The gold standard for instruction in elementary science education has been the BSCS 5E Instructional Model.  Developed by Busby while at BSCS in Colorado Springs, maybe, it has a catchy catchy name and is clever blend of constructionist and instruction.  At the very least, it reminds teachers to teach, not just to instruct.

The folks who developed Science4Us were enthralled and inspired by the 5E Instructional Model and implemented the 5E Instructional Model for the primary grades with fidelity and creativity.

Looking forward, there is renewed emphasis on authentic investigative science and it remains to be seen for 3rd- 5th grade this can be merged with the 5E Model. Stay tuned. What’s also fun is how this has been made available to elementary homeschool science learners.

To start 2018, I will make a point that I hardly believe has to be made.

Science is science.  Science is not part of a spectrum that includes opinions and religions. Science is backed by the scientific method and scientific facts are scientific facts.

Science is agnostic or secular, it has nothing to do with clock makers or intelligent design or any other thinly veiled religious approach to seeing the world.

Science is science. Much like math.  Beautiful. Pure. Complicated. Evolving. As we learn.

How to Homeschool? When people ask me, I say anyway you want. But as long as you are teaching, teach science. Not supernatural stuff. That’s something else and not science.