ideas that underlie that standard, but these ideas are designed to be illustrative of the standard, not part of the standard itself.

Because each content standard subsumes the knowledge and skills of other standards, they are designed to be used as a whole. Although material can be added to the content standards, using only a subset of the standards will leave gaps in the scientific literacy expected of students.

The science education program standards describe the conditions necessary for quality school science programs. They focus on six areas:

• The consistency of the science program with the other standards and across grade levels.

• The inclusion of all content standards in a variety of curricula that are developmentally appropriate, interesting, relevant to student's lives, organized around inquiry, and connected with other school subjects.

• The coordination of the science program with mathematics education.

• The provision of appropriate and sufficient resources to all students.

• The provision of equitable opportunities for all students to learn the standards.

• The development of communities that encourage, support, and sustain teachers.