Our program includes life, earth, and physical science modules. Each investigation is designed to meet the California Science Content Standards. The program provides students access to content in three main ways:
1. Active Investigation- a range of critical thinking skills including: inquiring, questioning, investigating, noting, analyzing, and proving theories.
2. Reading- reading for evidence, digging deep for meaning, mastering the text features of headers, captions, illustrations and charts, and grasping academic vocabulary.
3. Assessment- meeting Common Core State Standards
FOSS Modules:
* Weather On Earth
* Mixtures and Solutions
* Living Systems
* Sun, Moon, and Planets
Weather on Earth:
The constant renewal of water on Earth's land surfaces by the activities in the atmosphere is one of the defining characteristics of Earth, the water planet. The Weather on Earth Module provides students with experiences to explore the properties of the atmosphere, energy transfer from the Sun to Earth, and the dynamics of weather and water cycling in Earth's atmosphere. In this module, students will
Mixtures and Solutions:
Chemistry is the study of the structure of matter and the changes or transformations that take place within those structures. Learning about the properties and behaviors of substances gives us knowledge about how things go together and how they can be taken apart. Learning about changes in substances can lead to the development of new materials and new ways to produce energy. The Mixtures and Solutions Module has four investigations that introduce students to fundamental ideas in chemistry. In this module, students will:
Sun, Moon, and Planets:
The Sun, Moon, and Planets Module has four investigations that focus on Earth's place in the solar system. In this module, students will
Inquiry:
The Inquiry Unit is based on two essential questions:
1) How do we learn about the world around us through inquiry and experimentation?; and
2) How do scientists use inquiry to make discoveries?
Through carrying out preliminary investigations the unit students learn to design their own controlled experiments by slowly building their knowledge of variables, testable questions, and data collection and reporting.
1. Active Investigation- a range of critical thinking skills including: inquiring, questioning, investigating, noting, analyzing, and proving theories.
2. Reading- reading for evidence, digging deep for meaning, mastering the text features of headers, captions, illustrations and charts, and grasping academic vocabulary.
3. Assessment- meeting Common Core State Standards
FOSS Modules:
* Weather On Earth
* Mixtures and Solutions
* Living Systems
* Sun, Moon, and Planets
Weather on Earth:
The constant renewal of water on Earth's land surfaces by the activities in the atmosphere is one of the defining characteristics of Earth, the water planet. The Weather on Earth Module provides students with experiences to explore the properties of the atmosphere, energy transfer from the Sun to Earth, and the dynamics of weather and water cycling in Earth's atmosphere. In this module, students will
- Investigate properties of air.
- Describe the atmosphere, using visual displays.
- Use weather instruments to measure temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind direction, and wind speed.
- Conduct experiments with heating of earth materials and with solar water heaters to build explanations.
- Investigate the conditions that cause condensation and evaporation as part of the water cycle.
- Interpret the data displayed on weather maps and look for patterns over time.
Mixtures and Solutions:
Chemistry is the study of the structure of matter and the changes or transformations that take place within those structures. Learning about the properties and behaviors of substances gives us knowledge about how things go together and how they can be taken apart. Learning about changes in substances can lead to the development of new materials and new ways to produce energy. The Mixtures and Solutions Module has four investigations that introduce students to fundamental ideas in chemistry. In this module, students will:
- Make and separate mixtures, using screens, filters, and evaporation.
- Measure solids and liquids to compare the mass of a mixture to the mass of its parts.
- Use a balance to determine relative concentration. Layer solutions to determine relative density (concentration).
- Plan and conduct saturation investigations. Compare the solubility of substances in water.
- Identify an unknown substance based on the properties of solubility and crystal formation.
- Observe and compare reactants and products of several chemical reactions
Sun, Moon, and Planets:
The Sun, Moon, and Planets Module has four investigations that focus on Earth's place in the solar system. In this module, students will
- Use physical models to explain day and night as well as the four seasons.
- Record observations of the night sky.
- Observe and record changes in the Moon's appearance every day for a month.
- Analyze observational data to discover the sequence of changes that occur during the Moon's phase cycle.
- Make and interpret a model of the Earth, Moon, and Sun system.
- Classify planets by their various properties.
- Record and display the organization of the solar system graphically.
- Identify several constellations as stable, predictable patterns of stars.
- Use models to build explanations.
Inquiry:
The Inquiry Unit is based on two essential questions:
1) How do we learn about the world around us through inquiry and experimentation?; and
2) How do scientists use inquiry to make discoveries?
Through carrying out preliminary investigations the unit students learn to design their own controlled experiments by slowly building their knowledge of variables, testable questions, and data collection and reporting.