Grade 9-12 National Science Education Standards

 
First, select below the National Science Education Standards (NSES) you wish to assess.

Next, click on the "Show Tasks for Selected Standards" button to view the tasks that are intended to meet the standards you have selected.

The full text of the standards is also available for your reference.
Content Standard Code
A Science as Inquiry 12ASI
B Physical Science 12BPS
C Life Science 12CLS
D Earth and Space Science 12DESS
E Science and Technology 12EST
F Science in Personal and Social Perspectives 12FSPSP
G History and Nature of Science 12GHNS
Select a subject area if you want to further refine your search:
Science as Inquiry (12ASI)
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry (12ASI1)
    Identify questions and concepts (12ASI1.1)
    Design and conduct investigations (12ASI1.2)
    Use technology and mathematics (12ASI1.3)
    Formulate scientific explanations and models (12ASI1.4)
    Analyze alternative explanations (12ASI1.5)
    Communicate a scientific argument (12ASI1.6)
 Understandings about scientific inquiry (12ASI2)
    How physical, living, or designed systems function (12ASI2.1)
    Scientists conduct investigations for a variety of reasons (12ASI2.2)
    Use of technology (12ASI2.3)
    Use of mathematics (12ASI2.4)
    Scientific explanations (12ASI2.5)
    Communicating results of scientific inquiry (12ASI2.6)
 [Top]
Physical Science (12BPS)
Structure of atoms (12BPS1)
    Components and properties of matter (12BPS1.1)
    Atomic structure (12BPS1.2)
    Nuclear forces (12BPS1.3)
    Radioactivity (12BPS1.4)
 Structure and properties of matter (12BPS2)
    Electrons (12BPS2.1
    Elements/Periodic table (12BPS2.2)
    Bonding (12BPS2.3)
    Compounds (12BPS2.4)
    Solids, liquids, and gases (12BPS2.5)
    Carbon atoms (12BPS2.6)
 Chemical reactions(12BPS3)
    Chemical reactions occur all around us (12BPS3.1)
    Energy and chemical reactions (12BPS3.2)
    Mechanisms of chemical reactions (12BPS3.3)
    Reaction rates (12BPS3.4)
    Catalysts/enzymes (12BPS3.5)
 Motions and forces (12BPS4)
    Laws of motion (12BPS4.1)
    Gravity (12BPS4.2)
    Electric force (12BPS4.3)
    Electric forces acting between matter (12BPS4.4)
    Electromagnetic force (12BPS4.5)
 Conservation of energy and increase in disorder (12BPS5)
    Conservation of energy (12BPS5.1)
    Kinetic, potential, or energy contained by a field(12BPS5.2)
    Heat and temperature (12BPS5.3)
    Increase in disorder over time (12BPS5.4)
 Interactions of energy and matter (12BPS6)
    Waves (12BPS6.1)
    Electromagnetic waves (12BPS6.2)
    Discrete amounts of energy in atoms/molecules (12BPS6.3)
    Conductors and Insulators (12BPS6.4)
 [Top]
Life Science (12CLS)
The cell (12CLS1)
    Cell structures (12CLS1.1
    Chemical reactions in cells (12CLS1.2)
    DNA function (12CLS1.3)
    Regulation of cell function (12CLS1.4)
    Plant cells/Photosynthesis (12CLS1.5)
    Cellular differentiation (12CLS1.6)
 Molecular basis of heredity (12CLS2)
    DNA structure (12CLS2.1)
    Chromosomes/reproduction (12CLS2.2)
    Mutations (12CLS2.3)
 Biological evolution (12CLS3)
    Evolution of species (12CLS3.1)
    Diversity of organisms (12CLS3.2)
    Natural selection (12CLS3.3)
    Common ancestry (12CLS3.4)
    Classification (12CLS3.5)
 Interdependence of organisms (12CLS4)
    Cycling of matter (12CLS4.1)
    Cycling of energy (12CLS4.2)
    Interdependence of organisms/ecosystems (12CLS4.3)
    Limiting factors (12CLS4.4)
    Human effects on ecosystems (12CLS4.5)
 Matter, energy, and organization in living systems (12CLS5)
    Tendency towards more disorganized states (12CLS5.1)
    Energy synthesis and conversion (12CLS5.2)
    Food energy (12CLS5.3)
    Complexity and organization of organisms (12CLS5.4)
    Distribution of organisms (12CLS5.5)
    Flow of matter and energy in living systems (12CLS5.6)
 Behavior of organisms (12CLS6)
    Nervous systems (12CLS6.1)
    Behavior (12CLS6.2)
    Evolution of behaviors (12CLS6.3)
    Implications of behavior for humans (12CLS6.4)
 [Top]
Earth and Space Science (12DESS)
Energy in the earth system (12DESS1)
    Energy sources (12DESS1.1)
    Convection in the mantle (12DESS1.2)
    Convection in the atmosphere/surface (12DESS1.3)
    Global climate (12DESS1.4)
 Geochemical cycles (12DESS2)
    Elements in chemical reservoirs (12DESS2.1)
    Movement of matter (12DESS2.2)
 Origin and evolution of the Earth System (12DESS3)
    Origin of the solar system (12DESS3.1)
    Geologic time (12DESS3.2)
    Evolution of the earth system (12DESS3.3)
