A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas was released by the National Research Council (NRC) in July 2011. The framework identifies the key scientific ideas and practices all students should learn by the end of high school. It will serve as the foundation for new K-12 science education standards, which will be developed by a group of states to replace standards issued more than a decade ago. The framework is also designed to be useful for curriculum and assessment designers, teacher educators, and others who work in K-12 science education.
For more information and to download a copy, visit: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Standards_Framework_Homepage.html.
More details at: http://tinyurl.com/yf7w9q4