David L. Haury and Peter
Rillero, 1994
Appendix B
Selected Materials That Support an Activity-Based Approach to Science Teaching
In selecting material resources to recommend, we have assumed that readers are primarily interested in emerging trends and practices, so most materials presented here have been produced or updated within the past few years and reflect current thinking about hands- on science. Some older materials are included, however, because they offer enduring ideas. Guidelines used in selecting materials reflect current concerns about science teaching and learning, including the desire to: (a) foster scientific literacy among all students, (b) develop skills and habits of mind associated with inquiry, (c) promote understanding of science and technology in a societal context, and (d) focus attention on environmental and global conditions in need of responsible human action. The use of newer forms of media and information technologies is also emphasized.
Types of Materials Listed
Curriculum Guides typically present detailed content and procedural specifications for individual grades, units, or courses. Guides generally include goals, content outlines, concepts, central ideas, activities, evaluation guidelines, and resources for implementing a discrete portion of an overall program.
Supplementary Materials are used to enrich an existing or evolving program, course, or unit. Supplementary materials include sets of activities that can be embedded within more comprehensive plans, non-print media that serve to enhance instruction, or discrete modules designed to extend learning into new domains, often focusing on current issues or problems relating to standard units of study.
Program Frameworks bring direction and coherence to multi- level strands or courses of study that span a series of grades or discrete courses. They generally provide the conceptual structure for a program rather than detailed specifications for particular units, activities, or lessons. A framework is often used to guide development or the search for individual units, modules, or courses that eventually make up a program or course of study.
Planning Resources provide or point to additional sources of information that will aid individuals and groups in developing classroom materials, locating additional materials, or formulating school-based plans. Some resources provide guidelines for developing programs and frameworks, while others provide reviews of materials not listed here.
Ways to Use These Materials
This listing of resources is intended to facilitate ongoing, incremental change as school-based programs are designed in response to local needs and visions. There has been no attempt to rank the materials or to rate them for purposes of adoption. Rather, the hope is that individuals or school-based teams will treat this list as a reservoir of good ideas, good ideas for both design and content.
In terms of design, the materials presented here provide a spectrum of alternatives for packaging the curriculum, from plans for enriching the standard curriculum to thematic frameworks that organize the content in new ways, in ways that reflect how people actually use knowledge and skills to negotiate life experiences. Many new curriculum designs incorporate the use of microcomputers and various forms of non-print media. Seeing how others have designed curricula to incorporate various types of media helps us generate ideas for exploiting the new technologies in our own planning.
As an aid to capitalizing on new ideas for organizing the content, we suggest that individuals and school-based groups consider developing a planning matrix to guide their deliberations about the materials presented here or elsewhere. A matrix for the elementary years might look like the following:
The columns designate grade levels, and the rows represent the themes around which the content will be organized at each grade level. The themes used here are offered as examples; one of the early challenges of a planning team will be to identify themes that reflect local priorities and perspectives. Once themes have been identified, the next step is to determine what specific units or modules will be inserted into each cell of the matrix to bring substance to the vision. A three-phase process is recommended: (a) complete a strengths assessment of the existing program, (b) seek additional sources to complete the matrix, and (c) initiate a process of continuous development.
A strengths assessment would include surveying teachers to determine which cells of the matrix could be filled with existing units that have been successful and match the local vision. To fill the remaining empty cells, a process of unit development and piloting may include tailoring existing plans, such as those listed here, to local conditions, or it may involve curriculum writing workshops where teachers incorporate ideas gleaned from a variety of sources into their own designs. In either case, the main goal is to avoid starting with a blank page whenever possible.
Once the matrix has been filled in, curriculum development should be viewed as a continuous process of ongoing refinement. Avoid periodic surges of curriculum reform by creating a feedback process so all units become regularly updated in an incremental fashion on the basis of comments by teachers. Implement school or district routines for collecting teacher feedback and incorporating ideas into updated guides.
The matrix facilitates an evolutionary model of curriculum development by combining flexibility with stability. Once adopted, the thematic strands are rarely altered, and only after deliberation that involves all stakeholders; this is the stabilizing structure of the curriculum. Cell contents can be changed quickly and repeatedly, however, in response to the success or failure of specific units in terms of the local vision and evaluative criteria. As matrix cell contents are adjusted in response to feedback, the overall curriculum becomes increasingly well adapted to local conditions. In short, the overall structure of the matrix embodies the vision, and program development becomes a matter of finding, testing, and refining suitable plans for each cell of the matrix. This approach avoids the pitfalls of two common pathways of curricular change: wholesale adoption of someone elseþs program and comprehensive curriculum writing by local teachers. This approach utilizes existing resources such as those listed here, and it allows local teachers and curriculum specialists to more quickly focus on student performance and incremental program adjustments.
Selected Materials
The list is divided into sections corresponding to the four types of documents described: curriculum guides, supplementary materials, program frameworks, and planning resources. Within the first two sections, materials are separated by grade level and the science content focus is indicted for each item. Materials in the final two sections are presented in standard bibliographic form, with annotations providing descriptive information. Materials are listed alphabetically, but in some cases several titles by the same author or publisher are listed as a group. Unless otherwise indicated, materials are available from the indicated developer or publisher.
Curriculum Guides
Elementary grades (K-6)
An Activity Guide for Teachers: Everglades National Park
Grades: 4-6
Science Content: Biology, Environmental Education
The Everglades was the first national park set aside specifically to protect its unique diversity of plants and animals. This guide has been derived from the myriad of educational activities used int he parkþs Environmental Education program over the last 20 years. Many were created by classroom teachers, while others were developed by park staff. The units in the guide are on the park, the environment, plants, wildlife, and fresh and salt water ecology. Appendix A contains information to duplicate and Appendix B contains supplementary activities and drawings.
