How to Review High-Quality Science Programs

We know that it can be challenging for educators to find adequate time to thoroughly assess new science programs or, in some cases, to even know how to assess the programs to determine what will be the best fit for your district or school. Below are suggested steps for review so that you feel more equipped to make this decision when it comes time to adopt your next high-quality science curriculum.

• Determine your criteria for review.
• Evaluate teacher and student components and materials.
• Follow up with the program provider for an enhanced review experience and to ask clarifying questions.

Determine the criteria of effective, high-quality science programs.

Suggested in this section are the criteria that PhD Science® would recommend during your review.

• Is the program phenomenon driven? Is the learning three dimensional?
• How does student knowledge build within and across grade levels? What are the ways that students engage in the science being explored?
• How are all students supported? What teacher tips are available?
• Are there interdisciplinary connections being made throughout the program, especially for English language arts (ELA)?
• What types of assessments are available? How do the assessments inform instruction?

It’s likely that even if you’re only just now beginning your review for a new science program that you’ve already stumbled upon the term phenomenon. Be aware that it is not enough that a program contains phenomena. The instruction and student learning should all be phenomenon driven with relevant and authentic phenomena. Additionally, the learning should be three dimensional.

Students need to build knowledge within and across grade levels. To ensure a program is knowledge building, look for a coherent design that supports students in making connections. Take a glance at the PhD Science Curriculum Overview to learn more about its instructional design. PhD Science has embedded tools to support teachers as they make the shift to facilitator. This means that students can drive the learning in a meaningful and structured way, leading to high engagement and knowledge retention.

Content must be aligned and accurate with proper scaffolding and support for all students. Look-fors related to support include just-in-time notes for differentiated instruction and questions for teachers to leverage as they identify prior student learning as well as how the program strengthens teachers’ knowledge. See the educative supports PhD Science has in place to inform high-quality instruction.

In addition to the science content being addressed, look for interdisciplinary connections being made throughout the program. And of course, we’d be remiss to not realize the importance of assessment with formative and summative both providing insight into student knowledge development and informing educator next steps. All parts of the curriculum must be organized and usable for teachers and students.

See a couple reviewer tools already developed for PhD Science.

To learn more about how PhD Science meets the criteria of an effective science program, see the evidence in our Grade Levels 3–5 Reviewer Guide. Also, check out this external review by WestEd leveraging the EQuIP Rubric for Level K Module 2: Pushes and Pulls.

Evaluate teacher and student components and materials.

You’ll want to consider what components and materials are available for teachers and students, including for print, digital, and hands-on use.

PhD Science has four print Teacher Editions and Science Logbooks (student facing) per grade level along with Digital Teacher Editions. To support the interdisciplinary connection with ELA, core texts (trade books) are another component required for successful implementation. And with the program being so hands-on in nature, Hands-On Materials Kits are highly recommended, and at Levels K–2, these kits include Knowledge Deck^TM Cards and Posters. (Knowledge Deck components are also available separately and are needed to implement with fidelity.)

Districts also often opt to buy packs of assessments and other student-facing resources in appropriate quantities for classroom use with Assessment Packs and Student Science Packs available. These color-printed packs save teachers valuable time. Another consideration is to adopt PhD Science in Sync® in addition to PhD Science, as it complements the core program with videos and Science Journals.

We’ll leave you with one more closing consideration, which is that the Teacher Editions and Science Logbooks at Levels K–2 are available as open educational resource (OER) PDFs in both English and Spanish, potentially allowing your funds to go a bit further.

Get in touch with company representatives for more information.

If you’re ready to more thoroughly dive in and review PhD Science, request a 30-day review. Your Great Minds® representative would also be thrilled to further support your review, so feel free to contact us.