Over-arching concepts in K12 science education: connecting the dots

This is a report of a work in progress at the Eagle High School in Eagle, Idaho and funded by the Micron Foundation. Several science teachers have identified four over-arching concepts that allow students to see the interconnectedness between the various fields of science. These concepts are: matter, energy, force and change. This approach is currently being applied to earth science (grade 9), chemistry (10) and general physics (11). Preliminary data from the first year of this program is very encouraging and this exciting idea is being taken up in the Engineering and Education colleges at Boise State University.