COURSE TITLE SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY- SOCIETY

COMPUTER TITLE SCI TECH SOC

COMPUTER CODE SCZ501

GRADE LEVEL 9-12

LENGTH OF COURSE 18-36 weeks

Laboratory Requirement: Students who take this course spend a minimum of 30% of their time engaged in laboratory exercises.

Major Concepts/Content: Science-Technology-Society is designed to teach science content, science inquiry skills, and thinking skills, within the context of social issues. Topics students study include endangered species, biomedical technology, transportation, energy, consumerism, population dynamics, water resources, community planning, space exploration and settlement, and public health. Science-Technology-Society is conducted using an integrated approach with science as inquiry, science & technology, science & social perspectives, and the history & nature of science.

Major Instructional Activities: Based on the philosophy that scientific knowledge is best acquired through inquiry, the course uses a variety of techniques to introduce, stimulate, explore, and reinforce major scientific concepts, theories, principles, and skills.

Instructional activities are staged in appropriate settings. They include laboratories, classrooms, forms of technology, and field studies. Teaching strategies include lab investigations, demonstrations, field and community investigations, role-playing and simulations, computer simulations and data analysis.

Major Evaluation Techniques: Evaluation is based on laboratory and practical examinations, written reports, laboratory and field notebooks, research logs, simulation reports, class participation, quizzes, exams, and peer evaluation.

Essential Objectives: Upon completion of Science-Technology-Society, students should be able to:

• Engage in full and partial scientific inquiries to design, conduct, and communicate scientific investigations to explore ideas about the natural world.
• Use scientific inquiry to design and conduct scientific investigations to meet a human need, make a decision, solve a human problem, or develop a product.
• Recognize and describe the interrelationship between science and technology.
• Apply the tools of technology (e.g., computers) in scientific endeavors.
• Identify qualities inherent in scientific behavior (e.g., reasoning, insight, energy, skill, and creativity).
• Discuss contributions of men and women of various social and ethnic backgrounds to science and technology.
• Apply science concepts to make decisions (weighing risks and benefits) about students' personal health and well-being.
• Understand the enterprise of scientific inquiry in the context of contemporary problems in science, technology, and society.
• Become actively involved with science-related social issues and recognize technology-related options and consequences.