Issue-Based Science | Developed by SEPUP | Lawrence Hall of Science
If you're familiar with current NGSS work you know the use of phenomena is a big deal. The issues in SEPUP middle and high school 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.
What will students be doing?
Students using Lab-Aids programs quickly come to expect that they will be purposefully active during science. Science and Engineering Practices are a regular part of their week and are the main vehicle for content as students collect data, engage in relevant dialog, and keep notes both on what they've learned and their understanding as it develops.
Three Dimensional Learning
Connecting the 3 dimensions
Correlation documents, like those below, 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 their middle school development of Issues and Science: Designed for the NGSS to be sure the curriculum truly weaves the dimensions together.
Equitable access to learn
Both middle and high school units are student-driven; consistently fostering student questions and making sure that students feel that their questions are leading the learning experience. All units have embedded opportunities for students to demonstrate their understandings and abilities in a variety of ways, including some that don’t rely on English speaking or writing skills.
Middle School Courses | New York City
EdReports
Issues and Science has earned the second-highest overall scores for middle school science curriculum. EdReports found Issues and Science to fully meet expectations for three-dimensional learning and assessment, to present phenomena and problems as directly as possible, and to use the assessment system to show evidence of increasing student sophistication in the content from grade six to grade eight.
Look through a typical unit
Take ten minutes to watch an overview of one unit, Energy, from Issues and Science 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 NGSS units are structured.
Recommended Middle School Programs for New York City
View the Issues and Science Middle School Curriculum Student Books, Teacher Editions, and Teacher Resource information here.
High School Courses | New York City
SEPUP Science and Global Issues: Biology
Sustainability
Ecology
Cell Biology
Genetics
Evolution
SEPUP Science and Sustainability
Living on Earth
Feeding the World
Using Earth's Resources
Moving the World
Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel
A Natural Approach To Chemistry
Part 1: Fundamentals
Part 2: Core Concepts
Part 3: Applications
EDC Earth Science
Hydrosphere: Water in Earth's Systems
Atmosphere and Climate
Earth's Place in the Universe
Plate Tectonics
The Rock Cycle
Earth Resources
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHER SUPPORTS
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.
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.
Online Portal Trial
All programs allow teachers online access to the Teacher Edition, student books, relevant student sheets and visual aids, editable PowerPoints, assessment tools, and additional web content. This can be customized for each district's needs.
