REPORT RESUM ED 019 218 SE 002 783 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE OUTLINE, A GUIDETO SUGGESTED CURRICULUM PRACTICES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE. BY- MESSERSCHMIDT, RALPH M. KARTSOTIS, A. THOMAS LEHIGH VALLEY SCHOOL STUDY COUNCIL,ALLENTOWN, PA. PUB DATE 66 EDRS PRICEMF-$0.75 HC-$6.44 159P. DESCRIPTORS-. *AUDIOVISUAL AIDS, *BIOLOGY,*CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, *ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE,*GENERAL SCIENCE, PROBLEM SOLVING, PHYSICAL SCIENCES,TEACHING GUIDES, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, ELECTRICITY, EARTHSCIENCE, FIELD TRIPS, HEALTH EDUCATION, HEAT, INSTRUCTION,LIGHT, ACOUSTICS, TEACHING PROCEDURES, THE COMMITTEE ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSCIENCE OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SCHOOL STUDY COUNCIL REPORTSTHEIR WORK ON SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR GRADES 1 -6. THE BELIEFIS THAT SCIENCE IS A MAJOR STUDY AREA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,AND SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO ALL PUPILS IN A PLANNED LEARNINGSEQUENCE, WITH DUE CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN TO THE MATURITYOF THE CHILD. CONSTANT EVALUATION, RE-EVALUATION, AND MULTI -SOURCE MATERIALS WERE CONSIDERED BASIC TO THEPROGRAM. THE MAJOR TOPICS OF ORGANIZATION ARE (1) LIVINGTHINGS, ANIMALS, PLANTS,(2) HEALTH AND HUMAN BODY, (3)ENERGY, MAGNETS, ELECTRICITY, LIGHT, SOUND, HEAT,(4) MECHANICS,(5) THE EARTH AND UNIVERSE, (6) AIR AND WEATHER,AND (7) CONSERVATION. TEACHING METHODS UTILIZE (1) PROBLEMSOLVING, (2) EXPERIMENTATION, (3) DEMONSTRATIONS, (4) FIELDTRIPS,(5) USE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND (6) VISUALAIDS. SECTIONS OF THE GUIDE INCLUDE (2) PHILOSOPHY, (2)CONCEPTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR EACH GRADE (3) REFERENCE BOOKS FOR TEACHERS,(4) SCIENCE BOOKS, 15) SCIENCE MAGAZINES,PAMPHLETS, AND BULLETINS, AND (6) FREE AND LOW-COST MATERIALS.(DH) EDO 19218 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE OUTLINE A guide to suggested curriculum practices in elementary school science U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION 8 WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. Lehigh Valley School Study Council Muhlenberg College Allentown, Pennsylvania, 18104 1966 Published by Lehigh Valley SchoolStudy Council Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania,18104. Not copyrighted. May be reproduced by schools. Price: $1.50 per copy, postpaid. (10 copies, $12.50) Contents Foreword 1 Philosophy of the Committee 3 Grade 1. Concepts and Activities 4 Grade 2. Concepts and Activities 12 Grade 3. Concepts and Activities 20 Grade 4. Concepts and Activities 33 Grade 5. Concepts and Activities 56 Grade 6. Concepts and Activities Reference books for teachers 113 Science textbooks 115 Science Magazines, Pamphlets and Bulletins 117 Free and low cost materials 118 1 Foreword This is the report of the Committee onElementary School Science of the Lehigh Valley School Study Council. The Study Council is a voluntary association of 23 independent school districts inBerks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties,Pennsylvania, with head- quarters at Muhlenberg College, Allentown. Through the three years during which thisstudy group worked on this curriculum, there have been both changes andadditions to the group. All members are listed who have served and deserverecognition for their con- tributions. The asterisk* identifies those faithfulmembers who helped develop and conclude this guide in its entirety. This suggested curriculum is the result of manymeetings and much dis- cussion by the twenty-five members, fourteenof whom were engaged actively until its completion. This guide does not entirely satisfy thecommittee members. We feel we have merely scratched the surface andthat much remains to be included and revised. Perhaps the greatest value has come fromselecting materials to be included and from working together. We found it necessary constantly to recognize the changing aspects ofscience, of our knowledge of children, and of the available materials. We know that without the interest andcooperation of the various adminis- trators of the schools making up the StudyCouncil, who so generously con- tributed their staffs' time and participation,this curriculum would not have been possible. Special mention should be made of the devotedand untiring leadership of the chairmen, Ralph M.Messerschmidt and A. Thomas Kartsotis, and of the secretary, LucyFrankenfield. Without their guidance and the cooperation of the administrators oftheir school systems (Nazareth, Bethlehem and Hellertown-Lower Saucon,respectively), the development of this guide would not have been possible. Dr Adeline Kreinheder, professor of education at MuhlenbergCollege, was consultant to the study group. We