Re: IPS Introductory Physical Science Program
Posted by Waski_the_Squirrel on 5/18/08
On 5/18/08, Ms.P wrote: > Which parts did you incorporate into 8th grade earth science? I > teach IPS and have a good working relationship with the 7th and > 8th grade teacher who teaches earthscience and I am sure she > would incorporate the items.
I found a few natural fits. I taught measurement IPS style instead of the way I'd been doing it in 8th grade. I found the concept of characteristic properties a natural fit with minerals. The idea of pure substances and mixtures was a good fit between rocks and minerals.
Separating mixtures fit in all over through the year. When we discussed the ocean we did the lab on separating a mixture of sulfur and salt. The density labs fit in all year as well. The eighth graders were impressed that they could measure the mass of a gas.
Conservation of mass went well with the rock cycle. It got across the idea that Earth continually cycles and recycles the same materials in a much better way than the actual Earth Science book did.
In short, I had a lot of success by looking at the themes. In my own (never humble) opinion, Physical Science should come before Earth Science because it provides the foundation upon which to build Earth Science.