Contact:
Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education
Room 237, Holland Building
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1400
Bio Sci II Elementary
Grades: 3-6
Science Content: Biology
This visual database for elementary students offers 64 hands-on activities and includes barcoded lessons and teacher plans. It covers essential themes and concepts of the life sciences. the videodisc (which is narrated in English and Spanish) includes hundreds of still images, film sequences, computer graphics, animation and diagrams.
Contact:
Videodiscovery
1700 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98109-3012
Completing the Cycle - Its Up to Me
Grades: K-3
Science Content: All
This book addresses the problem of vanishing or depleting resources. It has been prepared to enlighten the school children of Indiana to the need for all Americans to become cognizant of environmental issues.
Contact:
Indiana Department of Education
Center for School Improvement and Performance
Room 229, State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2798
Conservation for Children
Grades: 1-6
Science Content: Biology
This program teaches students about the interdependence of plants and animals, requirements of life, energy sources and use, pollution problems, recycling, and other conservation concepts based on scientific principles. Teachers can use the materials as a primary resource for teaching basic skills, as supplementary materials to a core program, as enrichment activities, skill review, or as independent units of study. Evaluation data confirms that students using the materials for a minimum of 30 minutes per week master 80% of the learning objectives. In addition, 75% of the parents of 2,000 students in the evaluation study responded that they observed their children implementing conservation practices at home which they had never seen before the children used the program materials.
Contact:
Sopris West, Inc., 1140 Boston
Longmont, CO 80501
DASH (Developmental Approaches in Science and Health)
Grades: K-6
Science Content: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics
This is a comprehensive K-6 program under development that integrates content from the sciences, health, and technology. Draft versions of modules for kindergarten through grade 2 are completed, but materials for the upper grade levels are in various stages of design and field testing. The project is innovative in facilitating the use of the skills and knowledge of science, health, and technology in both personal and social contexts. DASH connects school studies to daily life, commerce, communications, transportation, medicine, and ongoing research.
Contact: Dr. Donald B. Young, University of Hawaii-CRDG
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96822
FOSS (Full Option Science System)
Grades: 3-6
Science Content: All
FOSS provides a fresh approach to science instruction and assessment for students in grades three through six. As the name implies, FOSS is more than a collection of activities; FOSS is a carefully planned and coordinated science curriculum. Its modular design provides versatility so that FOSS can be used in many different ways in many different schools settings. FOSS springs from a philosophy at the Lawrence Hall of Science that has guided science curriculum for more that 25 years. FOSS provides flexibility for teachers and curriculum planners, making FOSS adaptable to just about every science framework, guide, and program.
Contact:
Meg Boffey, 310 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60604
(800) 554-9862
GrowLab: Activities for Growing Minds [curriculum guide] and GrowLab: a Complete Guide to Gardening in the Classroom [companion horticultural guide]
Grades: K-8
Science Content: Biology
Funded in part by the National Science Foundation, GrowLab is an indoor, inquiry-based science program using "living garden laboratories." The curriculum guide and horticultural guide help teachers implement creative student-centered investigations with classroom plants and gardens. The GrowLab Program also includes instructional posters, teacher training videos, and national "partner" networks. All GrowLab resource users receive free (three times each year) the Growing Ideas newsletter which provides classroom-tested project ideas, instructional features, and a forum for exchange of ideas among teachers using plants to stimulate learning.
Contact:
National Gardening Association, 180 Flynn Avenue. Burlington, Vermont
05401.
Hands-On Nature
Grades: K-6
Science Content: Biology
The goals of this book are to spark a childþs curiosity about the natural world, to increase their awareness of the many interrelationships within it, and to foster a positive attitude towards it.
Contact:
Vermont Institute of Natural Science, P.O. Box 86
Woodstock, VT 05091
Insights: An Elementary Hands-On Inquiry Science Curriculum
Grades: K-6
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science, Physical Science
This curriculum consists of 17 modules, each designed to be used at one of two grade levels (K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6). The modules represent a balance of science areas and a continuous growth experience and understanding of 6 major science themes: systems, change, structure and function, diversity, cause and effect, and energy. Each is made up of a carefully sequenced set of hands-on experiences of developmentally appropriate content which is directily relevant to the child.
Contact:
Education Development Center, Inc.
55 Chapel Street
Newton, MA 02160
(800) 225-4276 x430
Life Lab Science
Grades: K-3
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science, Physical Science
This is a complete garden-based 4-year curriculum for the elementary level. It includes a videodisc, comprehensive lessons, teacher materials, experiments, and everything needed for elementary science education. The multimedia videodisc includes still images, movies, computer graphics, music, story-telling and animation. It is narrated in both Spanish and English. Broad topics include plants, animals, life cycles, habitats, climate, water, food chains, and others.
Contact:
Videodiscovery
1700 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98109-3012
Living in water. An aquatic science curriculum for grades 4- 6, 2nd ed.
Grades: 4-6
Science Content: Biology, Environmental Education
Developed by the National Aquarium in Baltimore, this curriculum treats life and conditions in both marine and freshwater habitats. Each of the five sections addresses a question about water which is then answered through inquiry. Each section includes background information for teachers, and extension activities provide students the opportunity to pursue related topics according to interests. Procedural information is provided for teachers, with worksheets and informational sheets being provided for students.
Contact: National Aquarium in Baltimore Education
Department, Pier 3
501 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
ERIC Document Reproduction Service (refer to number ED 309 071)
Living with insects in the big city. Urban insect ecology and safe pest management
Grades: K-3
Science Content: Biology
This program has ten units, each to be taught in 40-50 minute periods. Each unit includes a statement of purpose, concepts to be taught, a listing of necessary materials, preparation requirements, and graphics. Recommendations for follow up activities are also included. A general introduction to insects can be found at the beginning of the curriculum. Detailed information on non-toxic pest control for some common pests has been included in the appendices. Topics include: urban insects; live insects; chain of life; pesticides; media and insects; biting insects; kitchen insects; and pest management. Although the units have been developed to follow a sequence of concepts dealing primarily with non-toxic pest control, they can also be used separately as parts of any environmental or natural science curriculum.
