Review: Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding

Do you want to teach your kids science, or do you want to teach them how to think like scientists? Rebecca Pickens has the scoop on an elementary to middle school program that lets you do both.

Writing home/school/life’s curriculum column is great fun. However, I have encountered one problem with the job. Just when I think I’ve got my own kids’ curriculum needs sorted out, I stumble upon a fantastic new resource like Dr. Bernard J. Nebel’s series, Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU). Suddenly, all of my well-ironed plans are out the window, and I find myself trying something entirely new. Of course, this may well be more of a perk than a problem!

The three-volume BfSU series is a complete curriculum for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Each volume is expected to take three years to complete. Volume I is for kindergarten to 2nd grade. Volume II targets grades 3 to 5. Volume III is for grades 6 to 8. For this review, I looked at Volume I.

Nebel opens Volume I of his series with the words of Carl Sagan: “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.” In a nutshell, this statement sums up Nebel’s approach to science education.

BFSU provides a comprehensive and integrated approach to the sciences. It relies mostly on teacher-led observation, questioning, and reasoning supplemented with hands-on activities. “Learning terminology,” Nebel explains, “is secondary to gaining conceptual understanding.”

A defining feature of Nebel’s program is this emphasis on integrative thinking. The first volume of BFSU explores four areas of science referred to in the text as learning progressions: Nature of Matter, Life Science, Physical Science, Engineering, and Technology, and Earth and Space Science. Rather than teaching each of these themes as compartmentalized units, Nebel promotes a tandem approach.

Students work on each learning progression for one or two lessons before moving on to the next. Well-organized flow charts, one for each learning progression, indicate the order in which lessons should be presented. Following this suggested sequence helps children see the interconnectedness of the scientific topics that they are exploring.

The way that one chooses to rotate through each flow chart is somewhat flexible. If your student is particularly interested in earth and space science and wants to linger there a while longer, she can. However, in order to glean the most from BFSU’s integrated approach, it is advisable not to stray too far from the suggested framework.

Each lesson plan is presented in an engaging, well-organized manner with the following included features:

• An overview of concepts that will be addressed

• An estimate of how much time is required to complete the core lesson

• A list of key points students will understand upon their completion of the lesson

• Background knowledge required in order to begin new material

• Materials list

• Teachable Moments — suggestions to help students fully engage with the material

• Methods and procedures to help students interpret their own observations

• Questions, discussions, and activity ideas that reinforce, expand, and assess learning

• Notes to Parents and Others — a list of practical ideas adults can use to help kids relate classroom experiences to the real world

• A list of books with grade-appropriate, supplemental readings

Throughout the book Nebel shares effective worthwhile teaching strategies. In a section titled “Teaching According to How Students Learn,” Nebel cites research examining teaching practices that both help and hinder students in their attempts to acquire scientific literacy.

The findings in this section are relevant not only to the field of science education, but also to learning in general. Nebel is an articulate spokesperson for finding the joy and intrinsic motivation in learning, and his message will resonate with many homeschooling families. In addition, Nebel moderates a website where BFSU users can communicate further about such ideas. Additional links to relevant photos, videos, and readings also appear on the site.

BFSU explores material that is far more advanced than that of other science programs for this age group. However, its engaging nature ensures that children with a range of abilities can successfully participate. Rather than a reliance on dry, text-heavy materials, BFSU helps students engage directly with the subject matter. BFSU inspires Socratic discussions that move children toward a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Students are encouraged to ask questions, to make connections, and discover concepts through activities and observations. In following this program, most children will develop a strong foundation that enables them to successfully pursue high school sciences.

BFSU will appeal to a wide range of learners; however, some considerations should also be taken into account. BFSU is a teacher’s guide. There is no accompanying children’s text. If your child is a visual learner, you will likely want to seek out pictures and other visual aids in order to support your lessons. The straightforward activities in this program are interesting, relevant, and not needlessly complicated. However, if you have a highly hands-on, kinesthetic learner, you may wish to supplement with additional experiments and activities that correlate with each lesson plan.

The full BFSU curriculum is intended to provide a comprehensive foundation in science for students K-8. As Nebel points out, significant gaps in science education are not unusual. To address this issue, even some families with older children may find it best to begin with the K-2 volume. The subject matter is advanced and well-developed, and a third or fourth grader is not likely to find the text’s format or content objectionable.

Primarily a teacher-led program, BFSU does require a deeper time commitment on the part of the parent than most other science programs for children this age. Parents should expect to spend time preparing for classes in advance and to be highly involved in each lesson with their child. At the same time, Nebel encourages instructors not to over prepare for lessons. Leave lots of room for spontaneous inquiry and observation—this is how scientists are grown.

The activities and experiments in this book rely on inexpensive, common materials, many of which homeschoolers will already have in their homes. As the author wisely points out, “Science does not come in a box. It is a matter of looking at and reflecting on the world around us.” Nebel has given the homeschooling community an engaging, secular science curriculum. And he has made this program highly affordable. Print versions of Volume 1 sell for just $24.95. And remember, this is a three-year curriculum. Kindle editions are $9.99 each, and ebook downloads are only $5 each. Books can be purchased online.

Now it’s time for me to go revise plans for my homeschoolers’ science program. fortunately, this is a plan I think I can stick with!

(We’re Amazon affiliates, so if you purchase something through an Amazon link, we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Obviously this doesn’t influence what we recommend, and we link to places other than Amazon.) This column was originally published in the fall 2016 issue of HSL.

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