Standard #15: Understands the nature of scientific inquiry
Level I: Primary (Grades K-2)

• Knows that learning can come from careful observations and simple experiments;
• Knows that tools (e.g., thermometers, magnifiers, rulers, balances) can be used to gather information and extend the senses;

• Plans and conducts simple investigations (e.g., makes systematic observations, conducts simple experiments to answer questions);
• Uses simple equipment and tools to gather scientific data and extend the senses (e.g., rulers, thermometers, magnifiers, microscopes, calculators)
• Knows that scientists make the results of their investigations public; they describe the investigations in ways that enable others to repeat the investigations

• Knows that in science it is helpful to work with a team and share findings with others;

• Knows that scientists and engineers often work in teams to accomplish a task

• Knows that different objects are made up of many different types of materials (e.g. cloth, paper, wood, metal) and have many different observable properties (e.g., color, size, shape, weight)

• Knows that objects can be classified according to their properties (e.g., magnetism, conductivity, density, solubility)

Standard #1: Contributes to the overall effort of a group
Level IV: (Grades K-12)

• Demonstrates respect for others in the group
• Takes initiative when needed
• Engages in active listening

Standard# 3: Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences (compares,contrasts, classifies)
Level I: Primary (Grades K-2)
 

• Classifies objects by size, color, or other significant characteristics
• Identifies the similarities and differences between persons, places, things, and events using concrete criteria
• Describes and compares things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, motion, sound, and behavior
• Recognizes simple patterns in the surrounding events and objects

• Understands that one way to make sense of something is to think how it is like something more familiar
• Recognizes when comparisons might not be fair because some characteristics are not the same
• Compares people in terms of important ethnic, religious, and cultural characteristics
• Makes comparisons between countries in terms of relatively concrete characteristics (e.g., size, population, products,) and abstract characteristics (e.g. the arts)

• Asks "how do you know" in appropriate situations and attempts to provide reasonable answers when others ask the same question
• Understands that changing one thing sometimes causes changes in something else and that changing the same thing in the same way usually has the same result

• Keeps a notebook that describes observations made
• Attempts to verify the results of experiments done by others
• Distinguishes between actual observations and ideas or conclusions about what was observed
• Makes records of observations regarding time and place to formulate hypotheses

Standard #2: Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment
Level I: Primary (Grades K-2)

• Knows the location of school, home, neighborhood, community, state, and country

• Knows major physical and human features of places as they are represented on maps and globes (e.g., shopping areas, fast food restaurants, fire stations, largest cities, rivers, lakes, wetlands, recreation areas, historic sites, landforms, locations of places discussed in history, language arts, science, and other school subjects);
• Knows the location of major cities in North America;

Standard #4: Understands the physical and human characteristics of place
Level I: Primary (Grades K-2)

• Knows the physical and human characteristics of the local community (e.g., neighborhoods, schools, parks, creeks, shopping areas, airports, museums, sports stadiums, hospitals);
• Knows that places can be defined in terms of their predominant human and physical characteristics (e.g., rural, urban, forest, desert; or by types of landforms, vegetation, water bodies, climate)

• Knows how the characteristics of places are shaped by physical and human processes (e.g., effects of agriculture on changing land use and vegetation; effects of settlement on the building of roads; relationship of population distribution to landforms, climate, vegetation, or resources)

• Not appropriate at this level

Level II: Upper Elementary (Grades 3-5)

• Understands ways in which people view and relate to places and regions differently (e.g., how children, mothers, joggers, and city park worker view a park)

• Not appropriate at this level

• Knows how differences in perception affect people's interpretations of the world (e.g., how different groups of people perceive the same place, environment, or event; how children raised in different societies have different views regarding personal life, education, and aspirations)

Standard #3: Technology productivity tools
Level II: Upper Elementary (Grades 3-5)

• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works.

• Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
• Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
• Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

Standard #1: Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Level I: Primary (Grades K-2)

• Prewriting: Uses prewriting strategies to plan written work (e.g., discusses ideas with peers, draws pictures to generate ideas, writes key thoughts and questions, rehearses ideas, records reactions and observations)
• Drafting and Revising: Uses strategies to draft and revise written work (e.g., rereads; rearranges words, sentences, and paragraphs to improve or clarify meaning; varies sentence type; adds descriptive words and details; deletes extraneous information; incorporates suggestions from peers and teachers; sharpens the focus)
• Editing and Publishing: Uses strategies to edit and publish written work (e.g., proofreads using a dictionary and other resources; edits for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling at a developmentally appropriate level; incorporates illustrations or photos; shares finished product)
• Dictates or writes with a logical sequence of events (e.g., includes a beginning,middle, and ending)
• Dictates or writes detailed descriptions of familiar persons, places, objects, or experiences
• Writes in a variety of formats (e.g., picture books, letters, stories, poems, information pieces)

• Prewriting: Uses prewriting strategies to plan written work (e.g., uses graphic organizers, story maps, and webs; groups related ideas; takes notes; brainstorms ideas)
• Drafting and Revising: Uses strategies to draft and revise written work (e.g., elaborates on a central idea; writes with attention to voice, audience, word choice, tone, and imagery; uses paragraphs to develop separate ideas)
• Editing and Publishing: Uses strategies to edit and publish written work (e.g., edits for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling at a developmentally appropriate level; considers page format [paragraphs, margins, indentations, titles]; selects presentation format; incorporates photos, illustrations, charts, and graphs)
• Writes stories or essays that show awareness of intended audience
• Writes stories or essays that convey an intended purpose (e.g., to record ideas, to describe, to explain)
• Writes expository compositions (e.g., identifies and stays on the topic; develops the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations; excludes extraneous and inappropriate information)
• Writes expressive compositions (e.g., expresses ideas, reflections, and observations; uses an individual, authentic voice; uses narrative strategies, relevant details, and ideas that enable the reader to imagine the world of the event or experience)

• Generates questions about topics of personal interest
• Uses books to gather information for research topics (e.g., uses table of contents, examines pictures and charts)

• Uses a variety of strategies to identify topics to investigate (e.g., brainstorms, lists questions, uses idea webs)
• Uses encyclopedias to gather information for research topics
• Uses dictionaries to gather information for research topics
• Uses key words, indexes, cross-references, and letters on volumes to find information for research topics
• Uses multiple representations of information (e.g., maps, charts, photos) to find information for research topics
• Uses graphic organizers to gather and record information for research topics (e.g., notes, charts, graphs)
• Compiles information into written reports or summaries

• Makes contributions in class and group discussions (e.g., recounts personal experiences, reports on personal knowledge about a topic, initiates conversations)
• Asks and responds to questions
• Follows rules of conversation (e.g., takes turns, raises hand to speak, stays on topic, focuses attention on speaker)

• Contributes to group discussions
• Asks questions in class (e.g., when he or she is confused, to seek others' opinions and comments)
• Listens to classmates and adults (e.g., does not interrupt, faces the speaker, asks questions, paraphrases to confirm understanding, gives feedback)
• Makes some effort to have a clear main point when speaking to others
• Makes eye contact while giving oral presentations
• Organizes ideas for oral presentations (e.g., includes content appropriate to the audience, uses notes or other memory aids, summarizes main points)