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Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
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APPENDIX D:
Overviews of Core and Supplementary Programs with Titles Annotated in This Guide

INFORMATION ABOUT APPENDIX D

Appendix D contains three sections:

  • Annotated Titles in Core Programs (D.1-D.20)

  • Annotated Titles in Supplementary Series (D.21-D.43)

  • Individual Supplementary Units (D.44)

The information is arranged as follows:

  • The first two sections contain alphabetical listings of core programs and supplementary series, respectively. For each of these programs and series, a descriptive overview is provided, together with a list of the titles from that program or series which are annotated in the guide.

  • The third section contains an alphabetical listing of supplementary units that are not in series.

  • For ease of reference, the entry number is shown with each title.

This appendix is not meant to be a catalog-style listing of all titles published in each program or series, but to provide quick reference to the materials annotated in the curriculum chapters of this volume. Readers seeking a comprehensive, current list of all of the titles in any program or series should contact the publisher of the curriculum materials directly. (Appendix A provides contact information.)

Appendix D does not include science activity books. Readers are referred to the "Science Activity Books" sections of the curriculum chapters and to the indexes in this volume for locating information on activity books.

ANNOTATED TITLES IN CORE PROGRAMS

D.1 Concepts and Challenges in Life, Earth, and Physical Science series

The series entitled Concepts and Challenges in Life, Earth, and Physical Science consists of 3 textbooks—1 in life science, 1 in earth science, and 1 in physical science. Each year-long course contains about 20 units. Teaching materials, ancillary student materials, and some optional components are available for each course.

  • Concepts and Challenges in Earth Science, 4.1

D.2 Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching (FAST)

The Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching (FAST) series is an interdisciplinary science program consisting of 3 courses for middle, junior, and senior high school students. Each 1-year course is organized in 3 strands—physical science (chemistry and physics), ecology (biological and earth sciences), and relational study. The ecology and physical science strands, which provide the formal science content, are intended to be presented concurrently by alternating short sequences of investigations from each strand. The relational study strand integrates the sciences, technology, and society. Components of the program include the student book, teacher's guide, several reference booklets for each course, and other optional teacher support materials.

  • The Local Environment, 5.7

  • Matter and Energy in the Biosphere, 5.8

D.3 Full Option Science System (FOSS) series

The Full Option Science System (FOSS) program is a K-6 science curriculum consisting of 27 stand-alone modules. The 8 modules for grades 5-6 are organized under topics in the life, physical, and earth sciences and in scientific reasoning and technology. They can be used in any order. The FOSS program is designed to engage students in scientific concepts through multisensory, hands-on laboratory activities. All modules of the program incorporate 5 unifying themes—pattern, structure, interaction, change,

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
×

and system. The components of a FOSS module are a teacher's guide and a kit of materials.

  • Environments, 3.1

  • Food and Nutrition, 2.7

  • Landforms, 4.6

  • Levers and Pulleys, 1.10

  • Mixtures and Solutions, 1.13

  • Models and Designs, 5.12

  • Solar Energy, 4.9

  • Variables, 5.28

D.4 Glencoe Life, Earth, and Physical Science series

The Glencoe Life, Earth, and Physical Science series includes 3 full-year courses—1 in life, 1 in earth, and 1 in physical science—for students in grades 8 and above. Four major themes are developed: energy, systems and interactions, scale and structure, and stability and change. An extensive set of materials and resources, including many optional components, is available for students and teachers.

  • Glencoe Earth Science, 4.5

  • Glencoe Life Science, 2.8

  • Glencoe Physical Science, 1.6

D.5 Insights series

The Insights program, for grades K-6, consists of 17 modules, several of which are appropriate for middle school. Topics in the program reflect a balance of life, physical, and earth sciences. Insights modules integrate science with the rest of the curriculum, particularly with language arts and mathematics. The activities support cultural, racial, and linguistic diversity. Each module requires about 25 class sessions to complete. The components of an Insights module are a teacher's guide and a kit of materials.

