The
Lawrence Hall of Science introduces a 21st-century series of
GEMS® Curriculum Sequences, to be published exclusively
by Carolina Biological Supply Company. GEMS® Curriculum
Sequences combine the vitality and excellence of GEMS
Teacher’s Guides® with greater coherence, scientific and
educational depth, systematic assessment, and new learning
technologies.
First to be published in
the series are 2 sequences on space science—one for grades
3–5 and one for grades 6–8.
Additional sequences are
planned for earth science, chemistry, ocean
science, and life science.
Providing Flexibility
All GEMS® Sequences provide great flexibility. For
example, the Space Science Sequence for Grades 3–5 is made
up of 4 units, each a little less than 2 weeks long.
Teachers can use the units all together at one grade level.
Or the individual units can be taught each year over 2 to 3
years. Not all of the units in a sequence have to be
taught—each can stand alone as necessary. This flexibility
allows a school to determine at what point to teach specific
content based on its standards and curriculum requirements, using
integrated units that naturally progress and build on prior
knowledge.
Meeting Standards
The GEMS® Sequences are also being developed to meet the
requirements of standards-based education and the realities
of the priorities placed on science in today’s schools.
These research-based materials are aligned to the National
Science Education Standards and to state and district
standards, with careful attention to key concepts that are
commonly misunderstood. The time allotted for each topic was
based on feedback received from a wide range of schools as
to how much time they can realistically spend teaching that
topic. The attention to flexibility, standards requirements,
inquiry skills, and real-world time constraints
make GEMS® Curriculum Sequences a curriculum that will meet
the needs of a wide range of schools and their unique
situations.
Effective Instruction
Key space science concepts in each unit were identified, and
pre- and post-unit questionnaires that focus on these concepts were developed. Although the
questionnaires are designed primarily as a teaching tool,
they can also be used to evaluate gains in student
understanding. During field tests, LHS compared 250
students’ scores on the pre- and post-questionnaires and
compared the mean percentage of correct answers, pre- to
post-. LHS found significant gains in all 4 units. A
comparison study was also done of students in classes that
used the multimedia
version of selected activities (on a CD-ROM) versus students
who experienced the same content using overhead
transparencies. Classes that used the CD-ROM had
significantly higher percentage gains pre- to post- on the
questionnaire than classes that did not use the
CD-ROM.
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