science teaching materials

Curriculum Laboratory

Science Teaching Materials
(With reference to science textbooks and how to evaluate them, and highly recommended science activities series for grades K-9)

For further assistance in using any of the resources in the Lab, please ask at the Curriculum
Lab Information Services Desk

Define your topic, and check basic sources. According to Alberta Education's Program of Studies (Interim Science Grades 7-9) , the goals of science education are to:

encourage students to develop a critical sense or wonder about science and technology,
enable students to use science and technology to acquire new knowledge and solve problems,
prepare students to critically address science related societal, economic, ethical and environmental issues,
provide students with a foundation that prepares them for higher levels of studies, science-related occupations and hobbies,
enable students to develop knowledge of careers related to science, technology, and the environment.

The program foundations provide general direction for the program and identify its major components:

Science, Technology, and Society
Knowledge -- Students will construct knowledge in life science, physical science, and earth and space science, and apply these understandings.
Skills
Attitudes

Get relevant Alberta curriculum publications. Science is covered in Alberta Education's curriculum publications in these places:

Elementary, Junior High and Senior High Schools Program of Studies (375 Gen) -- covers what must be taught in Alberta schools.
The new Science 10 Program of Studies is available at "375 Science Alta Gr. 10," as directed by the purple sheet in the Senior High Program of Studies binders.
The Science 20-30 Program of Studies can be found at "375 Science Alta. Gr.11-12," as directed by the purple sheet in the Senior High Program of Studies.
The Biology, Chemistry and Physics 20/30 Program of Studies can be found, as directed by the purple sheets in the Senior High Program of Studies, at 375 Sci (Bio) Alta. Gr. 11-12, 375 Sci (Chem) Alta. Gr. 11-12, and 375 Sci (Phys) Alta. Gr. 11-12.
The Knowledge and Employability Science Program of Studies can be found at: 375 KE (Sci) Alta. Gr.10-12.
"Safety in the Science Classroom" can be found at 375 Science Alta. Gr.EC-12.
Draft curriculum documents can be found on-line, or in the Curriculum Changes binder behind the Curriculum Laboratory Information Desk:

Other core curriculum documents provide suggestions on how teachers may implement the Program of Studies outcomes:

Let's Do Science: Grades 1-6 (375 Alta. organized from Gr.1 to Gr. 6) -- These titles are published by the Science Alberta Foundation, not Alberta Learning, but they are available at 375 Science Alta. Gr.1-6. The guides are designed to help elementary teachers plan, implement, and evaluate the outcomes in the elementary Program of Studies. Contents include: the elementary science Programs of Studies, cross-curricular connections, alternative frameworks, links to specific resources, and supplemental activities. They have been recently updated.
Let's Do Science On The Web
The Knowledge and Employability On-line Studio. This web site contains science program curriculum documents, specific lesson plans, etc.

Check on-line Curriculum document sources.
Check the Quick Reference Implementation Dates for Programs of Studies.

Other curriculum documents in the 375 Sci section include:

Sample diploma examinations or sample achievement tests, try the subject heading, "Educational tests and measurements Alberta" or a keyword search on "examinations", limited to Curr Lab only.
Castle Rock Publications has been producing two types of assessment materials, based on the Alberta Curriculum:
- "The Key" Study Guides "have been designed to help students prepare for school tests, final exams, and standardized assessments."
- "Student Notes and Problems," or SNAP workbooks, are student focused, and provide illustrative examples and explanations of the Alberta curriculum. They can be used as study aids for teachers assigning extra questions for students.
- These titles were developed using assessment items from Alberta licensed government examinations. For more information, these titles are available in the Curriculum Laboratory (search the Library Catalogue for "Castle Rock"), or see the Castle Rock Research web site.
- Implementation schedule:

2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012	2012-2013
Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Physics 30	----	K-3 (Optional) E + F	K-3 (E +F) 4-6 (Optional) (E)	4-6 (E + F)

Note: The dates above are still posted on the online Implementation Schedule (as of January 21). However, the Science Consultant informs me that the "K-3 elementary science have been postponed until 2015."

Find basic and support resources recommended by Alberta Education.

The Curriculum Laboratory orders most resources which have been approved for use in the classroom by Alberta Education. We order these items from the Learning Resources Centre (LRC). To find out what resources are recommended by Alberta Education:

Go to the Curriculum Laboratory main webpage.
Click on the link, "Alberta Education Authorized Resources Database."
You can select your "Curriculum Area," and "Grade Level." The resulting long list of resources will include items such as student textbooks, teacher's manuals, student workbooks, blackline masters, test banks, other books, CD-ROMs, DVDs, distance education resources, etc.

If you only want to find out which resources are considered the basic textbooks for that grade and subject, do the same search as above, except choose "Student Basic " from the "Authorization Status" menu.

A sample of some of the science textbooks.

Search the EUREKA! Library Catalogue. For subject searches, start with Subject Heading - Library of Congress Search, and browse the subject headings and "related subjects" which come up on the screen. Use these general subject headings or related subject links to get the best possible list of materials.

