Iowa Core Content Standards Literacy Content Standard 1. Students can comprehend what they read in a variety of literary and informational texts. Math Content Standards 1. Students can understand and apply a variety of math concepts. 2. Students can understand and apply methods of estimation. 3. Students can solve a variety of math problems. 4. Students can interpret data presented in a variety of ways. Science Content Standards 1. Students can understand and apply skills used in scientific inquiry. 2. Students can understand concepts and relationships in life science. 3. Students can understand concepts and relationships in Earth/space sciences. 4. Students can understand concepts and relationships in physical science. Benchmarks Iowa has statewide mandated core content standards in reading, math, and science. While these standards are broad definitions, the supporting benchmarks provide detail in identifying the knowledge and skills that students should acquire in the classroom. In general, benchmarks provide a learning target for a span of grades, such as grades 3-5. The Iowa Core Content Benchmarks are aligned with the Iowa Core Content Standards. Iowa Core Content Benchmarks Literacy Grades 3-5 Benchmarks 1. Students can comprehend what they read in a variety of literary and informational texts. A. Students can understand stated information they have read. B. Students can determine the meaning of new words from their context. C. Students can draw conclusions, make inferences, and deduce meaning. D. Students can infer traits, feelings, and motives of characters. E. Students can interpret information in new contexts. F. Students can interpret nonliteral language used in a text. G. Students can determine the main IDEA of a text. H. Students can identify the writer’s views or purpose. I. Students can analyze style or structure. Grades 6-9 Benchmarks 1. Students can comprehend what they read in a variety of literary and informational texts. A. Students can understand stated information they have read. B. Students can determine the meaning of new words from their context. C. Students can draw conclusions, make inferences, and deduce meaning. D. Students can infer traits, feelings, and motives of characters. E. Students can interpret information in new contexts. F. Students can interpret nonliteral language used in a text. G. Students can determine the main idea of a text. H. Students can identify the writer’s views or purpose. I. Students can analyze style or structure. Grades 10-12 Benchmarks 1. Students can comprehend what they read in a variety of literary and informational texts. A. Students can understand stated information they have read. B. Students can determine the literal meaning of specific words. C. Students can draw conclusions, make inferences, and deduce meaning. D. Students can infer traits, feelings, and motives of characters or individuals. E. Students can make predictions based on stated information. F. Students can interpret nonliteral language used in a text. G. Students can determine the main idea, topic, or theme and make generalizations. H. Students can identify the author’s views or purposes. I. Students can distinguish among facts, opinions, and assumptions. J. Students can recognize aspects of a passage’s style and structure and can recognize literary techniques. Math Grades 3-5 Benchmarks 1. Students can understand and apply a variety of math concepts. A. Students can understand and apply number properties and operations. B. Students can understand and apply concepts and procedures of algebra. C. Students can understand and apply concepts of geometry. D. Students can understand and apply concepts of measurement. E. Students can understand and apply concepts in probability and statistics. 2. Students can understand and apply methods of estimation. A. Students can understand and apply concepts and procedures of standard rounding, order of magnitude, and number sense. 3. Students can solve a variety of math problems. A. Students can solve math problems. B. Students can understand and apply problem-solving approaches and procedures. 4. Students can interpret data presented in a variety of ways. A. Students can use tables and graphs to locate and read information. B. Students can interpret data from a variety of sources. Grades 6-9 Benchmarks 1. Students can understand and apply a variety of math concepts. A. Students can understand and apply number properties and operations. B. Students can understand and apply concepts and procedures of algebra. C. Students can understand and apply concepts of geometry. D. Students can understand and apply concepts of measurement. E. Students can understand and apply concepts in probability and statistics. 2. Students can understand and apply methods of estimation. A. Students can understand and apply concepts and procedures of standard rounding, order of magnitude, and number sense. 3. Students can solve a variety of math problems. A. Students can solve math problems. B. Students can understand and apply problem-solving approaches and procedures. 4. Students can interpret data presented in a variety of ways. A. Students can use tables and graphs to locate and read information. B. Students can interpret data from a variety of sources. Grades 10-12 Benchmarks 1. Students can understand and apply a variety of math concepts. A. Students can understand and apply number properties and operations. B. Students can understand and apply concepts and procedures of algebra. C. Students can understand and apply concepts of geometry and measurement. D. Students can understand and apply concepts in probability and statistics. 2. Students can understand and apply methods of estimation. A. Students can understand and apply concepts and procedures of standard rounding, order of magnitude, and number sense. 3. Students can solve a variety of math problems. A. Students can solve math problems requiring multiple steps and operations. B. Students can reason quantitatively. 4. Students can interpret data presented in a variety of ways. A. Students can make inferences based on data presented in a variety of ways. B. Students can interpret data from a variety of sources. Science Grades 3-5 Benchmarks 1. Students can understand and apply skills used in scientific inquiry. A. Students can understand and apply the processes and skills of scientific inquiry. B. Students can analyze and interpret scientific information. 2. Students can understand concepts and relationships in life science. A. Students can understand structures of living things. B. Students can understand life cycles. C. Students can understand environmental interaction and adaptation. 3. Students can understand concepts and relationships in Earth/space sciences. A. Students can understand ideas about Earth’s composition and structure. B. Students can understand changes in and around Earth. C. Students can understand concepts relating to the universe. 4. Students can understand concepts and relationships in physical science. A. Students can understand and apply concepts related to mechanics, forces, and motion. B. Students can understand and apply the concept of energy. C. Students can understand and identify properties and changes of matter. Grades 6-9 Benchmarks 1. Students can understand and apply skills used in scientific inquiry. A. Students can understand and apply the processes and skills of scientific inquiry. B. Students can analyze and interpret scientific information. 2. Students can understand concepts and relationships in life science. A. Students can understand structures of living things. B. Students can understand life cycles. C. Students can understand environmental interaction and adaptation. 3. Students can understand concepts and relationships in Earth/space sciences. A. Students can understand ideas about Earth’s composition and structure. B. Students can understand changes in and around Earth. C. Students can understand concepts relating to the universe. 4. Students can understand concepts and relationships in physical science. A. Students can understand and apply concepts related to mechanics, forces, and motion. B. Students can understand and apply the concept of energy. C. Students can understand and identify properties and changes of matter. Grades 10-12 Benchmarks 1. Students can understand and apply skills used in scientific inquiry. A. Students can understand and apply the processes and skills of scientific inquiry. B. Students can analyze and interpret scientific information. 2. Students can understand concepts and relationships in biological science. A. Students can make inferences and predictions from data. B. Students can analyze scientific investigations. C. Student can analyze and evaluate the adequacy and accuracy of information. 3. Students can understand concepts and relationships in Earth/space sciences. A. Students can make inferences and predictions from data. B. Students can analyze scientific investigations. C. Student can analyze and evaluate the adequacy and accuracy of information. 4. Student can understand concepts and relationships in physical science. A. Students can make inferences and predictions from data. B. Students can analyze scientific investigations. C. Student can analyze and evaluate the adequacy and accuracy of information. http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1350&Itemid=2287 http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_rsticketspro&view=knowledgebase&Itemid=2457 http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-47875---,00.html