Contact:
ERIC Document Reproduction Service (refer to number ED 306 121)
OEAGLets - Oceanic Education Activities for Great Lakes Schools for younger students
Grades: 1-3
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science
The package includes three activities related to Lake Erie that may be applied to all primary subject areas. Included are "Lake Erie - Take a Bow," a 69-page unit on the geography of the Great Lakes and their importance to people; "Build a Fish to Scale," a unit on the external characteristics of fish; and "A Day in Life of a Fish," a unit on fish behaviors, functions of body parts, and adaptations for survival.
Contact:
Ohio Sea Grant
1541 Research Center
1314 Kinnear Road
Columbus, OH 43212
Pablo Python Looks at Animals
Grades: K-3
Science Content: Biology, Life Science
Pablo Python is an introductory life science curriculum for children of all ability levels in grades K-3 combining hands-on multi-disciplinary classroom activities and the scientific resources of zoos to teach fundamental science concepts and observation skills. This program utilizes multi-media approach that encourages young children to explore the world, using all their senses. It is organized around basic concepts such as size, shape, texture, pattern, color, sounds, locomotion, feeding, and animal survival. Pablo Python can be used as a whole life science curriculum or as a flexible, instructional supplement.
Contact:
New York Zoological Society, Bronx Zoo; Education
185th Street & Southern Blvd.
Bronx, NY 10460
The Pillbug Project
Grades: 3-7
Science Content: Biology
Pillbugs, also known as sowbugs and isopods, are an ideal classroom pet to introduce students to what science is really all about, learning directly from the world around them. Woven through the days of exploration is the delightful adventures of Patricia Pillbug. Her adventures spawn creative activities and exercise the imagination. Concepts of cooperative learning, a variety of assessment techniques, and reproducible pages to from individual student logbooks give this volume a solid pedagogical framework.
Contact:
National Science Teachers Association
3140 N. Washington Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
Project SMILE
Grades: K-5
Science Content: Chemistry, Physics
Project SMILE (Science Manipulatives in the Learning Environment) is a national project supported by the U.S. Department of Education. It is based on research identifying a critical need to improve educational content in the elementary grade (K-5) in the areas of chemistry and physics. Project SMILE utilizes video- assisted packets facilitated by elementary teachers or other personnel with classroom experience. The video-assisted materials have been effective in test workshops held during the summer of 1991.
Contact:
Dakota State University, c/o Project SMILE
Madison, South Dakota 57042-1799
Project STARWALK
Grades: 2-5
Science Content: Earth Science
Project STARWALK is an elementary Earth/Space Science program for grades two through five. Using a process approach in observing, graphing, and predicting, students receive a series of classroom lessons structured around a planetarium laboratory lesson. These classroom lessons are designed to prepare students for their planetarium laboratory activities and to consolidate concepts in class through a specific laboratory activity, as well as to teach students how to use a seasonal star map or a star finder.
Contact:
Project STARWALK, Southwest
Math/Science Magnet, H.S.
6512 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64113
Rockets: A teaching guide for an elementary science unit on rocketry
Grades: 5-6
Science Content: Physical and Space Sciences
This resource guide provides background information and activities for teachers to use in preparing a unit on basic concepts and principles associated with rocketry. It is suggested that this unit be used as an introduction to building and launching commercial model rockets. The activities make use of simple and inexpensive materials, and do not require the use of solid propellant model rockets. The guide includes informative diagrams, complete instructions for activities, and sources of additional information.
Contact:
NASA Educational Affairs Division
NASA Headquarters
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20277-2028
Science curriculum guide: Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, 2nd edition
Grades: K-8
Science Content: Earth Science, Life Science, Physical Science
The curriculum guide was developed to serve hearing impaired children and is based on learning objectives which are organized by school year as well as by content area. The instructional plan for each objective and sub-objective includes teaching strategies, student activities, and suggested resources in a variety of educational media. The curriculum is organized around seven major concepts: space, time, change, adaptation, variety, interrelationships, and equilibrium. Knowledge objectives are divided into three major content categories (physical science, earth science, and life science) and 10 subcategories (e.g. energy, geology, sound and hearing). In addition, the curriculum develops the following eight skills: observing, communicating, experimenting, formulating and testing hypotheses, classifying, measuring, inferring, and predicting.
Contact:
Outreach, Pre-College Programs, KDES 3400, Gallaudet College,
Washington, DC 20002.
Science For Life and Living: Integrating Science, Technology and Health (BSCS)
Grades: K-6
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science, Health
Science for Life and Living is a comprehensive, year-long program at each grade level K-6. The curriculum is designed around major concepts and skills that integrate the disciplines of science, technology, and health. Concepts such as order, change, patterns, systems, energy, and balance broadly define the content at each grade level. Each unit of the program develops those concepts in a science, technology, or health context using topics that relate to studentsþ life and living.
Contact:
Jill McDermott, Kendall/Hunt Publishing
2460 Kerper Blvd.
Dubuque, IA 52001
Science For Life and Living: Integrating Science, Technology and Health (BSCS)
Grades: K-6
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science, Health
Science for Life and Living is a comprehensive, year-long program at each grade level K-6. The curriculum is designed around major concepts and skills that integrate the disciplines of science, technology, and health. Concepts such as order, change, patterns, systems, energy, and balance broadly define the content at each grade level. Each unit of the program develops those concepts in a science, technology, or health context using topics that relate to studentsþ life and living.
Contact:
Jill McDermott, Kendall/Hunt Publishing
2460 Kerper Blvd.
Dubuque, IA 52001
Turn on units: English as a Second Language content area curriculum
in math, science, and computer science for grades K-6
Grades: K-6
Science Content: General
This guide was prepared for use Limited English-Proficient (LEP) children. It is intended to serve as both a ready-to-use guide and a model for developing units for LEP students. The thematic units of this guide address topics of high interest to students: robots, using computers, plants, building terrariums, architecture, and cooking. The units are designed to engage students through games, role playing, movement activities, constructions, creative arts, and field trips. The guide includes objectives, key concepts, outlines of activities, lists of materials, detailed procedures, and suggestions for evaluations and extensions.
