PhD Science®, an elementary school science curriculum developed by Great Minds PBC®, has once again earned high marks from WestEd, an independent nonprofit research organization.
The rigorous review examined PhD Science Grade 2 Module 2: Earth Changes. These second-grade lessons are focused on helping students explore the Earth’s changing land and how water and wind can shape land over time. The reviewers looked at lessons that include a range of student-led activities from analyzing local land samples to designing systems to protect a shoreline and a lighthouse, for example.
The reviewers noted that the curriculum is cohesive, allows students to drive their learning, and gives second graders robust opportunities to build their understanding of and integrate the three dimensions of learning outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards. These include an emphasis on disciplinary core ideas, cross-cutting concepts, and science and engineering practices.
The reviewers also credited PhD Science with including resources that help teachers provide differentiated instruction so that it can be tailored to student needs. And they noted that the materials are authentic and relevant for students, allowing them to “engage with a meaningful phenomenon and have several opportunities to connect their learning to their own communities.”
This latest review builds off a previous strong review by WestEd of Kindergarten Module 2: Pushes and Pulls.
“We’re so pleased that another independent review confirms what we know to be true; PhD Science offers students the opportunity to build their knowledge of authentic scientific phenomena in engaging, hands-on, and standards-aligned ways,” said Pam Goodner, Great Minds chief academic officer for science.
PhD Science is a free and open educational resource in Grades K–2 that is designed to engage students in authentic science practice. Students ask questions, gather evidence, develop models, and construct explanations while investigating real-world phenomena. The curriculum is also available in grades 3–5.
The WestEd review team used the EQuIP Rubric for Science, designed to provide feedback for continuous improvement. In addition to the WestEd reviews, PhD Science has earned high marks from the Louisiana Department of Education, which gave the curriculum a Tier 1 rating, the highest possible.
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