  • Human Body Systems, 2.11

  • Structures, 1.16

  • There Is No Away, 3.3

D.6 Integrated Science series

The Integrated Science series includes 3 full-year courses that integrate chemistry, physics, and the life, earth, and space sciences with environmental issues and emphasize the development of critical-thinking skills. Four major themes are incorporated in the program: energy, changes over time, systems and structures, and environmental interactions. Designed for students of different ability levels, the lessons are graded as "starting off," "going further," or "for the enthusiast." In addition to the student edition and teacher's manual, the program offers a variety of support materials.

  • Integrated Science: Book One, 5.2

  • Integrated Science: Book Two, 5.3

D.7 Introductory Physical Science

Introductory Physical Science is a full-year course focused on the study of matter leading to the development of the atomic model. The course addresses 3 broad areas: the empirical framework for developing an atomic model, an introduction to the atomic model, and the electric dimension of the atomic model. This division provides natural breaking points for spreading the course over more than a year, if preferred.

  • Introductory Physical Science, 1.9

D.8 Middle Grades Science series

The Middle Grades Science series is an integrated science program for middle school students (grades 6, 7, and 8). The program uses a "spiral" approach to teaching science content and is designed around an evolving story line. Each year-long course is based on investigations of a series of questions that focus on scientific concepts and their relationship to the real-world. Concepts are drawn from biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics. Components of the program include teacher's guides—1 for each grade level, a program handbook, and a technology supplement.

  • Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Sixth Grade, 5.9

  • Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Seventh Grade, 5.10

  • Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Eighth Grade, 5.11

D.9 Middle School Life Science

Middle School Life Science is a full-year course organized around a series of learning cycles during which students work independently, with partners, and in small groups. They engage in hands-on laboratory activities to explore an idea or concept, develop the concept during class discussion and/or through readings or additional experiments, apply the concepts learned to other situations, and form connections between their new knowledge and other areas of inquiry.

  • Middle School Life Science, 2.13

D.10 Middle School Science and Technology series

The Middle School Science and Technology series is a 3-year thematic program that integrates the life, earth, and physical sciences and emphasizes technology as a process for solving problems. The curriculum includes investigations, simulations, debates, plays, outdoor activities, research projects, and creative-writing projects. The titles of the 3 year-long courses—Investigating Patterns of Change, Investigating Diversity and Limits, and Investigating Systems and Change—reflect the program's unifying themes. Each course incorporates cooperative learning strategies.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
×

Components of the program include the student book, teacher's edition, teacher's resource package, implementation guide, and kit of materials.

  • Investigating Diversity and Limits, 5.4

  • Investigating Patterns of Change, 5.5

  • Investigating Systems and Change, 5.6

D.11 Prentice Hall Exploring Life, Earth, and Physical Science series

The Prentice Hall Exploring Life, Earth, and Physical Science series is a program for middle school students. Designed to cover all relevant areas of science, this integrated program consists of 3 textbooks (1 for each major discipline) and incorporates 7 science themes—energy, evolution, patterns of change, scale and structure, systems and interactions, unity and diversity, and stability. Each of the 3 year-long courses contains about 6 units. The units are also available, possibly with some modifications, as individual textbooks in the Prentice Hall Science Integrated Learning System series (see D.12). For each course, teaching materials, ancillary student materials, and some optional components are available.

  • Exploring Earth Science, 4.2

  • Exploring Life Science, 2.6

  • Exploring Physical Science, 1.3

D.12 Prentice Hall Science Integrated Learning System series

The Prentice Hall Science Integrated Learning System series is a program for middle school or junior high school students. Designed to cover all relevant areas of science, this program consists of 19 books, each in a particular topic area, such as sound and light, the planet earth, and cells—building blocks of life. Seven science themes are incorporated into the program; the themes are energy, evolution, patterns of change, scale and structure, systems and interactions, unity and diversity, and stability. For each unit, teaching materials, ancillary student materials, and some optional components are available.

