Science+Standards+vs+Science+Kits

Science Kits
Pros
 * Designed for classroom teachers with no background in Science.
 * Provides lessons, pacing guide, vocabulary, and background introduction to help the teacher to not be intimidated.
 * School systems provide one day courses to teachers to familiarize the teacher with the Science kits.
 * Provides the materials with meaningful hands-on activities to address specific content areas and Science standards.
 * Multiple testimonials from teachers promoting the use of Science Kits.

Cons
 * Time frame of instruction for Science kits to be taught daily as opposed to biweekly. ESS have to modify lessons to fit within available time.
 * Most products that students created from materials in the Science kits have to be disassembled and returned to the Science kit when finished.
 * Science kits are on a borrowed scheduling/resupply system for sharing between schools. This allows teacher access to at only specific times of the year.
 * Summation of Science standards covered in Science kits in grades K-5th grade would **NOT** meet covering all the Science standards addressed in Standardized testing.
 * [|John Hopkins Report] stated benefit of Teacher training to promote Science instruction over Science kits.
 * “A teacher who learns to make effective, daily use of cooperative learning, or conceptually challenging content, or science-reading integration, can take advantage of these new skills every day, for every objective, and teach the entire range of science objectives more effectively,” explained Slavin.
 * These conclusions are "tentative" due to the limited number of studies available to assess Elementary Science instruction. Of the 327 studies for evaluating science approaches at the elementary levels, only 17 met the criteria of control groupings, minimum of 4 week time frame, etc.

===Over time, I found that it is better to teach to the Science standards as reinforced (tentatively) in the Hopkins report as opposed to just teaching to the Science kits. Elementary Science Specialist (ESS) are assessed by student scoring on standardized testing so addressing all Science standards improves a student's chances of scoring well.===

I do like the Science Kits that are provided. I feel that they have to be modified for time available. Further lessons have to be developed to deal with standards that are not covered in the kits. The Science kits are best for ESS that has no prepared background in Science. The kits would provide a well founded starting point for the development of novice ESS in teaching Science.