While conducting programs for schools, everything must be grade appropriate. You don't want to give lengthy explanations for concepts and throw out large vocabulary words that younger kids just can't even pronounce. So, you need to first understand the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of each level of learning.
To do this, you start with going to the standards of learning. For Science, begin with the state standards. By going to your particular state education website, they should have their most recent standards of learning by subject. Then they're broken down by grade level. This is usually grouped into K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, and High School. This is how Marine CSI resources were grouped and lessons were adapted for.
Next, you go to the national standards of learning. These have changed over the years and are now called the Next Generation Science Standards. Just like the individual state standards, these are grouped into the same grade levels. These standards are designed to be the federal guidelines that states should use to develop and upgrade their own standards of learning.
Marine CSI: Coastal Science Investigations prides itself on adhering to the national standards for every one of its lessons. Those lessons we adapted for our resources were standardized ahead of time and those standards are listed in our books. For our new Watershed Walkabout: Cape Fear program, offered to New Hanover County, NC schools, we have additionally standardized them to the NC State Science Standards, Ocean Literacy Standards, and Climate Literacy Standards. Your students and kids will get the best quality education programs with our resources and lessons!