Contact:
ERIC Document Reproduction Service (refer to number ED 347 090)
Programs With Components For Middle School Grades.
Activities for the Changing Earth System
Grades: 6-12
Science Content: Earth Science; Biology; Physical Science
This book presents curriculum activities for teaching about global environmental changes. Activities are designed around the goals stated in the Framework for Earth Systems Education that was developed from the Program for Leadership in Earth Systems Education (PLESE) supported by the National Science Foundation. Many of the activities illustrate historical approaches of scientific inquiry that are so frequently ignored in standard science teaching materials. Each activity demonstrates the linkages between the Earthþs subsystems.
Contact:
ERIC/CSMEE
1929 Kenny Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1080
Bags, Beakers, and Barrels. An action curriculum toward resolving hazardous materials issues
Grades: 7-12
Science Content: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science
This interdisciplinary curriculum is organized around hazardous materials issues at the local, state, national, and global levels. The aim of the curriculum is to promote awareness of issues, develop life-long learning skills, and foster awareness of attitudes, values, and behaviors. Units focus on connections; hazardous materials in the home, school and community; and community action projects. Each unit includes activities, listings of objectives, preparation suggestions, follow-up activities, and handouts. For more information, refer to ERIC document number ED 313 216.
Contact:
Industrial States Policy Center
1406 W. 6th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
CEPUP (Chemical Education for Public Understanding Program)
Grades: 5-12
Science Content: Chemistry, Environmental Science
This modular program is being developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science with funding provided by the National Science Foundation and private foundations. CEPUP presents chemistry in a societal context, engaging students in chemical surveys, risk assessment, water testing, examination of plastics, study of food additives, and experiments with household chemicals. Teacher guides provide conceptual overviews, guidelines for activities, test banks, and technical instructions. Kits of materials are available from various suppliers.
Contact:
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company,
Order Processing Department
Route 128
Reading, Mass. 01867
CHEM - Chemicals, Health, Environment, and Me
Grades: 5-6
Science Content: Chemistry, Biology
CHEM is a series of ten units designed to provide experiences for fifth graders that help them to accomplish an understanding of: (a) the nature of chemicals and how they interact with the environment, (b) how to collect, process, and analyze data, (c) how to use scientific evidence as a basis for life-style oriented decisions, and (d) how studying science and mathematics can be a productive and relevant part of their lives.
Contact:
CEPUP, Lawrence Hall of Science
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720
Earthþs Mysterious Atmosphere
Grades: 5-8
Science Content: Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, and Biology
A teacherþs guide with activities that focus on changes occurring in the environment. The guide is organized around issues related to global warming and the thinning ozone layer, treating them as mysteries to be investigated and explained. The guide provides background and procedural information, as well as questions to discuss, suggestions for integration with other subjects, and home activities.
Contact:
NASA Educational Affairs Division
NASA Headquarters
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20277-2028
Earth: The Water Planet, Revised Edition
Grades: 5-9
Science Content: Earth Science
This book explains how to use readily available materials and a variety of instructional methods to investigate how water shapes our planet and daily lives. Included are hands-on experiments challenging students to purify swamp water, conservation-oriented activities showing how much water is wasted by a dripping faucet, and a role-playing activity in which students present opposing views at a town meeting.
Contact:
National Science Teachers Association
3140 N. Washington Blvd.
Arlington, VA. 22201
Evolution: Inquiries into Biology and Earth Science
Grades: 8-12
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science
This curriculum-based program for grades 8-12 integrates biology and earth science using evolution as a unifying theme. It includes lessons, hands-on activities, teacher materials and a CAV videodisc. This program was developed in cooperation with BSCS.
Contact:
Videodiscovery, 1700 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98109-
3012
FAST (Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching)
Grades: 6-9
Science Content: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Environmental
Education
This is a full-year course that involves students in laboratory and field-oriented investigations in the context of three curricular strands: physical science, ecology, and relational study. The physical science and ecology strands introduce a typical array of concepts, but the relational study strand introduces students to matters such as resource management, environmental use, world food production, and conservation. The curricular package includes teacher guides, a student text, a student record book, a classroom library of reference booklets, and an evaluation guide. FAST has been recognized as an exemplary science program by the Search for Excellence in Science Education project of the National Science Teachers Association, and by the National Diffusion Network.
Contact:
Dr. Donald B. Young, University of Hawaii-CRDG
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96822
Informal Science Study
Grades: 5-12
Science Content: Physics
The Informal Science Study is a supplementary and complementary physical science curriculum package with components for grades 5 through 12. The materials capitalize on experiences that learners have in non-classroom settings, such as amusement parks, athletic events, and playgrounds. They are designed to assist students in the acquisition and application of science concepts in real-world situations.
Contact:
Howard Jones, 112 Farish Hall
The University of Houston
Houston, TX 77004
Jeffco Life Science Program
Grades: 7-8
Science Content: Biology
This program is a year-long life sciences course which replaces the curriculum currently being used in general science or life science. It can also be used in an integrated science-health course. Learner materials consist of a text that integrates laboratory activities and readings. Topics fall in the categories of body structure, foods and digestion, body basics, body changes, cells and genetics, body controls, and ecosystems and ecology. Students apply these concepts in an application activity or discussion.
Contact:
Middle School Life Science Office, Jefferson County Public Schools
1829 Denver West Dr. #27
Golden, CO 80401
Methods of Motion, Revised Edition
Grades: 5-9
Science Content: Physics
This manual is designed to help introduce Newtonian mechanics to students in the middle grades. The 27 teacher-created activities - including marble races, a tractor-pull using toy cars, fettucini carpentry, film container cannons, and others - use readily available materials to give students visual, aural, and tactile evidence to combat their misconceptions.
