Each Maine student must leave school as:

A CLEAR AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR

uses oral, written, visual, artistic and technological modes of expression;

reads, listens to and interprets messages from multiple sources; and

uses English and at least one other language.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The explosive growth of scientific knowledge and continuing developments in technology are transforming society. These rapid changes require that students learn to access, understand, and evaluate current information by utilizing the skills and knowledge of science and technology. Science includes processes and a body of knowledge.

A. CLASSIFYING LIFE FORMS

Students will understand that there are similarities within the diversity of all living things. Modern classification systems are based on comparisons of the structure, function, life-cycles, and behavior of organisms.

ELEMENTARY GRADES Pre-K-2

1. Identify the differences between living and non–living things.

Describe characteristics of different living things.

Explain, draw, or otherwise demonstrate the life cycle of an organism.

Design and describe a classification system for objects.

EXAMPLE

Given a collection of shells, sort them into groups and describe the "rule" for each group.