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Theory Guides. Experiment Decides. An old saying about science, attributed to many different persons, reads something like this, “Theory guides. Experiment decides.” One has to wonder if the researchers at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkley, had heard and believed this quote when they set out to develop the FOSS (Full Option Science System) curriculum. At its heart, the philosophy behind FOSS first acknowledges that young students are more likely to learn science by doing science. The curriculum respects the reality that the scientific enterprise is both what we know (content) and how we come to know it (process). By completing carefully constructed FOSS modules, students in kindergarten through grade six at Trinity School work hard to actively test and construct the content of science through their own inquiries, investigations and analyses.
in FOSS modules grow with them, moving from concrete experiences to abstract conceptions. Organization of the material acknowledges and respects research on human cognitive development.
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FOSS modules become increasingly complex over time, but each module contributes to basic program goals. In every module, FOSS students gain knowledge about the natural world, its diversity and interdependence. In each module, students meet more of the big ideas of science and are asked to demonstrate the ability to apply both thinking skills and technology to scientific inquiry. As children mature, the challenges presented
simple and powerful forces are at work. Students are having fun, and students are obviously learning.
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FOSS modules are full of intriguing questions, and students are actively engaged in pursuing answers. FOSS activities stimulate the natural curiosity about the world that characterizes young children. FOSS experiences are highly motivating and sometimes messy, demanding that children get their hands on the materials of science. Multi-sensory, collaborative, and reflective are words that describe the research perspective fostered by FOSS. The program activates the best of the science of teaching to successfully draw students into the discipline of science. By the time that students complete FOSS modules designed for kindergarten through grade six, they have been introduced to the essential content and basic modes of inquiry for Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth Science. Importantly, they have grappled with scientific reasoning and the application of technology to problems in science. They are primed and ready for success at the secondary level, and interest in science – both on the part of boys and girls – is keen. Walk into a FOSS classroom and two
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Teachers implementing FOSS at Trinity School are a large part of the success of the program. Banay Newton, Kindergarten and Lower School science teacher, represents an example of the professionalism Trinity seeks to find and nurture in its teaching staff. Mrs. Newton is a doctoral candidate at Texas Tech University, and her particular area of interest is the application of technology to teacher education and science instruction. Mrs. Newton has taught at the college level, in AP high school classes, and brings, consequently, a wealth of knowledge to her classroom. She recently attended an “invitation only” symposium jointly sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Association of Educational Communication and Technology. She was one of 25 doctoral candidates and early career researchers who gathered to share the best of the discipline with experts in the field. She describes the experience as “professionally stimulating” and was amazed at the cross-disciplinary connections that people in the fields of science and technology are ready and willing to explore. She is part of the “cutting edge” in education and our children are benefiting from her experience and expertise. The Herald 5