  • Cells: Building Blocks of Life, 2.1

  • Chemistry of Matter, 1.1

  • Ecology: Earth's Living Resources, 2.2

  • Electricity and Magnetism, 1.2

  • Exploring Earth's Weather, 4.3

  • Exploring Planet Earth, 4.4

  • Evolution: Change over Time, 5.1

  • Heat Energy, 1.8

  • Heredity: The Code of Life, 2.9

  • Human Biology and Health, 2.10

  • Matter: Building Block of the Universe, 1.12

  • Motion, Forces, and Energy, 1.14

  • The Nature of Science, 5.13

  • Parade of Life: Animals, 2.14

  • Parade of Life: Monerans, Protists, Fungi, and Plants, 2.15

  • Sound and Light, 1.15

D.13 Prime Science series

The Prime Science series is an interdisciplinary science program for middle and high school students. It consists of 5 textbooks (Levels A, B, and C for grades 6, 7, and 8, respectively, and Levels 1 and 2 for grades 9 and 10). The program uses a "spiral" approach to teaching science content and skills. Concepts from biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics, as well as the applications of science, are incorporated throughout the program. Science topics are introduced in personal and social contexts—for example, ideas about speed and motion are presented in the context of travel and road safety. Each course consists of a student textbook, a teacher's guide, and a test bank on a diskette.

  • Prime Science: Level A, 5.14

  • Prime Science: Level B, 5.15

  • Prime Science: Level C, 5.16

D.14 Project STAR

Project STAR is a full-year course that uses astronomy as a vehicle for teaching students about real-world applications of mathematics and physics. The activities were written for high school students but can be adapted for middle school. The course stresses the importance of measurements, observations, and building models. The program includes a student textbook, a teacher's guide, an activity book, and several kits.

  • Project STAR: The Universe in Your Hands, 4.8

D.15 Science and Technology for Children (STC) series

The Science and Technology for Children (STC) series consists of 24 inquiry-centered curriculum units for grades 1-6, with 4 units at each grade level. Students learn about topics in the life, earth, and physical sciences. The technological applications of science and the interactions among science, technology, and society are addressed throughout the program. The STC units, each of which takes about 16 class sessions to complete, encourage participatory learning and the integration of science with mathematics, language arts, social studies, and art. The components of an STC unit are a teacher's guide, a student activity book with simple instructions and illustrations, and a kit of materials.

  • Ecosystems, 2.4

  • Experiments with Plants, 2.5

  • Floating and Sinking, 1.4

  • Food Chemistry, 1.5

  • Magnets and Motors, 1.11

  • Measuring Time, 4.7

  • Microworlds, 2.12

  • The Technology of Paper, 5.27

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
×

D.16 Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP) series

The Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP) series consists of 2 year-long courses—1 for middle and early secondary school (Issues, Evidence, and You) and 1 for high school (Science for Citizenship in the 21st Century). The program focuses on science and technology and on interactions of science and technology with people and the environment. The series promotes the use of scientific principles, processes, and evidence in public decision making. Materials include a teacher's guide, student books, and a kit of materials. (SEPUP is the second phase of a project that began as CEPUP—Chemical Education for Public Understanding Program.)

  • Issues, Evidence and You, 3.2

D.17 Science Interactions series

The Science Interactions series is a complete program for middle or junior high school students, consisting of 3 textbooks—Course 1, Course 2, and Course 3. This integrated program is based on the premise that many areas of science depend on the fundamentals of physics and chemistry. During the 3-year program, each course first introduces basic concepts of physics and chemistry, followed by related topics in life and earth sciences and further topics in physics and chemistry. Each course also incorporates 4 science themes—energy, systems and interactions, scale and structure, and stability and change. In addition, connections are made among the sciences and with other subjects such as art and literature. Extensive sets of materials and resources, including some optional components, are available.

