Science K-5 Adoption

In Spring 2022, TK-5 teachers piloted Amplify, the curriculum selected by the TK-8 NGSS Instructional Materials Committee in August 2020.  A committee of 25 Grade TK-5 teachers met in March 2022 and voted not to adopt Amplify as the new NGSS aligned Science curriculum. 

While continuing with Mystery Science for 2022-2023, in September 2022, CUSD began the CA NGSS TIME (Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation) process again with a committee of 20 TK-5 teachers representing all elementary sites.  Teachers selected five programs to prescreen and met in November 2022 to determine which programs to move forward to the paper-screening process.  Three programs, STEMscopes, McGraw Hill Inspire, and Mystery Science went through the paper screening process in January and February 2023. 

Committee members decided to pilot McGraw Hill Inspire and Mystery Science.  Piloting will take place from March 6 - May 12  with a meeting of the TK-5 Science Committee to recommend a program for adoption to be held on May 17, 2023. 

A meeting for parents and community members was held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Board Room of the District Office.  Representatives from McGraw Hill Inspire and Mystery Science shared information on their respective programs and the materials were available for review and comment.  The presentation is available here.

Public review of the materials will continue in the Educational Services Department at the District Office until June 8, 2023 with a recommendation to the Governing Board on adoption occurring in June 2023.