    Origin of life (12DESS3.4)
 Origin and evolution of the universe (12DESS4)
    Big Bang (12DESS4.1)
    Early history (12ESS4.2)
    Processes in stars (12DESS4.3)
 [Top]
Science and Technology (12EST)
Abilities of technological design (12EST1)
    Identify a problem or design an opportunity (12EST1.1)
    Propose designs and choose between alternative solutions (12EST1.2)
    Implement a proposed solution (12EST1.3)
    Evaluate the solution and its consequences (12EST1.4)
    Communicate the problem, process, and solution (12EST1.5)
 Understanding about science and technology (12EST2)
    Scientists in different disciplines use different methods (12EST2.1)
    Science helps drive technology and technology helps drive science (12EST2.2)
    Creativity, imagination, and knowledge are all required in the work of science (12EST2.3)
    Science and technology are pursued for different purposes (12EST2.4)
    Technological knowledge is often not made public. Scientific knowledge is made public through presentations as professional meetings and publications (12EST2.5)
 [Top]
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives (12FSPSP)
Personal and community Health (12FSPSP1)
    Hazards and the potential for accidents exist (12FSPSP1.1)
    Students should understand that some diseases are caused by micro-organisms (12FSPSP1.2)
    Personal choice concerning fitness and health involves multiple factors (12FSPSP1.3)
    Substances may modify an individualÕs mood and behavior (12FSPSP1.4)
    Nutritional balance is determined by selection of foods and eating patterns (12FSPSP1.5)
    Family systems serve basic health needs, especially for young children (12FSPSP1.6)
    Sexuality is basic to the physical, mental, and social development of humans (12FSPSP1.7)
 Population growth (12FSPSP2)
    Populations grow or decline through the combined effects of several factors (12FSPSP2.1)
    Various factors influence birth rates and fertility rates (12FSPSP2.2)
    Populations can reach the limits of growth (12FSPSP2.3)
 Natural resources (12FSPSP3)
    Humans use environmental resources to maintain and improve their existence (12FSPSP3.1)
    Increasing human usage places severe stress on finite resources of Earth (12FSPSP3.2)
    Humans use many natural systems as resources (12FSPSP3.3)
 Environmental quality (12FSPSP4)
    Natural ecosystems provide basic processes that affect humans (12FSPSP4.1)
    Materials from humans disturb cycles of Earth (12FSPSP4.2)
    Many factors influence environmental quality (12FSPSP4.3)
 Natural and human-induced hazards (12FSPSP5)
    Normal adjustments of Earth may be hazardous for humans (12FSPSP5.1)
    Human activities can enhance potential for hazards (12FSPSP5.2)
    Some natural hazards are rapid and spectacular (e.g. volcanoes) (12FSPSP5.3)
    Natural hazards require humans to assess potential danger and risk (12FSPSP5.4)
 Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges (12FSPSP6)
    Science and technology are essential, but, alone, can only indicate what can happen, not what should happen (12FSPSP6.1)
    Understanding the basics of science and technology should precede debate about related practical and ethical challenges (12FSPSP6.2)
    Progress in science and technology can relate to social issues/challenges (12FSPSP6.3)
    Individuals and society must decide on proposals of new research/technologies (12FSPSP6.4)
    Humans have a major effect on other species (12FSPSP6.5)
 [Top]
History and Nature of Science (12GHNS)
Science as a human endeavor (12GHNS1)
    Individuals and teams contribute to the scientific enterprise (12GHNS1.1)
    Scientists have ethical traditions (12GHNS1.2)
    Scientists are influenced by social, cultural, and personal beliefs (12GHNS1.3)
 Nature of scientific knowledge (12GHNS2)
    Science distinguishes itself through the use of empirical standards, logical arguments, and skepticism (12GHNS2.1)
    Scientific explanations must meet certain criteria (12GHNS2.2)
    All scientific knowledge is subject to change as new evidence becomes available (12GHNS2.3)
 Historical perspectives (12GHNS3)
    Diverse cultures have contributed to science and technologic inventions (12GHNS3.1)
    Changes in science usually occur as small modifications (12GHNS3.2)
    Some advances in science and technology have important and long-lasting effects (12GHNS3.3)
    Scientific knowledge evolves over time, building on earlier knowledge (12GHNS3.4)
 [Top]

 


©1997-2005 SRI International. All rights reserved. Terms of Use