  • Science Interactions: Course 1, 5.17

  • Science Interactions: Course 2, 5.18

  • Science Interactions: Course 3, 5.19

D.18 SciencePlus Technology and Society series

The SciencePlus Technology and Society series consists of 3 year-long courses for middle school students. Each of the 3 textbooks—designated Level Green, Level Red, and Level Blue—integrates the life, earth, and physical sciences and incorporates the program's 5 science themes: energy, systems, structures, changes over time, and cycles. Cross-disciplinary connections are emphasized, and the impacts of scientific, technological, and science-related social issues are explored. For each course, an extensive set of materials and resources, including some optional components, is available for students and teachers.

  • SciencePlus Technology and Society: Level Green, 5.20

  • SciencePlus Technology and Society: Level Red, 5.21

  • SciencePlus Technology and Society: Level Blue, 5.22

D.19 Science 2000 series

The Science 2000 series is an integrated, multimedia science curriculum designed to introduce middle school students (grades 5 through 8) to 6 important themes of science: energy, evolution, patterns of change, scale and structure, stability, and systems and interactions. A separate, year-long course containing 4 units is offered for each grade. Each unit in a course takes from 7 to 9 weeks to complete. Students use videodisc imagery, software simulations, databases, hands-on investigations, and worksheets to explore real-world scientific questions. For each course, an extensive set of materials is available for students and teachers.

  • Science 2000: Grade 6, 5.23

  • Science 2000: Science 1 (Grade 7), 5.24

  • Science 2000: Science 2 (Grade 8), 5.25

D.20 SCIS [Science Curriculum Improvement Study] 3

The SCIS series focuses on the concepts and processes of science for grades K-6. The current version of the series—SCIS 3—consists of 13 units: a kindergarten unit and 2 sequences of 6 units each in physical-earth science and life-environmental science for grades 1 through 6. Two units are designed for grade 6. The components of a SCIS 3 unit are a teacher's guide and a kit of materials.

  • Ecosystems, 2.3

  • Scientific Theories, 5.26

ANNOTATED TITLES IN SUPPLEMENTARY SERIES

D.21 Biotechnology series

The Biotechnology series consists of 3 units—1 each for grades 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. These volumes—Books 1, 2, and 3 of An Introduction to Biotechnology—are designed to introduce teachers and students to the science of biotechnology through hands-on activities and analysis.

  • An Introduction to Biotechnology: Book 2, 2.31

D.22 Changes in the Environment Series

The Changes in the Environment Series was produced as part of the GLOBE-NET Project, a partnership of science teachers and research scientists working on aspects of global change. The scientists make

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
×

presentations and lead visits to laboratories and field sites and the teachers use this information to develop activities and instructional materials for grades 4-12.

  • Lyme Disease: A Sourcebook for Teaching about a Major Environmental Health Problem, 2.35

D.23 Chemical Education for Public Understanding Program (CEPUP) series

The Chemical Education for Public Understanding Program (CEPUP) series consists of 12 modules for grades 7-9. The modules focus on chemicals and the interaction of chemicals with people and the environment. The series promotes the use of scientific principles, processes, and evidence in public decision making. The components of a CEPUP module are a teacher's guide and a kit of materials. (SEPUP—the Science Education for Public Understanding Program—is the second phase of the project that began as CEPUP.)

  • Chemicals in Foods: Additives, 5.29

  • Chemical Survey and Solutions and Pollution, 3.10

  • Determining Threshold Limits, 5.32

  • Investigating Chemical Processes: Your Island Factory, 5.43

  • Investigating Groundwater: The Fruitvale Story, 3.19

  • Investigating Hazardous Materials, 3.20

  • Plastics in Our Lives, 3.25

  • Risk Comparison, 2.43

  • Toxic Waste: A Teaching Simulation, 3.30

  • The Waste Hierarchy: Where Is "Away"? 3.32

D.24 Delta Science Module (DSM) series

The Delta Science Module (DSM) series has 51 life, physical, and earth science units for grades K-8 that emphasize science concepts, science content, and process skills. The series includes 12 modules for grades 5-6 and 8 modules for grades 6-8. Each requires about 3 to 4 weeks to complete and includes a teacher's guide and materials for a class of 32 students.

