Our state has adopted new standards because we understand that a robust science education in elementary school will pave the way for increased opportunities in middle school, high school, and college.

The Science Georgia Standards of Excellence enable our teachers to offer all students interactive science instruction that promotes analysis and interpretation of data, critical thinking, problem solving, and connections across science disciplines—with a high set of expectations for achievement in grades K–5.

These science standards complement our English/Language Arts and mathematics standards, enabling classroom instruction to reflect a clearer picture of the real world, where solving problems often requires skills and knowledge from multiple disciplines. Further, these standards are designed to provide an equitable, high-quality science education to all of our students.

Georgia's standards reflect the latest research and advances in modern science. In order to equip students to think critically, analyze information, and solve complex problems, the standards are arranged such that—from elementary through high school—students have multiple opportunities to build on the knowledge and skills gained during each grade, by revisiting important concepts and expanding their understanding of connections across scientific domains. Parents should understand that while some content might be similar to the past, it may look different from how they were taught.

As the current science standards are implemented in schools and districts, they will enable students to:

• Develop a deeper understanding of science beyond memorizing facts, and
• Experience similar scientific and engineering practices as those used by professionals in the field.

Each year, students in Georgia should be able to demonstrate greater capacity for connecting knowledge across, and between, the physical sciences, life sciences, earth and space sciences, and engineering design.

During grades K–2, your child will begin to form connections between concepts and skills such as understanding relationships between objects, planning and carrying out investigations, and constructing explanations.

During grades 3–5, your child will begin to form deeper connections between concepts and skills previously learned in grades K–2, such as evaluating methods for collecting data, revising models based on evidence, and analyzing data to make sense of phenomena.

Although Georgia's new approach to teaching and learning K–12 science is different than the past, you can still actively support your child’s success in the classroom!

1. Speak to your child’s teacher(s) about how these important changes affect your school.
2. Ask your child’s teacher thoughtful questions based on the information provided in this brochure.
3. Learn how you can help the teacher(s) reinforce classroom instruction at home.
4. Visit www.georgiastandards.org for more information.

Fact: “Standards” are not “curriculum”. “Standards” provide clarity about what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade level . “Curriculum” refers to how students meet those expectations . Please contact your child’s teacher or school if you have questions about their curriculum.

The Science Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) emphasize three distinct, yet equally important dimensions that help students learn science. Each dimension is integrated into the Science GSE and—combined—the three dimensions build a powerful foundation to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time.