Science Resource Center
Gilbert Public School's Vision for Elementary Science
This vision is to provide every elementary student with an integrated, hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum that includes important science concepts and processes. The curriculum will:
- stimulate interest in science
- develop critical thinking skills
- facilitate positive attitudes toward science so that every student can learn at the highest level
- provide every student with equal opportunities to learn science
The district shares the following principles which have been shown to ensure success in science for all students:
- Learning is an active process enhanced by hands-on, discovery-based experiences and by interaction with other students.
- To be meaningful, science must be taught in context rather than in isolation. It should be taught emphasizing the link between science and technology in society. A science curriculum needs to stress the broad application of the critical and analytic thinking skills developed through science instruction.
- Curriculum coverage should focus on a deeper understanding of scientific principles and processes by reducing the number of topics to be covered allowing each topic covered to be explored in more depth.
- Materials have to be available for teachers to support effective inquiry teaching/learning.
Effectively changing the science program requires sustained teacher enhancement with teacher involvement in planning.