  • Chemical Interactions, 1.20

  • Color and Light, 1.23

  • DNA—From Genes to Proteins, 2.19

  • Earth, Moon, and Sun, 4.14

  • Earth Processes, 4.15

  • Electrical Connections, 1.25

  • Electromagnetism, 1.26

  • Erosion, 4.19

  • Fungi—Small Wonders, 2.25

  • If Shipwrecks Could Talk, 5.41

  • Lenses and Mirrors, 1.32

  • Newton's Toy Box, 1.34

  • Plants in Our World, 2.39

  • Pollution, 3.26

  • Pond Life, 2.40

  • Rocks and Minerals, 4.29

  • Simple Machines, 1.37

  • Solar Energy, 4.31

  • Weather Forecasting, 4.37

  • You and Your Body, 2.44

D.25 Eco-Inquiry: A Guide to Ecological Learning Experiences for the Upper Elementary/Middle Grades

The modules in Eco-Inquiry: A Guide to Ecological Learning Experiences for the Upper Elementary/Middle Grades contain real-world projects and investigations in ecology. The modules build students' understanding of ecological processes in their local environment.

  • Eco-Inquiry: A Guide to Ecological Learning Experiences for the Upper Elementary/Middle Grades, 3.13

D.26 Environmental Action series

The Environmental Action series consists of 6 stand-alone modules for middle and secondary school students. The series focuses on environmental issues and on the impact of these issues on human health and environmental quality. Each module includes a student edition and a teacher's resource guide.

  • Chemicals: Choosing Wisely, 3.9

  • Energy Conservation, 3.15

  • Waste Reduction, 3.34

D.27 Event-Based Science series

The Event-Based Science series is a program for middle school students in grades 6-9. Each module tells the story of a real event—such as the 1995 outbreak of the Ebola virus in Zaire—through reprinted newspaper articles and personal interviews; sections of background information explain relevant scientific concepts. A central task related to the module's story line leads to a final product that allows students to apply the science they have learned. For each module, a student book, teacher's guide, and videotape and/or videodisc are available.

  • Asteroid! 4.10

  • Earthquake! 4.16

  • Flood! 4.21

  • Hurricane! 4.23

  • Oil Spill! 3.24

  • Outbreak! 2.38

  • Volcano! 4.35

D.28 Foundations and Challenges to Encourage Technology-based Science (FACETS) series

The Foundations and Challenges to Encourage Technology-based Science (FACETS) program consists of 3 series of 8 modules each for grades 6-8. Each module focuses on a topic in the life,

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
×

earth, or physical sciences. The time needed to complete FACETS modules varies from 2 to 4 weeks. Each module consists of a student book and a teacher's guide.

  • Acid Rain, 3.5

  • Cleaning Water, 3.11

  • Climate and Farming, 5.31

  • Communicable Diseases, 2.18

  • Earthquakes, 4.17

  • Food from Our Land, 2.23

  • Growing Older, 2.26

  • Handling Information, 5.36

  • Keeping Fit, 2.32

  • Managing Crop Pests, 3.22

  • Packaging, 5.48

  • Shrinking Farmlands, 4.30

  • A Sunken Ship, 5.51

  • Threads, 5.52

  • Weather and Health, 4.36

  • What's in Our Food? 1.40

D.29 Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) series

The Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) series includes more than 50 teacher's guides and handbooks for preschool through grade 10. About 35 of these are appropriate for middle school. The series also includes several assembly presenter's guides and exhibit guides. New guides and handbooks continue to be developed, and current titles are revised frequently. The series is designed to teach key science and mathematics concepts through activity-based learning. The time needed to complete GEMS units varies from about 2 to 10 class sessions.

