Inspired by Science

Inspired by Science

Last year I was given the amazing opportunity to be a part of both the selection and pilot committee for our new science adoption. That was definitely a new experience for me. I have to say that I learned a lot. Now that we have our new materials and hopefully been able to attend the science training, it's time to jump into this new program. You may be asking yourself how to I begin.
There are 4 different units within the program. Since these units do not have to be taught in sequential order, I used the program guide to help me plan out which unit I wanted to start with. Under the section called Scope and Sequence, there is a list of all the units, modules, and lessons for grades k-5. After looking at all the units and modules with my fourth-grade team. We decided to start with Unit 3, Our Dynamic Earth. This unit lined up perfectly with the stories and essential questions that we are also teaching in the Wonders program for ELA. We also chose this unit because it lined up with our social studies content as well.
After we chose Unit 3 to start, I needed to figure out how much time I had each week to teach the lessons. If you are like me, then you probably want to teach science all day, every day. As much and I wish that was true, the reality is that there isn't as much time in a week to teach as much science as I would like. So the next place I looked at was the Lesson at a Glance. Here I was able to find 3 different options for me to teach: Full Track 45 min/day (full year), FlexTrack A 30 min/day (5 days per week), or FlexTrack B 30 min/day (3 days per week). 
I decided that FlexTrack B was the most realistic goal for me to start this program. I felt like choosing this option allowed me to give myself a lot of grace for teaching something new.  I didn’t feel like I was having to cram a whole bunch of information into a short about of time. I love that each lesson has the feature to chose a track. Some weeks we have more time than others to teach science so I can always look at what was omitted from FlexTrack B and add it back in when time allows.  
Despite the fact that I got to pilot this program last year, there is so much I still have to learn.  What I have learned so far, is how excited my students are when it’s time for science. I am inspired by their curiosity for the world around them.  What are somethings that you have learned about the program?  How are you inspiring your students to observe the world they live in?  I would love to hear all about what great things are happening in your classroom. 

Learning and Teaching with Grace,

Alina