Collaborative Research: Developing the Next Generation of Middle School Science Materials--Investigating and Questioning Our World through Science and Technology

在第一阶段完成的“通过科学和技术调查和质疑我们的世界”的基础上，在第二阶段开发了一门针对6-8年级的综合科学课程。课程采用学习目标驱动的设计，学习表现驱动活动和评估的设计，规定学生应该如何使用标准中概述的科学思想和技能。这些材料围绕驱动问题组织，为学生在科学实践中使用他们的知识和技能--如建模、设计调查、解释和论证以及数据收集、分析和解释--提供背景，以获得对国家科学标准中阐明的概念、原则和思维习惯的理解。这些材料包括实践经验、技术工具和阅读材料，这些材料扩展了学生对现象的第一手体验，并支持科学素养。所有这四个科学学科每年都要学习大约四分之一的时间。六年级、七年级和八年级的物理科目分别是运动、能量守恒和转换以及运动定律的描述；地球科学的题目是地球表面过程、气候和天气以及太空中的物体；生物学、生物和系统、遗传学和环境、生态系统和自然选择；化学的题目是物质的颗粒性质、物质的化学反应和我们周围的化学反应。教师材料支持教师学习科学内容和教学方法。这些材料包括一个在线系统，该系统提供学生作业和实践教学的视频范例。该项目还包括为社区开发资源，以便能够在校外提供与课堂活动相关的学习机会。特别注重发展阅读能力。

Building on the work that "Investigating and Questioning our World through Science and Technology (IQWST)" completed in Phase I, a comprehensive science curriculum for grades 6-8 is developed in Phase II. A learning-goals-driven design is used in which learning performances that drive the design of activities and assessments specify how students should be able to use the scientific ideas and skills outlined in standards. The materials are organized around driving questions that provide a context to motivate students as they use their knowledge and skills in scientific practices -- such as modeling, designing investigations, explanation and argumentation and data gathering, analysis and interpretation -- to acquire understandings of the concepts, principles and habits of mind articulated in national science standards. The materials contain hands-on experiences, technology tools and reading materials that extend students' first-hand experiences of phenomena and support science literacy. All four science disciplines are studied for about one-quarter of each year. The physics topics for grades 6, 7 and 8 are description of motion, conservation and transformation of energy, and laws of motion respectively; in Earth science, the topics are Earth surface processes, climate and weather and objects in space; for biology, organisms and systems, genetics and the environment, and ecosystems and natural selection; and for chemistry, particulate nature of matter, chemical reactions of substances, and chemical reactions all around us. Teacher materials support teacher learning of the science content and pedagogical approaches. The materials include an on-line system that provides video examples of student work and pedagogy in action. The project also includes development of resources for the community so that learning opportunities linked to classroom activities can occur outside of school. Particular attention is paid to developing reading literacy.