  • Acid Rain, 3.4

  • Animals in Action, 2.16

  • Bubble Festival, 1.17

  • Bubble-ology, 1.18

  • Chemical Reactions, 1.21

  • Color Analyzers, 1.22

  • Convection: A Current Event, 4.11

  • Discovering Density, 1.24

  • Earth, Moon, and Stars, 4.13

  • Earthworms, 2.20

  • Experimenting with Model Rockets, 1.28

  • Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect, 3.16

  • Height-o-Meters, 5.37

  • Hot Water and Warm Homes from Sunlight, 5.38

  • Mapping Animal Movements, 2.36

  • Mapping Fish Habitats, 2.37

  • More Than Magnifiers, 1.33

  • Moons of Jupiter, 4.24

  • Of Cabbages and Chemistry, 1.35

  • Oobleck: What Do Scientists Do? 1.36

  • Paper Towel Testing, 5.49

  • River Cutters, 4.28

  • Stories in Stone, 4.32

  • Vitamin C Testing, 1.39

D.30 Integrated Mathematics, Science, and Technology (IMaST) series

The Integrated Mathematics, Science, and Technology (IMaST) series for middle school includes 6 modules. The materials in each are designed to be used by a team of mathematics, science, and technology teachers concurrently over a 9-week period. Each module includes a teacher's guide and a student book.

  • Energy Transformations: Fourth Module in Bio-Related Technologies Unit, 5.33

  • Food Production: Second Module in Bio-Related Technologies Unit, 5.34

  • Forecasting: Discovering, Simplifying, and Applying Patterns, 5.35

  • Manufacturing, 5.47

  • Waste Management: Third Module in Bio-Related Technologies Unit, 3.33

  • Wellness: First Module in Bio-Related Technologies Unit, 5.53

D.31 JASON Project Series

Each year, the JASON Project—administered by the JASON Foundation for Education—embarks on a 2-week scientific expedition to a remote location. The project develops a science and technology curriculum module to prepare students to participate in the expedition using interactive telecommunication. The JASON Project series currently consists of 9 such modules.

  • JASON IV Curriculum: BAJA California Sur, 5.44

  • JASON VI: Island Earth, Hawai'i Expedition Curriculum, 5.45

D.32 Life in the Universe series

The Life in the Universe Series consists of 6 units, including the 3 volumes in the SETI Academy Planet Project. Each book in the SETI Academy Planet Project is designed to be a complete unit in itself as well as a subunit of a 3-unit course. During the activities in the 3 units, each student plays the role of a "cadet" at the SETI [Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence] Academy, a fictitious institution. (The SETI Institute is an actual scientific organization.)

  • The Evolution of a Planetary System, 4.20

  • How Might Life Evolve on Other Worlds? 5.39

  • Life: Here? There? Elsewhere? The Search for Life on Venus and Mars, 5.46

D.33 Living Lightly series

The Living Lightly series is a program for grades K-12. Each volume focuses on the environment and on decision making related to environmental issues. The series includes 4 volumes, 1 of which is designed for grades 7-9.

  • Living Lightly on the Planet: A Global Environmental Education Guidebook, 3.21

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
×

D.34 Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Science series

The Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Science series is a comprehensive, activity-based, K-8 science curriculum made up of 42 stand-alone units, 18 of which are designed for grades 6-8. The series is constructed around 7 major themes: systems and interactions, scale and structure, stability, energy, evolution, patterns of change, and models. The subject of each unit—for example, changes in matter—is presented from the perspective of one or more of these themes. One theme is designated as the "major theme" for a unit, and any others are treated as "related themes." For each unit, a wide range of materials, including some optional components, is available for students and teachers.

  • Changes in Ecosystems, 3.8

  • Changes in Matter, 1.19

  • Earth and Beyond, 4.12

  • Earth's Ecosystems, 3.12

  • Earth's Solid Crust, 4.18

  • Forces and Machines, 1.30

  • Life Changes through Time, 2.33

  • Using Energy, 1.38

D.35 National Geographic Kids Network series

The National Geographic Kids Network series is a telecommunications-based program for grades 3-9 that emphasizes collaborative student research on real-world issues. The series includes 7 units for grades 3-6 and 9 units for grades 6-9. Each unit includes a kit and an 8-week telecommunications package.

