Curriculum Analysis and Science Unit

Due:  Feb. 9/12 and Feb. 23/26

Students will design a science curriculum unit based on an analysis of various science curriculum resources as well as national and state requirements.

Curriculum Analysis

This section will review various science curriculum resources and the NSTA Pathways. It should include:

(1) An overview of the general goals of your topic, including the broad concepts and processes that will be covered in your unit.

(2) A rationale for your topic choice. Why this particular topic and not another? Why is it appropriate for students at this particular age? How do the activities relate to your interests, class constraints, and the children's interests? How does the unit fit into larger curricular goals?

(3) Specific process goals, such as observation, data collection, communication, etc., related to the national and state standards.

(4)  Specific content goals, related to the national and state standards.

(5) A comparison of the treatment of this topic from at least four sources (not all of the same type). These sources might include, activity-based curriculum projects, textbook series, activity-resource books or journals, children's tradebooks, science museum or nature center kits, the Web.
 

 Science Unit

Bring together your knowledge of the science standards, your familiarity with various curriculum materials, and your developing expertise in your topic to create a hands-on, minds-on science unit. It should include:

(6) A brief statement describing your actual unit. This should include your topic and a brief summary of the basic concepts or themes covered in your unit. This builds on the curriculum analysis section, but it focuses on how the actual lessons are tied together.

(7) At least four inquiry-based science activities written in lesson plan format (objectives, materials, procedures, evaluation).
 

OR:

Web Unit

Construct a Web page for your science unit. It should include items (1) through (4) from the curriculum analysis above.

Then, build a hypertext that includes links to existing lessons and science resources in such a form that another teacher could use what you have done to teach an integrated science unit.
 

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January 25, 1998

Chip Bruce Email: chip@uiuc.edu