iSprowt

Tag: Framework for K-12 Science Education

  • Virtual Science Assemblies From iSprowt

    iSprowt is Bringing Science to Virtual Classrooms

    Schools Across the Country Will Have Access to Science Experiments

     

    virtual science assembly

    We’re excited to announce that we are working with schools and PTAs across the country to bring live, iSprowt virtual science assemblies to over 5,000 elementary students. Each student receives a kit that includes 2 hands-on, extremely fun, STEM experiments and a 16-page booklet filled with activities. 

     

     

     

    Benefits of Virtual Science Assemblies

     

    One of the great things about our Virtual Science Assemblies is that there is no cost to families. iSprowt subsidizes the cost of these assemblies to make them highly affordable to all schools (the cost is just $2 per student!). The PTA buys the kits for students and distributes them.

    Another benefit to these assemblies is the way they engage the students. We strongly believe the best way for children to learn is by doing. Our Virtual Science Assemblies bring science to life in your home with easy, mess-free experiments that are highly visual and engaging.

    Lastly, there’s no issue with privacy, or missing out if you can’t attend the live assembly. iSprowt uses your school or PTA’s virtual classroom technology such as Zoom, Teams, WebEx, etc.  This ensures the student’s privacy is protected.  Schools are encouraged to record and redistribute the virtual assembly so that any student who cannot join live, can still fully participate.  

    science assembly

    Examples of the Hands-On Experiments

     

    In our Wacky Weather Assembly, students will be laughing and learning as they build, create, and observe.

    • Experiment #1: Tornado-in-a-bottle: Students will whirl and twirl to create their own mini tornado in a bottle.  They will be mesmerized as the water picks up debris in its powerful spiraling spin. Here’s an example of the tornado-in-a-bottle experiment.
    • Experiment #2: Chemistry and engineering experiment: “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”  Students get a packet of safe, highly absorbent powder.  They add 1 cup of water and the powder expands over 700%.  Students can now build with the powder to create shapes such as a snowman, igloo, animal, dinosaur, letters, etc.   Over the next 7 days, the water slowly evaporates from the powder and the shape changes.  This allows the students to continue learning while they observe as evaporation slowly changes their original design.
    • 16-page Educational Activity Booklet: All of the directions, science, and fun activities such as a short story, word search, maze, Find-It picture, and Silly Story (similar to a Mad Libs) to keep the students engaged, laughing, and learning. 

    Want a virtual assembly at your school? Contact us and we’ll send you info to pass on to your PTA and principal! Let’s work together to inspire kids and keep them excited about learning. Thank you!

     

  • What are the Next Generation Science Standards?

    Every iSprowt experiment, activity, and challenge is inspired by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS are science content standards that set the expectations for what K-12 students should know.

    The NGSS were developed by a committee of 18 experts in science, engineering, cognitive science, teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment and education policy to identify core science themes and were inspired by “A Framework for K-12 Science Education”. The framework proposed developing science standards that integrated these three dimensions: (1) Scientific and Engineering Practices, (2) Crosscutting Concepts, and (3) Disciplinary Core Ideas (Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences, and Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science).

    One of the key elements of these core criteria is that the disciplinary core ideas be teachable and learnable over multiple grades.  The science concepts our students learn in kindergarten and the early grades will be repeated at increasing levels of depth and sophistication throughout elementary, middle, and high school. iSprowt loves this! The hands-on activities in iSprowt booklets bring to life what our students are learning in the classroom, strengthening our kindergarten through fifth grade students’ understanding of these core concepts and potentially helping them carry this knowledge through to middle school and high school.

    At the date of this publication, 20 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the NGSS while and additional 24 states have developed their own standards based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education. With a monthly iSprowt membership, your student can put into practice the science concepts they are learning in school while building their science confidence. If you are ready to bring this educational gift into your home, please check out our membership page.