Contact:
National Science Teachers Association
3140 N. Washington Blvd.
Arlington, VA. 22201
National Geographic Society Kids Network
Grades: 4-6
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science
With NGS Kids Network, kids donþt just study science, they do science! This innovative program - available now for Apple IIGS and IBM computers, and soon for Macintosh - will motivate the most reluctant students. Kids conduct original research in acid rain, water pollution, weather, solar energy, and trash. Also, they collect data and share their findings via a modem with their "research teammates." NGS Kids Network is guaranteed to infuse your science classes with enthusiasm for learning. A free preview is available upon request.
Contact:
National Geographic Society
Education Services, Box 98018
Washington, D.C. 20090
For further information, refer to number ERIC document number ED 403 017
Physics at the Indy 500
Grades: 6-9
Science Content: Physics
Basic physics principles are taught using examples drawn from Indy 500 auto racing. The package includes a videodisc, teacher manual and student lessons, and covers the following 5 major principles: Bernoulli Effect, Centripetal Force, Conservation of Energy, Doppler Effect, and Newtonþs Third Law. Interactive computer software for Macintosh or IBM/DOS is also available.
Contact:
Videodiscovery
1700 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98109-3012
Preparing for Tomorrowþs World
Grades: 7-12
Science Content: Physics
Each module contains all the materials necessary to implement the program. Contained in a 3-ring binder format the teacherþs guide presents objectives, activities, discussion questions, and other instructional aids. Where appropriate, the modules have student guides which contain all necessary background information. The student guides are reproducible. Some of the units include a film strip with audio tapes to present additional background information. The modules are: Coastal Decisions, Space Encounters, Beacon City: An Urban Land-Use Simulation, and Decisions.
Contact:
Sopris West, Inc.
1140 Boston
Longmont, CO 80501
Project Earth Science: Astronomy
Grades: 5-9
Science Content: Physics, Earth Science
Hands-on, teacher-tested activities bring the concepts of astronomy down to Earth. The guiding theme of this book is Earthþs uniqueness among the planets of the Solar System.
Contact:
National Science Teachers Association
3140 N. Washington Blvd.
Arlington, VA. 22201 PROJECT W.I.Z.E. (Wildlife Inquiry Though Zoo
Education): Survival Strategies
Grades: 7-10
Science Content: Biology, Physics, Environmental Studies
Project WIZE, a comprehensive environmental science curriculum project, geared for grades 7-10 enables teachers to combine hands- on and traditional classroom activities with those conducted in the field. The field components can utilize local zoos, aquariums, nature centers, or parks.
Contact:
Bronx Zoo, Education Department
Bronx, NY 10460
Science CAP
Grades: 5-8
Science Content: All
Science CAP for Macintosh computers helps prepare great classroom science activities and can save hundreds of hours of preparation time. It is specially designed to help science teachers grades five through eight prepare exciting classroom science activities. Science CAP is a collection of more than 500 files containing science-related activities, diagrams, worksheets, overheads, teaching forms, tests and answer sheets. It covers topics ranging from astronomy to consumer product testing to science fairs. Every file is easy to use, modify and customize. It provides an excellent resource database and a framework for cataloging, enhancing and refining lessons. It comes with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
Contact:
DEMCO, P.O. Box 7488
Madison, WI 53791-9955
Science Discovery: Science Sleuths and the Image & Activity Bank
Grades: 6-9
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science
Image & Activity Bank (Disc 1) is a visual database of photographs, movies, computer graphics, animation, diagrams - all integrating major concepts in earth, life, and physical science. The multimedia videodisc is narrated in English and Spanish and includes 24 student lessons. Science Sleuths (Disc 2) consists of 24 science-oriented mysteries, plus all the clues, data, and resources needed to solve the "problems." It is very interactive and student-centered. The disc contains everything needed. The science mysteries are cross-disciplinary, integrating the major science disciplines. They include printed teacher and student materials.
Contact:
Videodiscovery
1700 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98109-3012
Science Essentials
Grades: 4-8
Science Content: A variety of topic areas
The SCIENCE ESSENTIALS video program is intended to stimulate viewers to actively explore the phenomena, to learn by doing. SCIENCE ESSENTIALS consists of 12 series, each of which contains four episodes (on four VHS videocassettes or one CAV videodisc). Each series focuses on a single topic: Animals, Ecosystems, Electricity and Magnetism, Geology, Heat, Human Body, Light, Matter, Plants, Simple Machines and Motion, Sound, and Weather.
Contact:
Meg Boffey
310 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60604
(800) 554-9862
Science Plus
Grades: 6-8
Science Content: All
This Canadian textbook series was developed by the Atlantic Science Curriculum Project and is designed to develop studentsþunderstandings of significant ideas and their scientific process skills. This is achieved by using a directed discovery, or inquiry-approach that challenges students. It is an activity-based program, yet, for reasons of convenient manageability, only 30% of the activities are "hands-on" ones.
Contact:
Project Director
Altantic Science Curriculum Project
University of New Brunswick
Science-Technology-Society: Preparing for Tomorrowþs World
Grades: 7-12
Science Content: All
A multi-disciplinary approach to problem-solving and critical thinking designed to promote decision-making and problem-solving skills needed to deal with issued at the interface of science, technology, and society. A sound instructional model is utilized to develop the skills necessary for students to move to higher levels of cognitive reasoning and citizenship.
Contact:
Sopris West, Inc.
1140 Boston
Longmont, CO 80501
Stones and Bones
Grades: 5-12
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science
A biological approach to the study of humankind provides activity- based, interdisciplinary laboratory investigations for grades 7 through 12. The instructional format is designed to meet the needs of students at all ability levels, from unmotivated and non-college oriented students to highly academic, college-oriented students. Each instructional pathway includes student laboratory explorations, student data worksheets, teacherþs guide, and other supplementary instructional printed materials, as well as accurately replicated casts of fossil specimens used in the instructional program.
