California Standards, Frameworks, & Blueprints

Science Standards
http://www.cde.ca.gov/standards
-California Department of Education's official Webpage for K-12 Content Standards; provides the scope and sequence for instruction at each grade level.

Science Curriculum Framework
http://www.cde.ca.gov/cfir/curfrwk.htm
-California Department of Education's official Webpage for K-12 Curriculum Frameworks; a comprehensive document which incorporates standards, strategies, and rationale.

California Standards Test Blueprints
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/star/resources/blueprints.html
-California Department of Education's official Webpage for K-12 Curriculum Blueprints; assists teachers in making instructional decisions in order to prepare for the annual state assessments (STAR).

^ back to top

Standards-based Lesson Plans

Ask Eric: Lesson Plans
http://askeric.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Science
-lesson plans for topics in science from agriculture to space sciences for grades K-12.

Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (ENC)
http://www.enc.org/features/lessonplans/science
-lesson plans and activities for many science topics including process skills for grades K-12.

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
http://www.mcrel.org/lesson-plans/science/index.asp
-links to sites that contain lesson plans for grades K-12.

National Science Teachers Association
http://www.nsta.org/recommendedsites/default.asp?category=14
-links to sites that contain lesson plans including the American Teacher that includes 200,000 plans.

SCORE - Schools of California Online Resources for Education
SCORE Science Lessons
http://scorescience.humboldt.k12.ca.us/
-the official site of the Humboldt County of Education that contains lesson plans tied to the California Science Standards.

^ back to top

Differentiated Instruction for the EL Student

California Science Project Newsletter Articles on English Learners
http://csmp.ucop.edu/csp/news/connection.html
-the September 2000 issue of the Newsletter contains articles about science education for English Learners.

California Science Project English Language Development Initiative
http://csmp.ucop.edu/csp/initiative.html
-statement of policy in regards to ELD from the California Science Project.

Center for Multilingual Multicultural Research
http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~cmmr/BEResources.html
-links to articles of general interest to a teacher of English Learners.

Electronic Journal of Literacy through Science
http://sweeneyhall.sjsu.edu/ejlts
-articles on diversity and multiculturalism, scientific literacy and school practices.

Effective Instruction for English Language Learners: A Discussion
http://www.csus.edu/ier/reports/bilingual.pdf
-the text of a discussion on Effective Instruction for English Language Learners sponsored by the California Education Policy Seminar and the California State University Institute for Education Reform.

English Learners: Language and Culture in Education
http://www.cde.ca.gov/el/
-the California Department of Education's website for English Learners and implications of the federal policy of No Child Left Behind on science education.

ESL/SDAIE Resources for Secondary Teachers of Science
http://www.stanford.edu/~kerrye/science.htm
-ESL/SDAIE resources, especially science study skills, for secondary teachers of science, grades 6-12.

Everything ESL.net
http://www.everythingesl.net
-lesson plans, teaching tips, and classroom activities for ELLs, grades K-12.

National clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs NCELA)
http://www.ncebe.gwu.edu
-online library and links to articles about learning science for ELs; perform a search using "science" as the key word.

Teaching Science Effectively to Limited English Proficient Students
http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/digest/dig87.asp
an article from ERIC Digest; also contains a comprehensive reference section.

^ back to top

Differentiated Instruction for Special Needs

Science Special Education Resources
http://cesme.utm.edu/resources/special.html
-articles and links to science resources for special education from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Education Development Center
http://www.edc.org/spotlight/mosaic3/student.htm
-an article entitled "Teaching Inclusive Science Through Collaboration" from the Education Development Center.

^ back to top

Interdisciplinary Instruction

Science and Literacy
http://www.aaas.org/education/
-the American Association for the Advancement of Science project 2061 advocates the necessity of teaching science literacy, and science and literacy.

Reading and Science
http://www.wested.org/
-WestEd, a Regional Educational Laboratory, is nonprofit organization dedicated to educational research and professional development.

Habits of Mind
http://www.project2061.org/research/articles/wapost.htm
-a delightful article that captures the essence of being a scientist for an elementary school student.

^ back to top

Formal & Informal Assessment

California Department of Education, Standards and Assessment Division
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/celdt/celdt.html
-exam blueprint for the California English Language Development Test (CELDT).

Formative Assessment in Science
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/SEAL/Presentation/Presentation%20PDF/On%20Formative%20Assessment%202001.pdf
-pdf file of the value of formative assessments in science.

Implementing Assessment in the K-12 Science Classroom
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/cose/Implementing_Assessment.html
-provides a rationale and methodology for implementing formative assessment in the K-12 science classroom from the National Academy of Science.

Assessment in Science
http://www.mcrel.org/programs/hpc/products/EdThoughts_Science/assessmentInSci.html
-Mid-continent Eisenhower Regional Consortium articles about assessing inquiry in the science classroom.

^ back to top

Additional Web Resources

SciLinks - Connects Teachers and Students to Websites, Experts and Activities through a textbook
http://www.scilinks.org
-resource that connect science concepts in textbooks with a smorgasbord of web links; use with Harcourt science series, grades K-5; Holt, grades 6-8; Prentice-Hall, grades 6-8.

Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM), The
http://www.thegateway.org
-educational resources, including science, found on various federal, state, university, non-profit and commercial Internet sites.

Full Option Science System (FOSS) - Lawrence Hall of Science, U. C. Berkeley
http://lhsfoss.org/
-the philosophy of the program and a link to FOSSweb.com that contains interactive activities and teacher support for the FOSS program divided into grades K-2 and 3-6.

Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS)
http://www.lhsgems.org/
-GEMS alignment with science standards and philosophy of the program; online science activities and videos.

Harcourt Brace Publishers
http://www.harcourtschool.com
-articles for teachers and parents, science video clips and interactive activities for students for the K-5 Harcourt textbook series.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - teachers
http://www.epa.gov/teachers/
-links to grants, grant writing, community resources, workshops and conferences for teachers.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - students
http://www.epa.gov/kids/
-games, links to websites, and air quality information for kids; also links to middle and high school sites.

Busy Teachers Website - Georgia Tech
http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/busyt/
-links to biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy and other science topics.

^ back to top

Books & Publications

Atlas of Science Literacy, NSTApress
http://www.project2061.org/tools/atlas/default.htm
-49conceptual maps depicting a timeline for conceptual growth in science .

Science and Children
http://www.nsta.org/120/#journal
-NSTA’s professional journal for elementary schoolteachers.

Science Scope
http://www.nsta.org/122/#journal
-NSTA’s professional journal for middle school and junior high school teachers.

Journal of Research in Science Teaching
http://journals.wiley.com/0022-4308/
-official journal of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching; only abstracts of articles are available online.

The International Journal of Science Education
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/09500693.html
-the source page for access to other international science education journals.

NARST Research Matters - to the Science Teacher
http://www2.educ.sfu.ca/narstsite/publications/research/research.html
-more than 40 articles exploring research in science education .

^ back to top

Teacher Professional Organizations

National Association for Research in Science Teaching
http://www2.educ.sfu.ca/narstsite/
-a worldwide organization of professional educators committed to the improvement of science teaching and learning through research.

National Science Teachers Association
http://www.nsta.org/
-the world’s largest organization devoted to the teaching and learning of science; their mission statement is “... to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all."

California Science Teachers Association
http://www.cascience.org/
-from the organization’s vision statement: “Promote and support all aspects of effective science teaching, including new technologies and instructional strategies; encourage the natural curiosity of learners at all levels; increase scientific literacy and the application of science to everyday life; promote science as a vehicle for lifelong learning for all citizens; assume a leadership role in advocating for science education and creating an understanding of the value of science.”

Greater Los Angeles Science Teachers Association
http://www.lalc.k12.ca.us/GLATSA/glatsa_index.html
-hosts an annual science conference in Los Angeles at the end of February, K-12.

National Association of Biology Teachers
http://www.nabt.org/
-provides resources for biology and life science teachers, K-16.

American Association of Physics Teachers
http://www.aapt.org/
-AAPT's mission is “to enhance the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching” at all grade levels.

National Earth Science Teachers Association
http://www.nestanet.org/
-site contains information about the association, membership, the association’s journal “The Earth Scientist”, and events.

American Chemical Society
http://acs.org
-the Society’s 163,000 members contribute to scientific knowledge and education; the wondernet website provides safe new activities for youngsters, K-16.

Council for Elementary Science International - division affiliate of NSTA
http://unr.edu/homepage/crowther/cesi.html
-The Council is designed for teachers of grades K-8 and for pre-teachers of those grade levels; the Council produces a periodical called CESI Science.

^ back to top

Family and Community Resources

Los Angeles Urban System Program
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/lasi/
-a resource funded by the National Science Foundation and LAUSD; provides professional development and materials for teachers grades K-12; maintains six science centers throughout Los Angeles.

K-12 Science Alliance
http://www.k12alliance.net/product.html
-an alliance of formerly three science organizations providing professional development of science teachers throughout the State of California.

Los Angeles River Tour
http://www.lalc.k12.ca.us/target/units/river/tour/
-virtual river tour of the Los Angeles River.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
http://www.nps.gov/samo/
-site dedicated to the resources in this vast urban wilderness.

Channel Islands National Park
http://www.nps.gov/chis/
-this National Park contains many hiking trails and is accessible by charter boat.

^ back to top

Multimedia Resources

Lesson Study in Japan: Can you Lift 100kg?
http://www.lessonresearch.net/LessonCycle.html
-Part II of a three part video involving a lesson in Japan of 5th graders who are assigned the task of designing a device to lift a 100kg weight.

Great Explorations in Math and Science
http://lhsgems.org/videos.html
-nine videos that orient the teacher to classic GEMS units

^ back to top

Instructional Technology Resources

MarcoPolo: Internet Content for the Classroom
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/index.aspx
-Science NetLinks contains a plethora of lessons, tools, resources for K-12 teachers

Instructional Technology in Science
http://www.mcrel.org/programs/hpc/products/EdThoughts_Science/instructTechnology.html
-Mid-continent Eisenhower Regional Consortium article about the use of technology to improve science skills and science inquiry

^ back to top