Issue-Based Science | Developed by SEPUP | Lawrence Hall of Science
The issues in Issues and Science are like anchoring phenomena only with broader connections. Not just an event or process that links scientific content - it is a big idea that is relevant to students' lives and is anchored in real-world events. These issues connect the why for students, "Why does this matter?"
Issues and Science | Explore the units
- Explore Issues and Science | Middle School
- Why we are different Issues and Science | Middle School
- 17 Units Click unit for details
- EdReports Why we fully meet expectations
What does a unit look like?
In a typical school year, students are spending over 170 instructional days doing something hands-on. Labs and investigations related to problem-solving and phenomena, and woven tightly into the unit's overall issue, make up over two-thirds of the school year. This video is a great way to quickly see how our NGSS units are structured.
Student Books & Notebooks
The 17 units in Issues and Science: Redesigned for the NGSS can be viewed in full on the Lab-Aids Portal.
Watch the quick video to see how our Student Books are different (and accelerate your review process!).
Teacher Edition and Resources
Teacher materials are available in print and online. These include both the Teacher Edition (daily lessons and unit planning) and the Teacher Resources (overall program support and long-term planning).
Program Equipment
Each unit in Issues and Science includes a full set of equipment necessary to carry out the activities and investigations.
Watch the quick overview to see the program equipment and organization.
Three dimensional learning
Alignment documents have value during a curriculum review, but no matter how thorough, it is difficult to visualize the connectedness of the three-dimensions in a table format. Enter the Learning Pathway - a tool used by SEPUP during development to be sure the curriculum truly weaves the dimensions together.
Equitable access to learn
Units are student-driven; consistently fostering student questions and making sure that students feel that their questions are leading the learning experience. All units have embedded opportunities for students to demonstrate their understandings and abilities in a variety of ways, including some that don’t rely on English speaking or writing skills.
Evidence of alignment
Authentically moving to three-dimensional learning and teaching is a significant shift but it can be easier with a well-aligned program. We think we’ve put together some pretty compelling evidence to reflect the ability of our middle school program to do just that. View correlation documents and sample pages from each unit.
Lab-Aids and SEPUP earn high scores
EdReports found our NGSS middle school science curriculum to fully meet expectations for three-dimensional learning and to present phenomena as directly as possible.
Recommended Middle School Programs for ESU 10
ESU 10 6TH GRADE
ESU 10 7TH GRADE
Get started with the Middle School online review
To view the online access to the Teacher Edition, Student Books and relevant Student Sheets, please go to https://portals.lab-aids.com/register.htm or click icon below and enter the access code provided.
Online Portal Access Code for Issues and Science: ESU10
Instructions on creating an account with this access code
Portal Supports:
View our Portal FAQ | Rostering Q & A | About ReadSpeaker
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS
- Science & Global Issues: Biology High School | Biology
- EDC Earth Science High School | Earth Science
- A Natural Approach to Chemistry High School | Chemistry
- Science and Sustainability High School | Environmental Science
Take a tour
Take a tour through the features and organization of the Teacher Edition and Student Book for Science and Global Issues: Biology.
Different from a traditional textbook, this program gives students the opportunity to explore the issues of real-world problems through unique hands-on labs and investigations. Embedded literacy supports and assessment, as well as all the needed equipment, are included.
Developed by SEPUP™ at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley
Science and Global Issues: Biology (SGI: Biology), developed by SEPUP at the Lawrence Hall of Science, uses an issue-oriented approach to connect biology to students' lives and communities. Activities and investigations, tied to the unit issue and phenomena, require students consider apply scientific evidence and to analyze the trade-offs involved in personal and societal decisions.
Each unit issue must be engaging to diverse students, be sustainable over time, must foster debate, and require an understanding of important concepts and processes in order to make evidence based decisions. The program avoids taking a position on the issues, but rather provides students with the understanding and skills that will allow them to make their own evidence informed decisions.
A different kind of program
Updated for the NGSS, EDC Earth Science incorporates the three dimensions of each NGSS Performance Expectation for high school earth science. This program:
- integrates 59 meaningful hands-on activities,
- includes embedded literacy strategies and comprehensive teacher support,
- and is packed with relevant Big Data to help students prepare for our data driven future.
Developed by Oceans of Data Institute & the Education Development Center (EDC)
EDC Earth Science is designed around the belief that students are capable of rigorous and in-depth explorations in science when given adequate support, structure, and motivation for learning.
Students perform over 61 data-intensive Earth Science investigations, all set in real-world contexts. They also engage in a variety of other activities, including topical fiction and non-fiction readings and research projects and presentations that build critical life and scientific literacy skills.
Chemistry taught as it was meant to be taught.
A Natural Approach to Chemistry gives students the opportunity to do chemistry, not just read about it. In this high school program students learn the science to understand how chemistry is relevant to their lives.
Developed by Dr. Hsu, Dr. Chaniotakis, et al
This program puts the relevance of understanding chemistry front and center through its spiraling, integrated, and coordinated learning system. Essential chemistry content is explored through labs, activities, and readings in a context that is topical, meaningful, and accessible for high school students. Hands-on labs and activities are integrated within a more classic textbook framework as students use specially designed probe-ware and other unique equipment to gather, analyze, and model data.
Lab-Master: heat without the flame
The Lab-Master is an innovative, easy-to-use, probeware system consisting of an integrated RGB spectrophotometer, temperature probe, and voltage probe. Instead of an open flame the Lab-Master system uses a safe, electric control-point heater to heat solutions in test tubes.
TAKE A LOOK INSIDE
Help your students understand that science is not only a part of their everyday lives, but that the decisions they make play a role in their local communities. The Science and Sustainability (S&S) course uses themes and activities related to local and global sustainability to present key concepts from the life, earth, chemical, and physical sciences.
Developed by SEPUP™ at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley
Supports the use of interdisciplinary bundles of NGSS Performance Expectations for instruction as well as support for Common Core ELA and Mathematics. Science and Sustainability is a truly integrated approach to understanding the complex environmental issues of today.
Get started with the High School online review
To view the online access to the Teacher Edition, Student Books and relevant Student Sheets, please go to https://portals.lab-aids.com/register.htm or click icon below and enter the access code provided.
Online Portal Access Code for all High School programs: ESU10
Instructions on creating an account with this access code
Portal Supports:
View our Portal FAQ | Rostering Q & A | About ReadSpeaker
Professional Development and teacher supports
Build sustainability
Science educators have come to trust Lab-Aids as a valuable resource for engaging and worth-while professional development - whether it's an on-site implementation training, the Summer Academy to develop internal leadership, or a day focused on new standards or best-practice strategies.
Professional development is a critical component of any new instructional material implementation, perhaps now more than ever. Lab-Aids® works build internal leadership and long-term sustainability of the program. This professional development additionally supports a deepened understanding of the new standards and how they strive to serve all students.
Questions?
We welcome the opportunity to address any questions, should they arise.