  • Acid Rain, 3.6

  • Too Much Trash? 3.29

  • What's in Our Water? 3.36

D.36 New Directions Teaching Units

The New Directions Teaching Units focus on developing scientific literacy and conceptual understanding. They were designed to reflect the ideas about teaching, learning, and curriculum in the Michigan Essential Goals and Objectives for K-12 Science Education, which were developed by the Michigan Science Education Resources Project. Several New Directions Teaching Units can be used with middle school students.

  • Food, Energy, and Growth, 2.22

  • Hard As Ice, 1.7

  • The Lives of Plants, 2.34

  • Steamed Up! 5.50

D.37 Problem-Solving Activities for Middle-Level Science series

The Problem-Solving Activities for Middle-Level Science series consists of 8 stand-alone modules. Each module contains 2 to 6 units focused on technological and/or ethical aspects of issues involving science, technology, and society. The series was designed so that teachers might select modules and units that address local needs and draw on local community resources. A module requires 3 to 8 weeks to complete, depending on the units selected. Supplies and equipment may be required that are not typically part of a school's science inventory.

  • Energy and Communications: How Can We Send and Receive Information? 1.27

  • Epidemics: Can We Escape Them? 2.21

  • The Human Body: How Can I Maintain and Care for Myself? 2.28

  • Solid Waste: Is There a Solution? 3.28

  • Using Earth's Resources: What Are the Trade-offs? 4.34

  • Water: Can We Keep It Fit for Life? 3.35

  • Wildlife and Humanity: Can We Share the Earth? 3.37

D.38 Project Earth Science series

The Project Earth Science series consists of 4 volumes for students in middle and junior high school. Each volume focuses on a single area in earth science—astronomy, geology, meteorology, or physical oceanography—and contains a collection of hands-on activities and a series of readings related to the topic area. The central theme of the series is the uniqueness of the earth among the planets in the solar system.

  • Project Earth Science: Astronomy, 4.25

  • Project Earth Science: Geology, 4.26

  • Project Earth Science: Meteorology, 4.27

D.39 Real-World Mathematics through Science series

The Real-World Mathematics through Science series consists of 10 units for grades 6-8. Each unit combines pre-algebra topics with science explorations to motivate students in both areas of study. Students work in cooperative groups to solve open-ended problems and make connections between real-world mathematics and science.

  • Classifying Fingerprints, 5.30

D.40 Scholastic Science Place series

The Scholastic Science Place series is a K-6 program with 42 units, 6 for each grade level. The 6 units for grade 6 are organized under topics in the life, earth, and physical sciences. Three key themes—scale and structure, systems and interactions, and patterns of change—are incorporated into the program. For each unit, teaching materials, student materials, and some optional components are available.

  • Biodiversity: Understanding the Variety of Life, 2.17

  • How Telecommunications Works: How People Use Energy to Communicate, 5.40

  • The Universe: Exploring Stars, Constellations, and Galaxies, 4.33

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
×

D.41 Science Technology and Reading (STAR) series

Designed for the upper elementary grades, the Science Technology and Reading (STAR) series consists of 8 thematic "labs" in the natural and physical sciences. Each lab focuses both on science activities and on a genre of children's literature, developing correlations between the science process and the process of reading. In addition to a teacher's guide for each of the 8 labs, the STAR program includes a mentor's guide for scientists, engineers, and others assisting in the classroom.

  • Ecology Lab, 3.14

  • Flight Lab, 1.29

  • Geology Lab, 4.22

  • Inventor's Lab, 1.31

D.42 TLTG [Texas Learning Technology Group] Environmental Science Series

The TLTG Environmental Science Series is a multimedia program for grades 7-12. Designed for the single-computer classroom, the 4 units in this series focus on environmental pollution and health-related issues from a variety of perspectives. For each unit, all video, graphics, and text-based materials—including the teacher's and students' guides—are contained on a CD-ROM.

