Investigation 1 Videos: Sample Experiments In Investigation 1, there are two videos (Circulatory and Respiratory Systems in Part 1 and Digestion and Excretory Systems in Part 2). In the middle of each 23- minute video is a short experiment done by two students with an adult supervising. These experiments are good for students to watch, but we aren’t suggesting that they be done in class (and the materials for the experiments are not included in the kit). The video on digestion has an experiment that offers a good opportunity to discuss the question the students asked and the variables in their experiment. This is described in the teacher guide on page 64. Again, we expect the students to watch the video in order to discuss the experiment, not to do it first-hand in class.

Mammalian Circulatory System Simulation The simulation on FOSSweb.com/CA and the FOSSweb CA CD-ROM called Mammalian Circulatory System is a good way to review the process of human blood circulation. Be sure to show it to students and let them work with it.

Organs and the Environment In Investigation 1 Part 3, Life Support, students review the human transport systems through the Support-System Quiz. The answers for these are on pages 175-176 of the teacher guide. Here’s one answer: The bladder is part of the excretory system. The bladder is located between the kidney and the environment, and its function is to hold urine until it is eliminated. Students (and teachers) often have a hard time considering that an organ, like the bladder, can be between another organ and the environment. Consider this when you are introducing this activity.

Weighing Celery in Investigation 2 When weighing the celery in Investigation 2, make sure your students are consistent with the celery leaning the same way each time in the balance cups. The answers will change significantly if they aren't consistent!!

Measuring Volume of Gas in Baggies, Investigation 3 In Investigation 3, when measuring the volume of gas made in the baggies from the yeast and sugar, don’t wait too much longer than 10 minutes or your students won’t be able to fit them into the volume tubes!

Using the FOSS Balance The FOSS balance has three parts: The base, the beam and the pointer. When the kit arrives new, the pointers will be in a small plastic bag. To insert a pointer, put the rounded end into the beam so that when you place the beam on the base the flat edge of the pointer hangs down in front of the raised line on the base. Place a cup on the two sides of the beam and then zero the balance by moving the plastic slider (found on the other side of the beam as the pointer) to one side or the other until balance is achieved. Check to make sure that the pointer lines up with the line on the base.

General FOSS CA Tips (3-5) Have students use highlighters on vocabulary words in their notebooks as they build word banks that go with each investigation. The FOSS Science Resources book is very engaging for students and relates well with the activities. The reading pieces are short, so they can be done as homework and re-read multiple times in class to reinforce understanding of key content and still not be excessively time heavy. To help with time management, we highly recommend using able students to set up and help clean up materials needed for each activity. We recommend teaching science in the morning, first thing or after recess, so that you have an opportunity to set up materials. The morning also has the added bonus of having both teacher and students fresh, with plenty of energy to give to these fun and engaging activities. Afternoons often find both students and teacher tired and lacking the energy necessary for focusing, problem solving, and making thoughtful connections. I-Checks and Response Sheets are great to use for self- and peer-assessment discussions. One rewarding strategy is to have students respectfully critique and defend their ideas using data and other evidence to support their positions. A rolling materials cart is useful as a space saver. The cart can be positioned centrally with the materials needed for an investigation activity and then rolled out of the way once students have their materials and are ready to start the activity. It can again be rolled out for collecting materials and easily taken to the sink area or counter area for clean up. We have noticed that when activities are introduced with a question, both teaching and learning are improved. You will find that this lead question helps frame the lesson and ensures that the inquiry process leads eventually to the data and interpretations needed to develop an explanation of the original question. Students will find that writing this lead question in their notebooks will help them develop a context for the various parts of the investigation and collection of data and lead naturally to an attempt to explain their answer to the original question. Their notebooks will make more sense and be more likely to show an understanding of relationships and connections and a clear expression of a conclusion supported by evidence. We noticed that when this lead question was missing, lessons and notebook entries tended to look more like unconnected statements and data charts.

Scaling PDF documents When you print any of the student sheets, lab notebook sheets, or assessment masters you have downloaded from FOSSweb, you may see a difference in scale between the original printed sheet and the downloaded sheet. This doesn't usually matter, but in some cases, you will want the scale to be the same (for example, to match the index card for the anemometer in the Weather and Water Course for middle school). To make sure this happens when you print a pdf file, there is an option on the print window that pops up "Page scaling." Your default is probably "fit to printable area." To get the original size, change this category to "none" before printing.

Science Notebook Index Templates Below are downloadable PDFs of science notebook index templates that can be printed for students to insert into their notebooks. Consider how much room your students will need to write when selecting a template. Four-page index template. This index has 6 to 8 letters per page. Works well for grades K-2. Two-page index template. This index has 12 to 14 letter per page. Works well for grades K-8. One-page index template. This index has all the letters on one page. Works well for grades 3-8. For more information on using these index sheets with notebooks, see page 15 of the FOSS Notebook Folio. --Brian Campbell