This year we have some exciting changes to Corpus Christi’s Science program. I am happy to have been asked to be the dedicated Science teacher for grades 4-8. Science is my passion and favorite subject, so I am thrilled to be able to teach it to so many students at different grade levels. Corpus Christi School has been transitioning over the past few years to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and has taken the next step to fully implement the new standards. Next Generation Science Standards focus more on practice, observation, questioning, and engineering than on content or memorizing facts. Students are required to think critically to make observations and formulate testable questions which they can then investigate to come up with answers on their own. It is a student-driven process vs. a teacher-driven process. The teacher is more of a guide than an instructor. All students in grades 4-8 will attend hands-on investigation sessions every week down in our Science Lab.
Corpus Christi has also invested in all new Full Option Science System™ (FOSS) Science Kits for grades K-5. The FOSS program was created by the Lawrence Hall of Science and has been updated to align with the Next Generation Science Standards. In preparation to implement the new standards, I have been attending workshops over the past 3 years. Formulating questions and participating in hands-on investigations to come up with their own findings helps students better solidify their understanding of the Crosscutting Concepts, Science and Engineering Practices, and Disciplinary Core Ideas of the NGSS. I love getting kids excited about Science and its processes. I am hoping to work around the school to bring more exciting additions and get students outside, observing our natural world more.