  • Health Risk: Shadow over Crystal Valley, 3.17

D.43 A World in Motion II: The Design Experience series

A World in Motion II: the Design Experience series consists of 3 units on using science, mathematics, and technology to explore the process of design. Each unit engages students in a problem-solving context for which they must create a design or solution to address a particular need or problem. The active participation of volunteers in the classroom is a distinguishing feature of this series.

  • A World in Motion II: The Design Experience, Challenge 2, 5.54

INDIVIDUAL SUPPLEMENTARY UNITS

D.44 The following units, which are not part of formal series, are

annotated in the Supplementary Units sections of chapters 1 through 5.
  • Biology Is Outdoors! A Comprehensive Resource for Studying School Environments, 3.7

  • From Genes to Jeans: An Activity-Based Unit on Genetic Engineering and Agriculture, 2.24

  • How Much Is Too Much? How Little Is Too Little? Factors That Affect Plant Growth, 2.27

  • Hydroponic Instructional Package, 2.29

  • The Interrelationships of Soil, Water, and Fertilizers and How They Affect Plant Growth, 2.30

  • Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions: Skill Development Program, 3.18

  • Investigating and Evaluating STS Issues and Solutions: A Worktext for STS Education, 5.42

  • The Monitor's Handbook, 3.23

  • The Pondwater Tour, 3.27

  • Power Plants: A Plant-Based Energy Curriculum for Grades 5 through 8, 2.41

  • Rainforest Researchers, 2.42

  • Understanding Basic Ecological Concepts, 3.31

  • Zebra Mussel Mania, 2.45

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix D." Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. 1998. Resources for Teaching Middle School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5774.
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Next: THE INDEXES »
Resources for Teaching Middle School Science Get This Book
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With age-appropriate, inquiry-centered curriculum materials and sound teaching practices, middle school science can capture the interest and energy of adolescent students and expand their understanding of the world around them.

Resources for Teaching Middle School Science, developed by the National Science Resources Center (NSRC), is a valuable tool for identifying and selecting effective science curriculum materials that will engage students in grades 6 through 8. The volume describes more than 400 curriculum titles that are aligned with the National Science Education Standards.

This completely new guide follows on the success of Resources for Teaching Elementary School Science, the first in the NSRC series of annotated guides to hands-on, inquiry-centered curriculum materials and other resources for science teachers.

The curriculum materials in the new guide are grouped in five chapters by scientific area—Physical Science, Life Science, Environmental Science, Earth and Space Science, and Multidisciplinary and Applied Science. They are also grouped by type—core materials, supplementary units, and science activity books.

Each annotation of curriculum material includes a recommended grade level, a description of the activities involved and of what students can be expected to learn, a list of accompanying materials, a reading level, and ordering information.

The curriculum materials included in this book were selected by panels of teachers and scientists using evaluation criteria developed for the guide. The criteria reflect and incorporate goals and principles of the National Science Education Standards. The annotations designate the specific content standards on which these curriculum pieces focus.

In addition to the curriculum chapters, the guide contains six chapters of diverse resources that are directly relevant to middle school science. Among these is a chapter on educational software and multimedia programs, chapters on books about science and teaching, directories and guides to science trade books, and periodicals for teachers and students.

Another section features institutional resources. One chapter lists about 600 science centers, museums, and zoos where teachers can take middle school students for interactive science experiences. Another chapter describes nearly 140 professional associations and U.S. government agencies that offer resources and assistance.

Authoritative, extensive, and thoroughly indexed—and the only guide of its kind—Resources for Teaching Middle School Science will be the most used book on the shelf for science teachers, school administrators, teacher trainers, science curriculum specialists, advocates of hands-on science teaching, and concerned parents.

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