 Help
teachers and students establish a solid foundation in elementary
science. Carolina’s new Building Blocks of Science™ supplementary
curriculum gives you a flexible way to integrate even more science
content into the K–5 curriculum.
Flexible Usage
Because of
their modular design, Building Blocks of Science™ units can be used
as stand-alone instruction that meets any of several curriculum
needs:
- Address subject matter not
covered in a core curriculum
- Serve as additional activities
for classes already using an inquiry-based curriculum
- Provide some hands-on
experiences for classes that primarily use textbooks
Student Learning
 The
units are based on a constructivist model, through which students
continually expand on their understanding of science concepts
through direct observation, investigation, and experimentation.
The units also follow a
learning cycle that gives students an opportunity to explore science
concepts and phenomena firsthand, then allows them time for
reflection and to apply their learning. Through the activities in
each unit, students learn important science content and
investigative skills. The unit design fosters cooperative learning
and critical thinking as students work in teams, periodically
discussing their findings and assessing their understanding. The
units integrate process skills as defined by the National Science
Education Standards and the American Association for the Advancement
of Science.
Teacher Support
Building Blocks of Science™ units are particularly well suited for
use by teachers new to inquiry science. Each unit is written with
simple step-by-step instructions, assumes no science background on the
part of the teacher, and provides background reading for the teacher
needing additional content support. Each unit contains a teacher’s
guide and enough materials for a class of 30 students to complete the
activities. The teacher’s guide includes objectives and standards,
materials preparation steps, class time requirements, science
background information, vocabulary, procedures, assessments, ideas
for cross-curricular extensions, and blackline masters for student
procedures and data recording sheets.
Inquiring Safely
An important part of science instruction at any level includes
teaching, modeling, and reinforcing safe practices within a lab
setting. The Building Blocks of Science™ materials and activities
have been designed with safety in mind for both students and teachers.
Within the activities you will find specific safety tips that apply
to the procedure for that activity.
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