iSprowt

Tag: science standards

  • 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.

     

  • COVID-19 School Closures- How to Keep Children From Falling Behind

    school closures

    Today’s students are facing an unprecedented challenge when it comes to learning science. A recent Los Angeles Times article indicated California students are struggling to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) adopted nationally in 2013. These standards were designed to teach core scientific concepts via hands-on activity. Unfortunately, with limited budgets for scientific materials and space to store materials for multiple classes of up to 40 students, meeting the standards has so far been a challenge. Now, with students completely out of the classroom for the remainder of the school year thanks to COVID-19 upending life as we knew it, limited materials available at home, and parents’ lack of comfort teaching STEM subjects, achieving these standards could be completely out of reach for many students.

    Interestingly, the LA Times article cites a specific example from the fifth-grade test which asks students to engage in “ordering the stages of a plant’s life cycle on a diagram.” This very topic is brought to life through the hands-on activities included in iSprowt’s first kit! In kit 1, kids in kindergarten through fifth-grade sprout herb seeds, plant them in soil, place them in a sunlit window, water them, and track their growth. By kit 4, the fully grown herbs are harvested and the kids learn to make their very own pasta sauce — completing the life cycle of the plant with hands-on activities they will be able to recall when it’s time to take the standardized NGSS test. Activities like this example also help students understand how science applies to them as a regular part of life in their home and their community. 

    With iSprowt’s new Donate the Gift of STEM program, you can help students bring these core scientific concepts to life. iSprowt was designed to help children achieve their highest potential in school and in life through hands-on, fun, STEM kits which include experiments, easy-to-follow instructions, and materials mailed directly to their homes monthly. iSprowt kits get them unplugged and experimenting in exciting ways. 

    Knowing that many families are experiencing serious financial difficulty, we decided to take action. Here’s how you can help support children during this crisis:

    -Donate kits to children in need and help decrease their risk of falling behind during COVID-19 school closures by purchasing a kit via the link below and selecting “donate” at checkout. We are partnering with schools to provide donated iSprowt kits directly to the students who need them most.

    -For every 100 kits donated, iSprowt will donate an additional $500 of iSprowt kits.

    -Help spread the word about iSprowt and our Donate the Gift of STEM program. Email your friends, share on social media, and talk to your family members about this program during your next family video chat – encourage them to donate kits as well! 

    This crisis has shown us just how essential it is to have a future workforce with a passion for STEM. Together, we can spark that passion and build a solid STEM foundation for students all over the country.  

    Educational Gifts for Kids: Donate the Gift of STEM to a child in need, visit the page here.