Contact:
Physical Anthropology Center, 6625 Physical Anthropology Center, Van
Nuys, California, 91406.
SWOOPE Radiation and Radon Unit
Grades: K-1
Science Content: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science
SWOOPE, Students Watching Over Our Planet Earth, engages students (K-12) in the study of environmental science problems important to society. Using hands-on classroom activities written by teachers, students learn about certain aspects of environmental science, taking measurements on those aspects using real instruments. Some of the data are sent to a national database, where they can be analyzed and used by interested scientists. The students, then, receive discussions of what the regional, state, or national data reveal. In the SWOOPE Radiation and Radon Unit, students examine background ionizing radiation using hand-held Geiger counters and measure radon levels in their homes and schools.
Contact:
Dianne Hyer/Roger Eckhardt
Los Alamos National Laboratory
MS D447
Los Alamos, NM 87545
SWOOPE Water Quality Unit
Grades: K-12
Science Content: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science
SWOOPE, Students Watching Over Our Planet Earth, engages students (K-12) in the study of environmental science problems important to society. Using hands-on classroom activities written by teachers, students learn about certain aspects of environmental science, taking measurements on those aspects using real instruments. Some of the data are sent to a national database, where they can be analyzed and used by interested scientists. The students, then, receive discussions of what the regional, state, or national data reveal. In the SWOOPE Water Quality Unit, students examine surface, ground, and city water for temperature, pH, turbidity, hardness, and the concentration of nitrates, coliform bacteria, and chlorine.
Contact:
Dianne Hyer/Roger Eckhardt
Los Alamos National Laboratory
MS D447
Los Alamos, NM 87545
TOPS Modules: Open-Ended Task Cards and Structured Worksheets from TOPS Learning Systems
Grades: 4-12
Science Content: All major topic areas
Tops offers 32 modules in science and mathematics covering a wide array of topics including: heat, light, sound, electricity, magnetism, machines, plants, animals, rocks and minerals, probability, metrics, solutions and oxidation. Each TOPS module contains comprehensive teaching notes in the front of the book, plus reproducible student task cards or worksheets in the back. Teachers gather their own simple materials and the module is ready to teach. Clear directions and quality illustrations lead students into independent hands-on explorations that are educational and fun. Learning becomes focused on student activity rather than discussion or lecture.
Contact:
TOPS Learning Systems, 10970 S. Mulino Rd.
Canby, Oregon 97013
Wet and Wild Water
Grades: Not indicated
Science Content: Biology, Physical Science, Earth Science
As indicated by the title, this guide integrates subject matter around the topic of water. Individual modules focus on properties of water; fish and economics; water sports and animals; explorers; legends and strange occurrances; and global responsibility. Topic pages indicate core knowledge, activities, water experiments, and additional resources.
Contact:
Indiana Department of Education, Center for School Improvement and
Performance
Room 229, State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2798
ERIC Document Reproduction Service (refer to number ED 338 478)
Wetlands Are Wonderlands
Grades: 4-8
Science Content: Chemistry
These 4-H marine education guides, intended for students in grades 6-8 and their teachers or leaders, stress the importance of conserving wetlands. New information has been incorporated to update the guides. The information in Wetlands Are Wonderful teaches the value of wetlands and why we should conserve them, and includes project activities such as: taking field trips to wetland locations, investigating the various life forms in wetland soils, making model wetlands and then showing the ways humans have destroyed them, and more. The guides provide topics for discussion, questions, and activities, as well as a vocabulary and reference list.
Contact:
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
65 Mumford Hall
1301 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
WOW (Windows on Wildlife)
Grades: 3-6
Science Content: Biology
This environmental science program for grades 3-6 focuses on endangered species and their habitats, but incorporates social studies, mathematics, and language skills into the framework of a wildlife studies curriculum. Teachers attend an orientation workshop, prior to their first visit. Curriculum materials include six booklets entitled: Rain Forests, Deciduous Forests, Wetlands, Desert, Endangered Species, Grasslands.
Contact:
Bronx Zoo, Education Department
Bronx, NY 10460
Supplementary Materials
After The Warming Teacherþs Guide
Grades: 7-12
Science Content: Earth Science
This guide accompanies the After the Warming PBS television special written and hosted by James Burke. The major goal of this guide is to provide teachers with ready-to-use lessons. It has been created as a ready-to-use mini unit with reproducible pages of active involvement activities, and can be used by social studies, geography, environmental education, and general science classes. The guide also contains background notes, a program synopsis, references relevant to teacher resources, and bibliographies for the teacher and students.
Contact:
Iris Wingert, Maryland Instructional Technology, 11767 Owings Mills
Blvd.
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Bottle Biology Introductory Packet
Grades: 1-12
Science Content: Biology, Life Sciences
Bottle Biology is a classroom-tested approach to hands-on biology which allows students on all levels to become engaged in the actual process and activity of doing science: asking questions, creating experiments, testing hypotheses and generating "answers". Teachers and students working with Bottle Biology reuse disposable containers to explore many areas of the life sciences, leading to a better understanding of ecosystems, local environments, and biotic interactions. The activities give teachers, students, and scientists a low-cost and accessible scientific world, which includes microbes, plants, insects, and environmental interactions, as the ground from which to pose questions and launch investigations.
Contact:
Bottle Biology Project
UW-Madison
Plant Pathology Department
1630 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706
The Great Lakes in My World
Grades: 1-8
Science Content: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science
The activities are designed to fit into regular curriculum units in science, social studies, mathematics, and language arts, rather than stand alone as extracurricular "environmental education" activities crammed in at the edges of an already crowded school day. Some of the activities discuss natural processes in the Great Lakes, and some focus on pollution issues that require innovative problem solving.
