GET TO KNOW LAB-AIDS MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
If you're familiar with current NGSS work you know the use of phenomena is a big deal. The issues in SEPUP's Issues and Science for California provide context for relevant and connected phenomena within the unit. Not just an event or process that links scientific content - it is the big idea that has meaning in students' lives and is anchored in real-world events. These issues connect the why for students, "Why does this matter?"
Issue-oriented science forms the foundation of SEPUP’s curriculum materials and it is the only secondary science program to do so.
Connecting the three dimensions
Alignment documents, like those below and featured in the video above, have value during a curriculum review. But no matter how thorough, it is difficult to visualize the connectedness of the three-dimensions in such a format. Enter the Learning Pathway - a tool used by SEPUP during development to be sure the curriculum truly weaves the dimensions together.
The focus of student learning in these instructional materials—both instruction and assessment of learning—is on student performances that integrate all three dimensions.
Correlations for California NGSS
This document shows how Issues and Science for California, developed by SEPUP, aligns with the California Preferred Integrated Model for the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core documents. Issues and Science for California was officially adopted in November 2018 by the California State Board of Education.
TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE LAB-AIDS SCIENCE LAB NOTEBOOK
A science notebook not only models the way scientists work, but it helps to develop and reinforce students’ science learning and literacy skills.
The Lab-Aids Science Lab Notebook is designed to support best practice note-booking strategies. It includes three-hole punched pages in a two-column design for Cornell-style notes. GraphAnywhere pages allow students to both write and easily create data-tables and graphs anywhere on the page. The unique “Lab-Log” column serves as a blank canvas for drawings, connections, and self-reflective notes. 160 pages total.
Units are student-driven; consistently fostering student questions and making sure that students feel that their questions are leading the learning experience. All units are designed so that students may demonstrate their understandings and abilities in a variety of ways, including some that don’t rely on English speaking or writing skills.
Sample Selections for Ventura
After reviewing the following content, scroll down to the Teacher Portal registration.
Grade Level Courses | Designed for Ventura
Finding the evidence and phenomena
What do you look for when selecting quality instructional materials? How do you arrive at your final top choices? Watch this video to get a sense of what evidence of NGSS design is offered in the SEPUP program and where to find it.
Look through a typical unit
Take ten minutes to watch an overview of one unit, Energy, from the 6th grade program Issues and Science for California, developed by SEPUP. The first five minutes covers the unit's anchoring phenomenon, the unit issue, and a brief visit to each lesson, while the second half takes a deep dive into one activity. This is a great way to quickly see how SEPUP's California NGSS units are structured.
Online Portal Access
LAB-AIDS HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM
- High School Biology Science and Global Issues: Biology
- High School Chemistry A Natural Approach to Chemistry
- High School Earth Science EDC: Earth Science
- High School Environmental Science Science and Sustainability
Take a tour
Take a tour through the features and organization of the Teacher Edition and Student Book for Science and Global Issues: Biology.
Different from a traditional textbook, this program gives students the opportunity to explore the issues of real-world problems through unique hands-on labs and investigations. Embedded literacy supports and assessment, as well as all the needed equipment, are included.
Science and Global Issues: Biology (SGI: Biology), developed by SEPUP at the Lawrence Hall of Science, uses an issue-oriented approach to connect biology to students' lives and communities. Activities and investigations, tied to the unit issue and phenomena, require students consider apply scientific evidence and to analyze the trade-offs involved in personal and societal decisions.
Each unit issue must be engaging to diverse students, be sustainable over time, must foster debate, and require an understanding of important concepts and processes in order to make evidence based decisions. The program avoids taking a position on the issues, but rather provides students with the understanding and skills that will allow them to make their own evidence informed decisions.
The five units in this program look at the issues of human impact on ecosystems, world health, genetically modified organisms, and biodiversity - complex issues that have no simple solutions.
Understanding the scientific concepts behind these issues is essential. In each unit students are challenged to reason scientifically while applying their understanding of the main concepts. Students gather and analyze associated evidence, review possible actions to address the issue, and develop arguments from evidence while considering the trade-offs of each decision.
A Natural Approach to Chemistry gives students the opportunity to do chemistry, not just read about it. In this high school program students learn the science to understand how chemistry is relevant to their lives.
Chemistry taught as it was meant to be taught. This program puts the relevance of understanding chemistry front and center through its spiraling, integrated, and coordinated learning system. Essential chemistry content is explored through labs, activities, and readings in a context that is topical, meaningful, and accessible for high school students. Hands-on labs and activities are integrated within a more classic textbook framework as students use specially designed probe-ware and other unique equipment to gather, analyze, and model data.
A different kind of program
Updated for the NGSS, EDC Earth Science incorporates the three dimensions of each NGSS Performance Expectation for high school earth science. This program:
- integrates 59 meaningful hands-on activities,
- includes embedded literacy strategies and comprehensive teacher support,
- and is packed with relevant Big Data to help students prepare for our data driven future.
EDC Earth Science is designed around the belief that students are capable of rigorous and in-depth explorations in science when given adequate support, structure, and motivation for learning.
Students perform over 59 data-intensive Earth Science investigations, all set in real-world contexts. They also engage in a variety of other activities, including topical fiction and non-fiction readings and research projects and presentations that build critical life and scientific literacy skills.
Using the CONSIDER-INVESTIGATE-PROCESS framework, students bring their own ideas to the forefront before considering a challenge question. From here students INVESTIGATE to gather and synthesize information from readings, demos, and activities; carry out research, collect, and analyze data; and communicate their thinking. Finally, in PROCESS, they share solutions, logic, and reasoning, sometimes reconsidering a conclusion after hearing from others.
Video tour of EDC: Earth Science
TAKE A LOOK INSIDE
Help your students understand that science is not only a part of their everyday lives, but that the decisions they make play a role in their local communities. The Science and Sustainability (S&S) course uses themes and activities related to local and global sustainability to present key concepts from the life, earth, chemical, and physical sciences.
Supports the use of interdisciplinary bundles of NGSS Performance Expectations for instruction as well as support for Common Core ELA and Mathematics. Science and Sustainability is a truly integrated approach to understanding the complex environmental issues of today.
A complete learning system
Each program component references the others to form a cohesive learning system for teachers and students.
Professional Development and teacher supports
Build sustainability
Science educators have come to trust Lab-Aids as a valuable resource for engaging and worth-while professional development - whether it's an on-site implementation training, the Summer Academy to develop internal leadership, or a day focused on new standards or best-practice strategies.
Professional development is a critical component of any new instructional material implementation, perhaps now more than ever. Lab-Aids works build internal leadership and long-term sustainability of the program. This professional development additionally supports a deepened understanding of the new standards and how they strive to serve all students.
Questions?
Want to see a Lab-Aids specialist get really excited? Ask to see our evidence of NGSS design in our middle and high school programs.