Science study and teaching
You can also add primary, elementary secondary your search. e.g. chemistry study and teaching elementary
Science experiments

For the best results, type in a specific subject heading:

e.g. life sciences, magnets, insects

Example author searches for excellent books on science experiments and activities organized by themes or units:

VanCleave, Janice -- Award winning author has produced many books on science experiments, organized into units or themes.

It can be very useful to integrate children's and young adult literature on the topic currently being taught in the Science classroom. You can find relevant fiction on a specific topic by typing into the Library Catalogue the topic PLUS the word "fiction" behind it.

The National Science Teacher's Association publishes an annual list of "Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12. The titles that appear in these lists were selected as outstanding children's science trade books." According to the web site, selection is based generally on the following criteria:

Content:

The book has substantial science content;
Information is clear, accurate, and up to date;
Theories and facts are clearly distinguished;
Facts are not oversimplified so that the information is misleading;
Generalizations are supported by facts and significant facts are not omitted; and
Books are free of gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic bias.

Presentation:

logical presentation and a clear sequence of ideas;
appropriate content level for the intended audience;
compatible text and illustrations;
illustrations that are accurate representations in size, color, and scale;
appropriate trim size and format of the book for the subject and audience; and
well organized layout that advances the text.
quality of binding, paper, reproduction, and
the appropriateness of typeface.

A large number of these titles are purchased for the Curriculum Laboratory each year, and include science activity books, as well as science books made for browsing.

If you are unhappy with the results of an author, title, or subject search, broaden your search in the Library Catalogue using Keyword Search. It searches the author, title, subject and notes fields of an item record.

Great Science Activity Books for Grade One to Nine Science list some excellent titles for which to search.
The Alberta Curriculum Correlation Chart for Recommended Elementary and Junior High Science Activity Series correlate all these titles to the Alberta curriculum.
A search for "science multimedia segments" lead you to disks of multimedia clips for junior and senior high, correlated to the Alberta curriculum. These are also available online through Tools for Teachers.
A search for "cycles of life" lead you to disks of biology multimedia clips.
A search for "multimedia chemistry" lead you to disks of chemistry multimedia clips.
A search for "mechanical universe" lead you to disks of physics multimedia clips.
A search for "Success in Science" leads you to Edmonton Public School's junior high science series, modified to a grade 4 reading level.

Browse the shelves. If you only want to search for materials in the Curriculum Lab (practical teaching materials only), click on the Limit this search button and then change the location from ANY to CURLB-Curriculum Laboratory:

Curriculum Lab hints and helps: These are some of the sections of the collection where you will find science teaching materials:

Check the Education Indexes/Databases on the Library Home Page.

You can access the science databases from the Library Home Page under Resources: Indexes/Databases by Subject.
Some science magazines for students in the Curriculum Laboratory or main Library are: 3-2-1 Contact, Chickadee Magazine, Discover, National Geographic World, Owl Magazine, Ranger Rick, Zoobooks.
Some science magazines for teachers in the Curriculum Laboratory or main library are: Alberta Science Teacher, American Biology Teacher, Green Teacher, Science and Children, Science Scope, Science Teacher, Scientific American.

Search the Internet:

The Curriculum Laboratory's Teacher's Sites lists many of the main Internet sites used by teachers, such as Alberta Education, LRC Resources Catalogues, and some comprehensive education sites containing educational issues and lesson plans, technology sites for teachers, etc.
The Curriculum Laboratory's Great Sites for Educators contains useful links such as Digital Resource Subscriptions (Learn Alberta, United Streaming Digital Video clips, etc.), Digital Reference Resources, Kid's Sites, Lesson Plans, and links for Specific School Subjects. The Science links section includes a link to Wonderville -- A great teaching tool for covering specific areas of the grade 3 to 7 Alberta science curriculum.
If you are teaching geology, check out the web unit, "Teaching Ideas Showcase: Stories In Stone, Travels In Time (A Geology Detective Hunt and Time Travel Adventure)."
Check out the handout, "Teaching Ideas Showcase: Starred Ideas for Science... Simply For the Fun (and Magic) of It!" It includes quick and easy science demonstrations, and links to excellent science trade books.
Never Write Poetry In Science Class integrates poetry and science.
Toy and Movable or Pop-Up Books... Three Cross Curricular Crafts (Egg Pop-Up Book, Small Crawling and Flying Animals Pop-Up Cards, or generic pop-up card templates for any subject) integrates art with elementary science topics.

Other Resources:

Many resources are available to science teachers from outside sources, when educational use is specified. You can obtain valuable information from:
Travel and Tourism departments

Museums (i.e. Galt Museum, Nature Centre)
Government departments (municipal, provincial, federal) (e.g. Alberta Environment)
Resource people in the community
Make use of Inter-library loan.
Use the public library, or other libraries.

Prepared by: Bill Glaister, January 2002. Updated October 2009.