Comprehensive High School Science Curriculum

Foundation Science project developed four full years of standards-based science, comprising two semesters each of chemistry, physics, biology, and earth science.

This series of introductory science courses was designed to engage and motivate students in the learning of science content while preparing them for life in the 21st century. Important attributes of the Foundation Science series are as follows:

• Concepts, practices, and skills are based on recommendations in national standards and representative state frameworks.
• Real-world challenges engage and motivate students to learn science, leading them to recognize its importance in their lives and to pursue further science courses and careers.
• Classroom activities support the construction of meaning, science practices, and reading, writing and communication skills.
• Opportunities abound for discussions and cooperative learning. Discussions occur at three levels—pair, small group, and whole class—and serve multiple purposes in the classroom.
• Learning goals, outcomes, and assessments are closely aligned and clearly delineated.
• An educative teacher guide provides detailed information on misconceptions, teaching strategies, sequencing, and science background.

This program was funded by the National Science Foundation and developed by a team of experienced curriculum developers, educational researchers, scientists, teachers, and assessment specialists, The curriculum was extensively tested—100 teachers and more than 1,700 students in urban, suburban, and rural districts across the country participated in our field test. Field-test results indicated that students were highly engaged in the materials and demonstrated significant gains in their mastery of science concepts.