The Pueblo City Schools' district is focused on preparing every student to be able to compete in the global society. To achieve this, students will be taught using international standards. Starting from Pre-kindegarten through the senior year, students will increasingly gain the knowledge they need to be successful in the world environment.

Building on what they have learned through each grade level, by the 12th grade every Pueblo City Schools' student should know and be able to achieve the following standards in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and World Languages:

Language Arts
Language arts encompasses both skills and knowledge in several areas, but all those areas directly relate to communication between people and groups. Reading, writing, listening and speaking are the skill areas of communication that make human interaction possible, that promote the establishment and proliferation of civilization, and that enhance the quality of life of individual human beings.

Cultural knowledge as it is passed down through the generations in the literature of various societies is what enable humans to communicate with our past and with our future so that humanity and the individuals who make it up can progress.

Standards:

• Read and understand a variety of materials.
• Write and speak for a variety of purposes and for diverse audiences.
• Write and speak using conventional grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation,
  capitalization and spelling.
• Apply higher-level thinking skills to their visual communications and their reading, writing,
  listening, speaking, etc.
• Read to locate, select and make use of relevant information from various media, reference and technological sources.
• Read and recognize literature as a record of human experience.

Math
Responsible and productive members of today’s technological society need to have a broad, connected and useful knowledge of mathematics. Mathematics is not simply a collection of facts and procedures, and doing mathematics is not simply recalling these facts, nor performing memorized procedures.

Mathematics is a coherent and useful discipline that has expanded dramatically in the last 25 years. The mathematics students study in school must reflect these changes, and the ways students study mathematics must capitalize on the growth in our understanding of how students learn.

Standards:

• Develop number sense, and use number relationships in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.
• Use algebraic methods to explore, model and describe patterns and functions involving numbers, shapes, data and graphs in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in
  solving these problems.
• Use data collection and analysis, statistics and probability in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems..
• Use geometric concepts, properties and relationships in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.
• Use a variety of tools and techniques to measure, apply the results in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.
• Link concepts and procedures as they develop and use computational techniques, including estimation, mental arithmetic, paper-and-pencil, calculators and computers in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.

Science
The Pueblo City Schools' Content Science Standards reflect high expectations and outline the essential level of science knowledge and skills needed by all citizens to participate productively in an increasingly technological society. Content standards recognize that each student has individual interests, motivations, career goals and needs. Content standards also recognize the need for students to have communication, workplace readiness (technological), and problem-solving skills, as well as multicultural knowledge to become a productive citizen in the Pueblo community.

Science is a universal endeavor and all human cultures have contributed or will contribute to science. Scientific knowledge is cumulative and evolving. Pueblo City Schools' science standards use a student’s curious, inquiry and investigative nature to engage and enlighten them on the discoveries and methods of science. Investigative skills also enhance work in all other subjects.

Standards:

• Understand the processes of scientific investigation and design, conduct, communicate about and evaluate such investigations.
• Know and understand common properties, forms and changes in matter and energy.
• Know and understand the characteristics and structure of living things, the processes of life and how living things interact with each other and their environment.
• Know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth’s systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space.
• Students understand that the nature of science involves a particular way of building knowledge and making meaning of the natural world.

Social Studies
The Social Studies, specifically civics, economics, geography and history, are subjects that can enlighten and empower students by providing understanding of comparative and integrative frameworks of the human experience. Together, these disciplines serve to orient students to time and place, and help them negotiate the challenges of current social, economic and political issues on the local, national, and international levels.

Knowledge of facts does not constitute understanding; students must appreciate the processes that shape events and systems. Competence in critical reading, writing and speaking are vital in processing information, solving problems and making informed judgements. The overall goal of Social Studies is to develop skills necessary for success in the classroom, the workplace and in life.

Standards:

Civics

• Understand the purposes of government, and the basic constitutional principles of the United States republican form of government.
• Know the structure and function of local, state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public policy.
• Know the political relationship of the United States and its citizens to other nations and to world affairs.
• Understand how citizens exercise the roles, rights and responsibilities of participation in civic life at all levels – local, state and national.

