This format sends the clear message that science is both finding out and knowing . Thus the intent is that science skills should not be separated from science concepts - they are both part of science content. After the Science as Inquiry section, the remaining seven standards categories implicitly incorporate science as inquiry in the narrative of each section. Some of the standards fit within the traditional three-part classification system easily. However, the eight K - 6 strands are more useful as the SOLs are constructed.
Many standards have elements from all three traditional discipline areas.
The middle and high schools standards for these areas are organized in the more traditional structure. Physical science, life science, and Earth science are three standards categories. Applications of Scientific Principles Application of science is one of the goals of the Virginia standards. Implicit applications of science skills and knowledge exist incorporated in all of the standards. The SOL writing team used explicit applications in many standards for greater emphasis.