extend our thanks to them as well as to Dr. William M. French, Executive Secretary of theStudy Council for their assistance and encouragement in stretching ourhorizons as science educators. Those who contributed to the development of thisstudy were: Ester D. Arnold Lehighton Area Union Schools Phillip Ballman Easton Area Joint Schools Donald Bortz Nazareth Area Schools Bernard Cowden Northern Lehigh Schools Anne Dreisbach Parkland Schools *James G. Faust Whitehall-Coplay Joint Schools *Lucy Frankenfield Hellertown-Lower Saucon Schools *David S. Freytag Easton Area Joint Schools Robert Gehris Wilson Borough Schools 2 *Anna Grim Parkland Schools Anthony J. Heiser Fountain Hill Schools *James Hippensteel Bethlehem Area Schools *A. Thomas Kartsotis Bethlehem Area Schools Vincent Kappas Palmerton Schools *Adeline Kreinheder Muhlenberg College *Ralph M. MesserschmidtNazareth Area Schools Susan McConlogue Palmer Township Schools *Helen Saurina Bethlehm Area Schools *Frederick C. Scherer Kutztown Area Schools *Naomi Schleicher Palmer Township Schools Emma Snyder Northampton Joint Schools *James Wagner East Penn Union Schools Edwin Wertman Parkland Schools Joint Schools *Verna Wolfe Schuylkill Haven Area *G. H. Yorgey, Jr. Reading Schools Co-Chairmen Area Schools Ralph M. Messerschmidt,Elementary Principal, Nazareth Bethlehem Area Schools A. Thomas Kartsotis,Science Helping Teacher, Secretary Hellertown-Lower Saucon Schools Lucy Frankenfield,Elemtnary Supervisor, Adviser Adeline E. Kreinheder,Muhlenberg College *Active member1963-1964 3 PHILOSOPHY OF THE COMMITTEE The various members of the ElementaryScience Committee, as a group operating within and in conjunction with theLehigh Valley School Study Council, have developed the following guide as anoutline for the teaching of science in the elementary schools. The guide is in no sense amandated course of study. Rather it is an outline, cooperativelydeveloped, which can be used to insure adevelopmental science program in theelementary grades. The Committee feels that science is amajor area in the elementary school which should be taught to all pupilsin a planned program of Laming. However, like any other area of learning, thematurity of the pupils involved must always be taken into consideration. Therefore a constant evaluation and re-evaluation of the teaching as well asthe understanding of the pupils is necessary. This is applicable to experiencedteachers, the beginning teachers, supervisors, and administrators. It is also the feeling of the committee that no one textbook adequatelyfurnishes enough material that it should be the sole reference. Hence the guide is developed around amulti- text reference background. Modern trends in teaching of sciencein the elementary schools lean toward a topic, or unit,approach. The objectives as defined in the guide arebroad basic concepts of understanding onthe part of the pupils. Since the memorization of facts, per se,is long-since outmoded due to daily- changing truths ofscience, it is assumed wise to dwell on the broad concept types ofunderstanding. Major Areas generally used in classroomteaching involved: I. Living Things: Animals, plants II. Health and the Human Body III. Energy: Magnets, Electricity, Light, Sound, Heat IV. Machines V. The Earth and Universe VI. Air and Weather VII. Conservation. The obvious necessity for thefunctional teaching of science in the modern elementary schools will involveproblem solving, experimentation, demonstrations, field trips, and the use ofcommunity resources and audio- visual aids. At the same time, the "lecture" or"read about" teaching method is long-since outmoded. It is the fervent hope of thecommittee that the users of this "Guide" will criticize constructively andrevise where deemed necessary so that it is put to the mosteffective use in the classrooms of the Lehigh 4 CONCEPTS -- Grade 1 I. Animals A. Animals are living things. B. Animals grow. C. Animals live in many kinds of places. D. Some animals are wild. E. Some animals are tame. F. Some tame animals make good pets. G. Animals are useful to people. H. Animals differ in size, shape, andbody covering. I. All animals share certain basic needs. ACTIVITIES -- Grade 1 I. Animals A. If possible plan to keep a baby animal oranimals in school for several weeks to observe its needfor food and water. Fish, tad- poles, white mice, parakeets, chicks, aresuggestions in science books. B. Have children tell how they carefor their pets. C. Show all animal films that areavailable from the film library. D. Visit a farm, zoo, game sanctuary,circus, or pet shop. E. Make clay animals. CONCEPTS -- Grade 1 I. Plants A. Plants are living things. B. Plants have many parts: - stems,leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds. C. In a seed there is a babyplant. D. A baby plant can grow if it hassoil, water, light, air, and proper temperature. E. Most plants do their growing inSpring and Summer. F. Trees