Economics

• Understand the results of trade, exchange, and interdependence among individuals, households, businesses, governments, and societies.
• Understand how different economic systems impact the way decisions are made.
• Understand the patterns and results of trade, exchange and interdependence.

Geography

• Use/construct maps, globes, and other geographic tools.
• Know the physical and human characteristics of places.
• Understand how physical processes shape the Earth.
• Understand how economic, political, cultural, and social processes interact.
• Understand interactions between human and physical systems.
• Apply knowledge to understand the past and present and to plan for the future.

History

• Understand the chronological organization of history.
• Know how to use the processes and resources of historical inquiry.
• Understand that societies are diverse and have changed over time.
• Understand how science, technology, and economic activity have affected societies.
• Understand political institutions and theories.
• Know that religious/philosophical ideas have been a powerful force.

Health
Comprehensive health education is essential for teaching students the knowledge and skills needed to promote healthy life styles and prevention of disease. Students who master the standards offered through health education will contribute positively to economic competitiveness. When applied by individuals within families and communities, health knowledge and skills immeasurably contribute to enhanced quality of life.

Physical Education
The purpose of physical education is for all students to learn and develop fundamental movement skills, become physically fit and participate regularly in physical activity. Knowing the implications of and the benefits from involvement in physical activities and appreciation of the value of physical activity, contribute to a healthy life-style.

Standards:

• Demonstrate competent locomotor, non-locomotor and manipulative skills.
• Demonstrate competency in physical fitness.
• Use the skills and knowledge gained in physical education experiences by participating outside of the physical education setting.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the benefits and risks associated with involvement in physical activity.
• Recognize the role of physical activity and its unique contributions to development.
• Recognize the role of competitive activity in developing physically active life-styles.

Arts
The arts are one of humanity’s deepest rivers of continuity. They connect each new generation to those which have gone before. Education in the arts benefits the student because it cultivates the whole person, gradually building many kinds of literacy while developing intuition, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity into unique forms of expression and communication.

As students work at increasing their understanding of the promises and challenges presented by the arts, they are preparing to make their own contributions to the nation’s storehouse of culture. As students achieve these standards, the more educated our citizenry will become. Helping all students to meet these standards is among the best possible investments in the future of not only our children, but also of our country and civilization.

Standards:

Dance

• Understand and demonstrate dance skills.
• Understand and apply the principles of choreography.
• Create, communicate and problem solve through dance.
• Understand and relate the role of dance in culture and history.
• Understand the benefits of dance for lifelong fitness.
• Understand the relationships between dance and other disciplines.

Music

• Sing or play instruments, alone and/or with others.
• Read and write musical notation.
• Improvise/create music.
• Listen to, analyze, evaluate and describe music.
• Understand various cultures through the study of music and music history and their relationship.

Theater

• Develop interpersonal skills and problem-solving. through group interaction and artistic collaboration.
• Understand and apply the creative process to acting, playwriting and directing.
• Understand and apply the creative process of design and technical production.
• Relate the role of theatre arts to culture and history.
• Analyze and assess the forms of dramatic expression.
• Know and apply connections.

Visual Arts

• Know and apply materials, techniques and processes.
• Know and apply basic components of visual arts.
• Recognize and use the visual arts as a form of communication.
• Relate the visual arts to history and culture.
• Analyze and assess works of art.

World Language
To function successfully in today’s world we must understand and respect people from countries and cultures other than our own. A real understanding of and respect for another people can only exist if it is grounded in a deep and comprehensive knowledge of that people’s culture, society and history.

Besides being of value in itself such knowledge and abilities will allow us to be more effective in our pursuit of our commercial and political objectives internationally, live intellectually richer and more rewarding lives and contribute both to world peace and our collective survival. Foreign language acquisition focuses on the broader education of students; it benefits their growth in non-language disciplines, encourages the transfer, enrichment, and strengthening of information; it helps students “learn how to learn.”

Standards:

• Communicate in languages other than English.
• Gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures.
• Connect with other disciplines and acquire information.
• Develop insight into the nature of language and culture . Participate in multilingual communities.

Standards:

• Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention.
• Demonstrate the ability to access valid health information.
• Demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors.
• Analyze the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health.
• Demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to advocate for health.