Iowa Core Curriculum

As I look through the Iowa Core Curriculum I suddenly become a bit overwhelmed. I understand that incorporating these concepts into our daily lessons is crucial because:

• Each standard/benchmark must be reviewed
• Students throughout the entire state must learn similiar science concepts
• Testing will be connected through the core curriculum

However, if teachers strictly followed each detail of the core curriculum will instruction be student-centered? Will students become overwhelmed by the quantity of material presented? Will the classroom feel like a lecture hall, completing a check list of concepts to cover?

Each answer I'd have to give to the questions above is a "YES". That is why personally, I'm overwhelmed due to the fact that science should be a hands on exploration. Because of how time consuming that may take, each detail listed in the core curriculum might not be covered.

I do plan on being well reviewd with the core curriculum. It will be connected to my lesson planning, but I want students to be my main focus. I want my students to experience science in an outgoing, energetic, inquiry, student-centered based classroom, and sadly I do not think following the core curriculum to a "tee" will accomplish that.