Science Framework vs. CSET Overview

It has been a year since I have taught biology, and reading through the State Framework again reminded me how much information is crammed into one year!  My major gaps in content knowledge primarily stem from the concepts in physiology.  I have never formally taken a physiology or anatomy class, and, although I know the general function of each of the body systems, I would need to know much more in order to thoroughly and correctly teach the physiology standards.  A few of the other topics that I would like to have a more in-depth knowledge of are biochemical pathways, applying Mendel's laws, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, some aspects of evolution, as well of the types and functions of the cells that make up our immune systems.

When examining the life science standards for 7th grade, I am much more comfortable with the topics discussed, as they serve as the foundation for learning biology.  Some of my gaps lie in the earth science portions of the framework, specifically, the rock cycle.  I would also need to review the physical principals of living things as well as the timeline of developments and extinctions of plant and animal life.

Again, with the 8th grade standards, I had fewer gaps and would benefit from a basic review the topics. The most prominent gap would be concepts in Earth in the Solar System.

When comparing the State Framework for Science to the CSET Overview, the overview requires knowledge of many more scientific skills rather than factual knowledge required by the framework standards.  Although the framework includes a section on "Investigation and Experimentation,"the overview is much more thorough in its description of what teachers should have knowledge of, including safety procedures, diversity of the men and women of science, and ethical concerns.

In my past years as a biology teacher, I have adhered closely to the standards as requested by my school sites.  Generally, the curriculum placed heavy emphasis on genetics since a higher percentage of the questions on the CST focused on this, while saving the human physiology unit for after the test since most students had some background of this from middle school.  During this last year as a biotechnology teacher, my classes were not bound by standards, although we touched on many of the genetics concepts.

Since I will be teaching biotechnology again this year, I will be focusing on increasing my knowledge of how DNA technology (5.d.) and genetic engineering (5.c.) are used to create novel products.  I will be attending two different workshops that address both of these biology standards with the hope that I can better relate these concepts to students' lives through lab-based experiences.