Contact:
Lake Michigan Federation
59 E. Van Buren, Suite 2215
Chicago, IL 60605
OEAGLS- Oceanic Education Activities for Great Lakes Schools
Grades: 5-9
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science
OEAGLS (pronounced "eagles") materials are designed to be easily integrated into existing curricula. Investigations are characterized by subject matter compatibility with existing curriculum topics; short activities lasting from one to three class periods; minimal preparation time; minimal equipment needs; standard page size for easy duplication; student workbook plus teacher guide; suggested extension activities for further information or creative expression; teachability demonstrated by use in middle school classrooms, and content accuracy assure by critical reviewers.
Contact:
Ohio Sea Grant
1541 Research Center
1314 Kinnear Road
Columbus, OH 43212
The Outdoor Classroom
Grades: 1-12
Science Content: Biology, Earth Science
The outdoor lessons, concepts, and experiences in this program are designed to encourage teachers to utilize school sites, communities, parks, forests, rivers, ponds, wildlife areas, watersheds, and nature centers to design an in-depth outdoor education teaching plan to enrich the school curriculum.
Contact:
Indiana Department of Education
Center for School Improvement and Performance
Room 229, State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2798
ERIC Document Reproduction Service (Refer to number ED 338 508)
Project Learning Tree
Grades: 1-12
Science Content: Environmental Education
This activity program is designed to help students develop an awareness and appreciation of their environments, the impact they have on it, and their responsibility for it. It is also designed so students develop skills and knowledge to make informed decisions regarding the use and management of the environment. The program contains more than 175 interdisciplinary activities.
Contact:
Project Learning Tree Coordinator
Project Learning Tree
1250 Connecticut Avenue, Northwest
Washington, DC 20036
Project Wild
Grades: 1-12
Science Content: Biology, Environmental Education
This programs purpose is to develop an informed and ecologically literate citizenry who will rake responsible actions to benefit people, wildlife, and the environment. Workshops and books (Project WILD Activity Guide and Project WILD Aquatic Activity Guide) are available.
Contact:
Project WILD State Coordinator
Project WILD
P.O. Box 18060
Boulder, CO 80308-8060
ScienceVision: An Inquiry-Based Videodisc Science Curriculum
Grades: 6-8
Science Content: Multidisciplinary
A product of the Interactive Media Science (IMS) Project at Florida State University, this program provides students with numerous opportunities to become involved in activities that would be impossible for them in the normal classroom setting. Using the ScienceVision program, students are able to conduct experiments, visit locations, listen to experts, make decisions, collect data, and solve the problems posed on the videodisc. The fundamental assumption of ScienceVision is that science education should be multidisciplinary and should provide a general science background for all students. The goals of ScienceVision are twofold: to provide students with a valid understanding of science as a human enterprise and to present science as a search for knowledge based upon interpretation of data.
Contact:
ERIC Document Reproduction Service (refer to number ED 336 257)
Sci-Math - Proportional Problem Solving in Math & Science
Grades: 7-12
Science Content: Chemistry, Physics
Sci-Math is a supplement to the science or mathematics curriculum, for grades 7-12, and teaches students to use labeled rates as the key techniques for organizing their approach to word problems. It is designed to give students the fundamental problem-solving skills they need for dealing confidently and effectively with the kinds of problems (proportional comparisons, percents, etc.) they will encounter in mathematics and science courses, as will in everyday life. Sci-Math is the answer for science teachers whose students say they like science but hate the mathematics involved, and for mathematics teachers whose students say they would like mathematics if it werenþt for the "story problems." The program includes materials, training, and follow-up services.
Contact:
Sci-Math, 4655-25th st.
San Francisco, CA 94114
Starfinder
Grades: 7-12
Science Content: Physics, Astronomy
Starfinder brings the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope into the classroom in a context that supports the study of earth science and physics. Each program consists of three parts: "Data Stream" highlights an important finding made possible by the telescope. "Science Links" correlates one specific earth science or physics concept with the working of the universe. "The People Behind HST" profiles the jobs of people associated with the telescope and how their career paths evolved. Thirty programs; 15 minutes each.
Contact:
Iris Wingert, Maryland Instructional Technology
11767 Owings Mills Blvd.
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Suited for Spacewalking
Grades: Not rated
Science Content: Earth Science, Physical Science.
This publication is an activity guide for teachers interested in using the intense interest many children have in space exploration as a launching point for exciting hands-on learning activities. The guide begins with brief discussions of the space environment, the history of spacewalking, the Space Shuttle spacesuit, and working in space. These are followed by a series of activities that enable children to explore the space environment as well as the science and technology behind the functions of spacesuits.
Contact:
NASA Teacher Resource Center
JPL Educational Outreach
Mail Stop CS-530
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
(818) 354-6919
Teaching Science with Toys
Grades: K-6
Science Content: Physical Science
This book contains 51 activities for teaching science through the use of toys. The activities are designed to use inexpensive materials and to get children involved in investigations and problem solving.
Contact:
ERIC/CSMEE
1929 Kenny Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1080
(614) 292-6717
ZEST (Zoos for Effective Teaching)
Grades: 7-12
Science Content: Biology
ZEST provides 12 full-day sessions for teachers in middle schools and high schools, including teacher conferences, peer dissemination, and production of a teacherþs manual. Th emphasis is on use of a zoological collection within the required biological science curricula, as well as enrichment for instruction in the physical sciences.
Contact:
Education Department, Bronx Zoo
Bronx, NY
Program Frameworks
National Council on Science and Technology Education. (1989). Science for all Americans. Washington, DC: American Association for the Advancement of Science. This document summarizes the first phase of a long-term project (Project 2061) to identify the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that all students should acquire during their school experiences (K-12) in science. A strong case is made for reducing the amount of factual material traditionally presented, and placing more emphasis on active inquiry. The report is strongly influencing science reform efforts throughout the USA as the second phase of Project 2061 engages teams of educators and scientists in the process of developing alternative curriculum models for use in schools. Any school or district engaged in science reform efforts should become familiar with this document. The report is available from: AAAS Books, Dept. 2061, P.O. Box 753, Waldorf, MD 20604.
