San Dieguito Union High School District

Science

Next Generation Science Standards

California formally adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in September 2013. A guiding tenet of the NGSS is "All Standards, All Students," meaning all students will have the opportunity to experience learning in all disciplines of science, including Life Science (Biology), Physical Science (Chemistry and Physics), Earth-Space Science, and Engineering. The state provided school districts with a variety of course models from which to choose. Click here to access helpful Parent Guides to the NGSS.

OVERVIEW OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN SDUHSD

Middle School

SDUHSD selected the California Preferred Integrated Model for middle school, meaning students in our grade 7 and 8 science classes will experience all disciplines of science. Our five elementary feeder districts have also agreed to implement the integrated course model for grade 6 science, and SDUHSD will continue its practice of hosting vertical articulation discussions between our districts to support our students' transition from elementary to middle school.

High School

SDUHSD selected the California Three-Course Model, where Earth-Space Science and Engineering content is embedded within Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses. In our district transition timeline, all grade 9 students (starting with the graduating class of 2024) enroll in Biology: The Living Earth and grade 10 students enroll in Chemistry: in the Earth System or Honors Chemistry: in the Earth System. We highly encourage all 11th graders to enroll in either Physics: of the Universe or AP Physics 1.

SDUHSD will continue to align science courses with California and UC/CSU admission requirements. As part of the transition plan, the science graduation requirement may change in the future from two to three years, with the expectation that those three classes are: Biology: The Living Earth, Chemistry: In the Earth System (or Honors Chemistry: In the Earth System), and Physics: In the Universe. The timeline for implementation of a three-year science graduation requirement has not yet been determined and will depend on School Board approval. The graduating classes of 2023-2027 will not be impacted by this potential future change, and will still complete two years of science (one life and one physical) to graduate.

Instructional Materials

SDUHSD science teachers have engaged in multi-year pilots of state-approved instructional materials to determine the best curricular resources to support students in their science courses. After piloting, middle school science classes adopted Lab Aids SEPUP as their instructional materials for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond. Our Biology teachers piloted multiple instructional materials for the 2019-2021 school years, and recommended Savvas’ (formally Pearson) Experience Biology the Living Earth program for adoption and implementation in the 2021-2022 school year. Chemistry teachers began piloting materials in the 2020-2021 school year, and will continue to pilot along with their Physics colleagues in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.

Course Pathways and Transition

SDUHSD is committed to supporting all students in accessing all disciplines of science. Approximately 80% of SDUHSD high school students already complete three or more years of science. The three-course pathway shown below was implemented with the class of 2024 because they were the first class to experience NGSS integrated science beginning in 7th grade, and will continue with all subsequent graduating classes.