Science
Curriculum
2003-2004
Topics
Textbook
(Table of Contents and Sources)
As I did with Map Reading and Geography, I created a
textbook for each science topic. Each textbook was simply a three-ring binder
using dividers for chapter headings. Integrated into each topic were the
following language
arts exercises.
Comprehension Questions (answer questions, fill in the blanks, matching,
cloze activities, multiple choice)
Outlining
text and oral presentation from outlines
Writing
summaries
Compare
and contrast activities (Venn
diagrams)
Outlining
in preparation for writing
Writing
guided research papers
Spelling
and Vocabulary Exercises for content words
We
used this program so that Eric would have some audio-visual input into his
science program. The captions were critical for him to understand what was
going on each video. Generally he watched the videos at the end of the school
day.
Because
this science curriculum is text based, it is easy to incorporate language arts topics into the subject matter. It always amazed me
that educators would teach ìexpositoryî writing using different subjects from what the children were learning about
outside of writing class.. The children would learn about some non-fiction
topic in social studies or science and then go to writing class where they were
to study some totally unrelated non-fiction subject and write about it. In
Ericís curriculum, he learns to write about what he has just learned.
Iím
not fond of busy science books or random topics. For example, I HATE the Magic
School Bus technique. Too many disjointed factoids flying around the page, ugh.
Or worse, the teaching of seemingly random topics (those calendars with
activities matching each day of the month come to mind) I canít imagine how
anyone could assemble a coherent body of knowledge being taught unrelated
factoids from day to day.
I
do think that science lends itself to visual materials and I donít mind showing
some pictures or videos as a supplement to his text. We have many animal books
available for Eric to look through as well as a childrenís animal encyclopedia,
but we donít use those as primary materials. Before a subject in introduced, I
scan any reference or supplemental materials we have on hand and mark any
interesting visual aids. These sources are looked at after the primary reading. One reason for this separation
is that I have yet to find a source that has an appropriate reading level AND
age appropriate visuals. We keep our reading to learn material at one year
BELOW our actual learning to
read level. Controlling the reading level allows
Eric to learn science without struggling with the reading
