Science

Dear Parents,

STEMscopes is built on an instructional philosophy that centers on students learning science through hands-on exploration and inquiry. Each lesson includes a series of investigations and activities to bring science to life for our students so that they can “learn by doing” and fully engage in the scientific process.

Lessons are built using the research-based “5E+IA” model, which stands for Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate, Intervention, and Acceleration. Each one of these components of the lesson cycle features specific resources to not only support our students’ understanding of scientific concepts, but also that of our teachers. STEMscopes features many resources for our educators including embedded professional development, lesson instructions, setup videos, and an assessment bank where custom assessments can be created.

The program is strictly aligned to our learning standards and includes resources that incorporate literacy, math, music and videos, interactive tools, and a variety of assessment methods. Developed in partnership with Rice University, the program has been utilized since 2007 and is used by schools and school districts across the country.

Your student will receive login credentials to access the program, which features some always-available resources that can be browsed at home, including a Video Glossary and a reference resource called STEMscopedia. Each of these STEMscopedia reading passages incorporates hands-on activities and a “Connecting with your Child” piece to encourage scientific dialogue. This piece offers a series of questions that you can ask your student to further reinforce concepts learned in school. Additionally, rather than a traditional textbook, your student may come home with a variety of assignments, like reading passages, vocabulary exercises, and at-home hands-on lessons.

Please reach out to your child’s science teacher with any questions.