Introduction

The goal of science education at Arts West is to insure that each student is equipped with the scientific knowledge and understanding necessary to assume his or her role as a scientifically literate member of today’s complex society. Whatever the student’s life goals may be, scientific literacy is critical for personal decision making and participation in civic and cultural affairs. Students who are “scientifically literate” share the following traits and abilities: *

• the ability to ask, find, or determine answers to questions derived from curiosity about everyday experiences
• the ability to describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena
• the ability to read and understand articles about science in the popular press and to engage in social conversation about the validity of the conclusions
• the knowledge and ability to identify scientific issues underlying national and local decisions and express opinions that are scientifically and technically informed
• the ability evaluate the quality of scientific information on the basis of its source and the methods used to generate it

To be “scientifically literate”, one must understand the nature, methods, and applications of science. To that end, the following topics be incorporated in all science instruction at Arts West:

• Science as a human endeavor
• The process of scientific inquiry
• Nature and history of science
• Populations, resources and environments
• Science in personal and social perspective
• The role of science and technology in society