New High School Science Course

[country_girl]

I am teaching a new high school science course this year - Aquatic Science. Does anyone have any curriculum or even the name & publisher of a book? Any help would be appreciated!

[jsfowler]

Good luck finding a textbook!

Is it necessary to have a textbook? I have found that I teach best from materials I collect here and there. Perhaps you could create an outline of course listing topics you want to teach and in what order. Then find magazines, internet sites, videos, books, computer programs, etc. that relate to those topics.

Last year, I taught 8th grade science and did not use a textbook...it was my best year! This year I have switched to 7th Language Arts. I am going to have a classroom set of Lit books for short stories, etc. but I will not be using the grammar and writing handbook...they are not "real world" at all and that, to me, is essential!

Where is your high school located? Near a large body of water??? Find an expert in the field to help you with field trips, guest speakers, and materials. You would be suprised the resources communities have!! I was teaching a unit on electricity and called the local electric company to be a guest speaker...they came with videos, handouts, books, workbooks, powerpoints etc. I couldn't believe it!

[country_girl]

Thanks. That was my original thought - no textbook & just a hodge-podge of materials. But my Administration is hounding me about needing one. Apparently the parents question why I don't use a book - I teach Biology & haven't used a book in the past 6 years!
I am on the Gulf Coast of Texas - so field trips are planned, but with the price of fuel, who knows if that will be a reality or not.

Thanks again for the advice!

[merrynl]

Have you looked at any of the Cornell Inquiry series of books? I'm not sure what exactly you're looking to include in the course, but some of them might be helpful.

http://ei.cornell.edu/

[muinteoir]

The adopted Aquatic Science materials for Texas are:

1. Biology and Technology of the Marine Environment; ISBN - 0937049581; Curriculum Research & Development Group

2. Investigating Lake Iluka (software); ISBN - 1888573031; Interactive Educational Software & Video, Inc.

I suspect if you go with a text other than state adopted one, the cost will be prohibitive.

However, the adoption for this is up in 2009. The next K-12 science adoption is 2012.