National Research Council. (1993). National Science Standards. An Enhanced Sampler. Available free from National Research Council; 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW; HA 487; Washington, DC 20418.
National Science Teachers Association. (1992). Scope, sequence and coordination of secondary school science, Volume 1. The content core: A guide for curriculum designers. Washington, DC: Author. This guide was specifically developed as an aid to designers of science curricula (grades 6-12) and is published by the nationþs largest association of science teachers. The first section of the book presents principles and strategies of curricular coordination,with the second section presenting detailed recommendations for scopes and sequences for courses in biology, chemistry, earth and space sciences, and physics. The recommended content core (framework) is presented through a combination of tables and narratives. For more information, contact: Scope, Sequence and Coordination, The Common Core, National Science Teachers Association, 1742 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009-1171.
Mayer, V. J. and others. (1992). The role of planet earth in the new science curriculum. Journal of Geological Education, 40, 66-73. Though not a curriculum framework by conventional definitions, this succinct article provides an overview of a major curriculum reform effort to place study of planet earth at the center of K-12 science curriculum development. The article provides a strong rationale for rethinking the K-12 curriculum, presents a Framework for Earth Systems Education, and describes implementation efforts. This is a good example of how a robust reconceptualization of the curricular core can be concisely communicated in clear terms. Indeed, the Framework along can be presented on one page (see Mayer, V. J. (1991). Framework for earth systems education. Science Activities, 28(1), 8-9). It is an approach to be emulated.
National Center for Earth Science Education. (1991). Earth science content guidelines grades K-12. Alexandria, VA: American Geological Institute. This framework represents what can be accomplished by writing teams comprising teachers, science educators, and scientists when consensus-building deliberation occurs. The framework is based on four broad goals for students that relate to literacy in science and earth science. The framework organizes content around essential questions that relate to six content areas: solid earth, water, air, ice, life, and earth in space. The essential questions are distributed across grade levels, and for each essential question the framework provides key ideas and ways of engaging students in the ideas. Finally, some curriculum materials and resources are identified for each of the six content areas. For further information, contact: AGI Publications Center, P.O. Box 2010, Annapolis junction, MD 20701.
National Center for Improving Science Education. (1989). Getting started in science: A blueprint for elementary school science education. Andover, MA: The Network. Though this report treats instruction, assessment, and teacher education in addition to curriculum development, one chapter presents a vision of elementary school science in the form of general curriculum framework that accommodates a broad range of topics and goals. The framework is organized according to broad concepts that relate to both science and technology. Some attitudes associated with scientific enterprise are also presented. For further information, contact: Susan Loucks-Horsley, Associate Director, 290 South Main Street, Andover, MA 01810.
National Center for Improving Science Education. (1990). Science and Technology Education for the Middle Years: Frameworks for Curriculum and Instruction. Andover, MA: The Network. This book describes organizing principles that incorporate suggested science content, and a learning sequence that illustrates how more "hands-on, minds-on" science can become more prevalent in schools serving middle grade students. Frameworks are based on the special needs of young adolescents, including the kinds of school settings where science learning can flourish. For ordering information, contact: Publications Department, 300 Brickstone Square, Suite 900, Andover, MA 01810.
State of Connecticut Board of Education. (1991). A Guide to Curriculum Development - SCIENCE. Connecticut State Department of Education. This curriculum guide is designed to help districts develop their own state-of-the-art learning programs and opportunities in science. The guide describes what can and should happen in quality K-12 science settings. The guide helps planners view the student as the beneficiary of curriculum. Curriculum Development Resources
Dunn, G. A. (1990). Buggy books: A guide to juvenile and popular books on insects and their relatives. Lansing, MI: Young Entomologistsþ Society, Inc. This unique compilation of 736 resources includes references to several teacher guides and instructional aids. If you are seeking background material for units on insects, you cannot find a more comprehensive or functional listing. Books are organized by title, age-appropriateness, subject, and author. For more information, contact: Young Entomologistsþ Society, Inc., 1915 Peggy Place, Lansing, MI 48910-2553.
Galda, L., and others. (1990). Exploration and discovery: Books for a science curriculum (childrenþs books). Reading Teacher, 44, 316-25. This article reviews 92 childrenþs books which would enhance many topics in a science curriculum. A good source of titles to complement unit activities or textbook information.
Helgeson, S. L., Howe, R. W., & Blosser, P. E. (1990). Promising and exemplary programs and materials in elementary and secondary schools - Science. Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education. This document describes 36 programs or sets of materials that have been identified as exemplary in some way. Nominations were solicited from state and local coordinators, science curriculum specialists, and federal program staff members. Entries for each program or set of materials includes a program description, evaluative data or comments, specific materials available, and an address for more information. The publication is available from ERIC/CSMEE Publications, 1929 Kenny Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1080.
National Science Resources Center. (1988). Science for children. Resources for teachers. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. A valuable compendium of curriculum materials, supplementary resources, and informational sources, with abstracts and price information. A copy of this book has been sent to every school superintendent in the nation and should be in the hands of anyone attempting to use existing materials to update programs. All the materials presented in this guide have been shown effective in activity-based, inquiry-oriented programs. For more information, contact: National Science Resources Center, Arts and Industries Building, Room 1201, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560.
Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (1989). Science education programs that work. A collection of proven exemplary educational programs and practices in the National Diffusion Network. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. A compendium of 16 program descriptions prepared through the efforts of the National Diffusion Network (NDN). The NDN Program Effectiveness Panel reviews programs reported as effective, then disseminates information and materials from programs found to be exemplary. All programs reported by the NDN are supported by evaluative data.
Paulu, N. (1991). Helping your child learn science. Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. Though designed for parents, this document provides many good examples of simple science activities for children (ages 3 to 10 years) to do in their homes or communities. A useful listing of science books and resources is also included. This document is available from the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (ask for ED 330 584).
Posted to the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory's
Pathways to School Improvement
Internet server on July 10, 1995.
Contact: info@ncrel.org