Rationale

Context:  During the Fall semester, 2005, at Appalachian State University, I attended a Science Methods course.  It was during this course that I gained the knowledge necessary to prove my competence in the major concepts of science.  I have completed a number of activities, including a meal worm study and a lunar project which have helped in meeting the criteria to prove competency.  It was during this semester that I took a final assessment, scoring an A, to determine if I obtain the knowledge in the science curriculum.

Impact:  I would use some of these activities to help address North Carolina standards found in the Standard North Carolina standard Course of Study.  These activities and the knowledge gained while doing them will assist me in the teach of elementary aged students.  These activities will help students better understand the content in the science curriculum, including: diversity of organisms, life cycles, growth and development,structure and function of plants and animals and their parts, measurement and analysis of data, forces of motion,planetary astronomy, movement of objects in the sky, and properties of earth matter.

Alignment:

• NCDPI Standard 3, Indicator 1:  I have met this standard by providing evidence that I have a broad knowledge of life science concepts, including life cycles, diversity of organisms and their environments, structures and functions of plants and animals and their parts and the relationship between human organisms and the environment.
• NCDPI Standard 3, Indicator 3:  This standard has been met through a variety of activities where a basic knowledge of earth science concepts were learned and practiced, including: plant astronomy, properties of earth material, and the interaction of earth and living systems.