About the Standards & FOSS Kit Analysis 2nd Edition
This alignment of the FOSS science kits and the Washington State Science Standards started in 2009 with science lead teachers,
science kit instructors and the science coordinator from ESD112 analyzing each kit investigation and comparing it to the revised
science standards to determine if the investigation as described in the kit would lead students to an understanding of the standards.
In the first edition the analysis looked at the “investigation” level and then returned the document to the field for feedback. This
second edition reflects feedback from the field.
“Identify the one standard that best fits each part of each investigation, and not “how many different” standards could be met.”
“Identify the best opportunities to emphasize the cross cutting EALR’s ; Systems, Inquiry and Application.” and highlight them.
“Match the investigations with the formative assessment resources, Uncovering Student Ideas in Science.”
“Suggest a focus question for each investigation that links the investigation with the standard”.
“If possible fit on one page.”
Added Investigations
ESD112 made some strategic additions to several kits to address standards that students did not have an opportunity to encounter in
the existing investigations. These additions focused on the Big Idea of Earth History and fossil evidence and on the Big Idea of Earth
in Space the apparent motion of the Sun and Earth. We note that there are other ways that teachers and districts could address these
standards and this is just one strategy for extending the FOSS kit investigations to better meet the standards.
Science Stories
FOSS Science Stories often add important reinforcement for the standards or sometimes unique opportunities to address a particular
science standard. Although they are listed at the end of the document the stories are meant to be integrated with the investigations to
get the most value out of the reading.
Quick Glance Format
The teachers in our region emphasized that a multiple page document would be less likely to be used, so this is a quick glance format
that uses the standards code and short phrase to represent the standard. Teachers need to become familiar with the full text of each
standard to use this document effectively.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary was drawn from the italicized words from the Washington Standards. FOSS provides an additional vocabulary list that is
specific for each kit and can be accessed at fossweb.com.
Process
1. Teams of teachers who teach a specific kit: 2nd grade , Air & Weather
2. Use the new revised science standards and the kit instructors manual
3. First Pass “content” EALR 4: write the identifier – 2-3ES2C, and a key phrase-“weather”
4. Second pass “content” EALR 4 : look one grade band above and below for connections
5. Third pass ; systems EALR 1
6. Fourth pass; Inquiry EALR 2
7. Fifth pass; Application EALR 3
8. Sixth Pass; check the Science Stories, suggested homework or extensions
Note* Include a standard only if it is obvious in the investigation and story line
We are checking for “opportunity” to learn the standard within this set of materials
Example
Standards and FOSS Kit Analysis
Foss Kit/ Investigation
EALR 4
EALR1
EALR 2
EALR 3
Air and Weather
Content Standard Met
Systems
Inquiry
Application
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-3ES2C- weather changes
2-3 INQA-observations
Investigation -4
B-investigate
APPC - tools
“Looking for Change”
C-Inferences
Part 1 weather graphs
D-instruments
F-Graph
G-Communicate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Looking for a Change”
Part 2 Seasons
K-1ES1A objects in the sky
2-3INQ All
K-1APPD-measuring
ES1B Sun’s position
Part 3 Night Sky
ES1C Moon’s Shape