Unexplained Mysteries

DPS Standards

READING AND WRITING

• Standard 1:
  Students read and understand a variety of materials. In order to meet this Standard, students will
• use comprehension strategies;
• make connections between prior knowledge and what they need to know about a topic before reading about it;
• adjust reading strategies for a variety of purposes;
• use word recognition skills, strategies, and resources; and
• use information from their reading to increase vocabulary and language usage.
• Standard 4:
  Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. In order to meet this Standard, students will
• make predictions, analyze, draw conclusions, and discriminate between fact and opinion in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing;
• use reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing to gather data, define the problem, and apply problem-solving skills;
• recognize, express, and defend points of view orally and in writing;
• identify the purpose, perspective, and historical an d cultural influences of a speaker, author, or director; and
• evaluate the reliability, accuracy, and relevancy of information.
• Standard 5:
  Students read to locate, select, evaluate, and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources. In order to meet this Standard, students will
• select relevant material for reading, writing, and speaking purposes;
• understand the structure, organization, and use of various media, reference, and technological sources as they select information for their reading, writing, and speaking purposes;
• paraphrase, summarize, organize, evaluate, and synthesize information;
• cite others' ideas, images, or information from primary, print, and electronic resources; and
• use information to produce a quality product in an appropriate format.
• Standard 7:
  Students use appropriate technologies speaking, listening and viewing. In order to meet this Standard, students will
• use appropriate technologies to increase literacy through a variety of formats;
• use appropriate technologies to access, process, and communicate information for a variety of purposes; and
• demonstrate problem solving skills through the use of appropriate technologies.

SCIENCE

• Standard 1:
  Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations.
• Standard 2:
  Physical Science: Students know and understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter and energy. (Focus: Physics and Chemistry)
• Students know that matter has characteristic properties, which are related to its composition and structure.
• Students know that energy appears in different forms, and can move (be transferred) and change (be transformed).
• Students understand that interactions can produce changes in a system, although the total quantity of matter and energy remains unchanged.
• Standard 3:
  Life Science: Students know and understand the characteristics and structure of living things, the processes of life, and how living things interact with each other and their environment. (Focus: Biology-Anatomy, Physiology, Botany, Zoology, Ecology)
• Students know and understand the characteristics of living things, the diversity of life, and how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
• Students know and understand interrelationships of matter and energy in living systems.
• Students know and understand how the human body functions in health and disease, factors that influence its structures and functions, and how these structures and functions compare with those of other organisms.
• Students know and understand how organisms change over time in terms of biological evolution and genetics.
• Standard 4:
  Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space. (Focus: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, Oceanography)
• Students know and understand the composition of Earth, its history, and the natural processes that shape it.
• Students know and understand the general characteristics of the atmosphere and fundamental processes of weather.
• Students know major sources of water, its uses, importance, and cyclic patterns of movement through the environment.
• Students know the structure of the solar system, composition and interactions of objects in the universe, and how space is explored.
• Standard 5:
  Students know and understand interrelationships among science, technology, and human activity in past, present, and future, and how they can affect the world.
• Standard 6:
  Students understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and understand common connections among scientific disciplines.
• Standard 7:
  Students use appropriate technologies to facilitate understanding of scientific concepts, communicate scientific information, and conduct scientific inquiry.

GEOGRAPHY

• Standard 1:
  Students know how to use and construct maps and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, and environments.
• Students know how to use maps and other geographic tools to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.
• Students develop knowledge of Earth to locate people, places, and environments.
• Students know how to analyze the dynamic spatial organization of people, places, and environments.
• Standard 2:
  Students know the physical and human characteristics of places and use this knowledge to define and study regions and their patterns of change.
• Students know the physical and human characteristics of places.
• Students know how and why people define regions.
• Students know how culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.
• Standard 5:
  Students understand the effects of interactions between human and physical systems and the changes in meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.
• Students know how human actions modify the physical environment.
• Students know how physical systems affect human systems.
• Students know the changes that occur in the meaning, use, location, distribution, and importance of resources.
• Standard 6:
  Students apply knowledge of people, places, and environments to understand the past and present and to plan for the future.
• Students know how to apply geography to understand the past.
• Students know how to apply geography to understand the present and plan for the future.
• Standard 7:
  Students apply the process of geographic inquiry examining issues by using geographic skills and appropriate technologies to ask and answer geographic questions.
• Students know how to compile and use primary (fieldwork) and secondary (texts, maps, computer databases, etc.) information to acquire geographic information in order to answer geographic questions.
• Students know how to organize and display geographic information using appropriate technologies to answer geographic questions.
• Students know how to analyze geographic information to recognize patters, relationships, and connections, using appropriate technologies to answer geographic questions.

HISTORY

• Standard 3:
  Students understand that societies are diverse and have changed over time.
• Students know how various societies have been affected by contacts and exchanges among diverse peoples.
• Students understand the history of social organization in various societies.
• Standard 4:
  Students understand how science, technology, and economic activity have developed, changed, and affected societies throughout history.
• Students understand the impact of scientific and technological developments on individuals and societies.
• Students understand how economic factors have influenced historical events.
• Students understand the historical development and know the characteristics of various economic systems.
• Standard 6:
  Students know that religious and philosophical ideas have been powerful forces throughout history.
• Students know the historical development of religions and philosophies.
• Students know how societies have been affected by religions and philosophies.
• Students know how various forms of expression reflect religious beliefs and philosophical ideas.

INFORMATION LITERACY AND TECHNOLOGY

1. An Efficient Information & Technology User
   • Computer Operations, Electronic Tools, Terminology
   • Location Skills - Library and Internet
   • Online, Electronic, Print and AV Research Tools
   • Library Catalog (LION) & Dewey Decimal System
   • Keyboarding
2. A Responsible Citizen
   • Copyright and Plagiarism
   • Bibliographic Information
   • Care of Books & Technology
   • Safety Issues in a Digital World
3. A Knowledge Constructor
   • Research Process
   • Evaluation of Information
4. A Quality Producer
   • Sharing of Information
   • Document Production - Word Processing
   • Document Production - Spreadsheets
   • Document Production - Presentation Tools
   • Evaluation of Process and Product