Listen to our “Teaching the Science Series” webinar.
First, we recommend slowing down and trying not to cover too much information in too little time. Also, in the front matter of the Teacher Edition, we suggest that schools consider covering only one chapter per unit if they have limited time for science. Rushing through the material is only going to make both teachers and students frustrated. Another important factor is that the teachers are going to want to read the Content and Directed Instructions portions in the Teacher Edition before they begin any lesson. They will get much more comfortable with the content in a couple of years, but right now they need the background information that is in the TE. There is really no way around it. Another thing that will give great meaning to the students comes when they complete the Science Notebook pages with their respective lesson. These activities and exercises support and extend what is in the student textbook. Students have hands-on experiences that allow them to become more comfortable and secure with the material they are covering. Yes, it takes a little work to collect the different items, but it will be well worth it when teachers see kids becoming engaged with their learning and the lightbulbs come on. Additionally, for Levels 4–6, there are the Vocabulary Review and Chapter Review sections at the end of each chapter. These will help students better prepare for the Chapter Test. Also, Additional Assessments are included and can be used as alternative assessments.
We suggest that the kindergarten teachers collaborate with the 1st grade teachers and decide on two or three chapters to teach the kindergarten students from the Level 1 Science series. These chapters would then become exclusively Kindergarten science topics with their corresponding lessons and activities.
Yes, although the series has been designed for standard classroom use, it can easily be adapted for homeschool purposes. The primary modification would be to reduce the amount of supplies needed for the hands-on activities. It is important to remember for Levels 4–6 that the Teacher Edition, the student textbook, and the Science Notebook are all integral elements for the students’ success.
There are activities on the Blackline Masters (BLMs), provided with each Teacher Edition. For Levels 1–3, most of the activities are on the BLMs. For Levels 4–6, most of the activities are in the Science Notebook, with backup information/preparation listed on the BLMs. Most often the teachers work through the Science Notebook activities with their students.
Many of the supplies needed for labs and experiments are readily available. Most of them can be collected from home, the grocery store, or hardware store. We strongly suggest purchasing our Science Equipment kit; however, if you can only purchase a few items at a time, your teachers may want to start by focusing on the labs that have more easily acquired materials. If some labs are impractical for the supplies on hand, have your teachers perform the labs as demonstrations. Also, some alternatives are provided in the Alternatives sidebars. You could ask to borrow equipment from another school. As a last resort, skip activities that prove too cumbersome.
There is a materials list provided in each lesson as well as a comprehensive list at the beginning of each chapter in the Chapter Preparation section.
Each grade level of our science series includes a unit on the human body. In this unit, we teach the science about the body as well as how to take care of the body.
Yes, the scope and sequence of Purposeful Design Science incorporates the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for K–8. Benchmarks for science literacy from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and science education standards from selected states were also integrated. In addition to meeting science standards, Purposeful Design Science is committed to thoroughly integrating a biblical worldview into all instructional materials. Additional worldview content is provided for teachers, and all instructional materials take a biblical stance toward the natural world and toward the scientific investigation of that world.
If you plan to cover an entire grade level textbook each year, we recommend you use one grade level one year and the other grade level the next; start with the lower grade level textbook. If your school is only planning to complete half of the textbook each year, we would suggest using Level 1 for grades 1–2, Level 3 for grades 3–4, and then challenge the advanced students with the additional activities at the end of the Teacher Edition chapters. For grades 5 and 6, use Level 5 and assign extra Links activities, Challenge Questions, and additional assessments and science activities to the higher level students. The goal of the additional assignments is to engage the higher level students in each class to expand their foundational knowledge of science, not just to be given a greater quantity of work.
The animal cards are provided on the Animal Cards I and the Animal Cards II posters. Follow the directions on page 38 in the Preparation sidebar of the Teacher Edition to prepare the cards for your class.
E-mail your question or idea directly to the Science Editorial Team