BSCS Science Tracks: Connecting Science And Literacy: Investigating Weather Systems Student Guide

EARTH & SPACE SCIENCE-In this module, students investigate weather by exploring the atmospheric systems and interactions that result in "weather." They begin by exploring the angle of sunlight that hits Earth's surface and relating differential heating to changes in weather conditions around the world. Students explore weather systems by observing, measuring, and recording local conditions. They use tools such as thermometers, rain gauges, and barometers to collect data. With that data, students identify and describe weather patterns and make predictions about future weather conditions. Included are investigations of temperature, wind, precipitation, air pressure, humidity, the water cycle, and storm.

BSCS Science TRACKS includes a comprehensive Student Guide and resource book at every level, 1-5. The Student Guide is not a "read-about-science" book; rather, it serves as a guide to help students learn to do the following things.

• Conduct scientific inquiries within a collaborative team and on their own
• Become more responsible for their own learning
• Manage the hands-on activities themselves
• Structure collaborative learning tasks
• Develop science and technology concepts and skills
• Reflect on their learning and assess their own conceptual and skill development
• Conduct independent inquiries related to questions or topics of personal interest
• Develop skills for reading in the content areas
• Follow and interpret directions

In addition, the Student Guides reinforce components of basic literacy, including shared reading and writing, guided reading and writing, continuous assessment, skills instruction, reading procedural text, listening and speaking skills, journal writing, record keeping, hints and reminders, reading and writing in a social context, and reading and writing in a content area.