The scientists of the NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) at NC State University study the effects of gravity on plants in order to advance research in space life support. NSCORT has exhibited a vibrant outreach program since its inception in 1996, reaching almost 6,000 students, 700 teachers, and countless members of the general public through their efforts to share the excitement of plant space biology.
In 2002, NSCORT realized that fully 45% of the outreach they conducted in that year was for third grade students in the triangle area of NC. In looking further, the reason for the high number of requests for NSCORT scientists to speak to third grade classes became clear - the NC Standard Course of Study (SCOS) lists the following four competencies for third grade science:
• The learner will build an understanding of plant growth and
adaptations;
• The learner will build an understanding of soil concepts;
• The learner will build an understanding of the earth/moon/sun system;
• The learner will build an understanding of light and heat concepts.
Considering this unique connection between NSCORT research and the NCSCOS, the NSCORT outreach team decided to create a curriculum resource that would bring current space biology research into NC third grade classrooms statewide in a proactive way. The idea emerged to create a year-long curriculum for third grade science with a theme that would develop a scenario of using plants for human life support on an imaginary moon base.
Third grade teachers in the Triangle area of NC were surveyed via email to help NSCORT understand the realities of teaching science in NC third grade classrooms and to gauge their interest in this curriculum design effort. A core group of six teachers was selected to provide continuous advice on project direction and development. Important feedback they provided included:
• In NC, teachers spend approximately 5 hours per week on science for about half of the school year. One instructional hour per day is devoted to either science or social studies;
• Teachers generally present these four competencies in distinct units;
• Their ideal product would contain highly visual materials and explicit instructions and forms; would integrate reading, writing and mathematics; and would be flexible and appropriate for multiple ability levels.
The concept was refined from the teacher feedback, and many of those same teachers are serving in a pilot group that will use the curriculum in their classrooms in the 2003/2004 academic year.
NSCORT hopes that this effort has created an exciting and versatile resource for teachers that will energize their students and help them to make connections between numerous science concepts…perhaps without even knowing they are doing it!
