confirmation. Those ideas are not likely to change greatly in the future. Scientists do and have changed their ideas about nature when they encounter new experimental evidence that does not match their existing explanations. (Page 171)

Tracing the history of science can show how difficult it was for scientific innovators to break through the accepted ideas of their time to reach the conclusions that we currently take for granted. (Page 171)

Benchmarks

Important contributions to the advancement of science, mathematics, and technology have been made by different kinds of people, in different cultures, at different times. (Page 17)