D678: Elementary Science Curriculum

D678 is the science curriculum course in the Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education program at Western Governors University.

Its description matches the undergraduate version: an inquiry-based curriculum aligned to standards, with Earth, life and physical sciences, cross-cutting concepts, practices and core ideas.

The MAT guide adds a competency on evaluating science resources for alignment to standards and individual student needs. For graduate candidates, particularly those coming from other careers, the task is to master content quickly and then show judgment about the materials teachers actually use.

What D678 Covers

Key Concepts Explained

Evaluating a Science Resource

Use criteria such as accuracy, alignment to the standard's idea and practice, opportunities for investigation, accessibility and reading demand. Then reach a recommendation.

Cross-Cutting Concepts as Links

Ideas like patterns and systems connect topics across Earth, life and physical science. Naming them helps explain why a unit sequence makes sense.

Meeting Individual Needs

Science is practical and visual, which helps many learners, but reading and writing demands can still block access. Plan supports such as sentence frames and word banks.

Writing a Resource Evaluation

An evaluation should read like a short professional report. This outline works for most science resources, whether a textbook unit, a kit or an online lesson.

1. Context: the grade, standard and learner needs.
2. Criteria: accuracy, alignment with idea, practice and concept, level of inquiry, accessibility and assessment.
3. Findings: what the resource does well and poorly, with specific examples.
4. Adaptations: concrete changes you would make.
5. Recommendation: use as is, adapt or replace.

Pay attention to accuracy. Some materials contain outdated or oversimplified explanations, and noticing them shows content knowledge. Also look at the balance between reading about science and doing science.

Mention learner needs explicitly: vocabulary support for English learners, tactile options for pupils who need them, and alternative ways to record observations for those who struggle with writing. Keep each adaptation tied to a named learner need.

Typical Work and How to Approach It

Where Students Get Stuck

• Weak science background. Revisit basics before the pedagogy.
• Description instead of evaluation. Add a verdict and reasons.
• Ignoring practices. Standards require doing, not only knowing.
• Short timeline. Plan backwards from your target completion date.

Study Tips for D678

• Write a checklist of evaluation criteria and reuse it.
• Keep a glossary of key vocabulary in each domain.
• Check that explanations avoid common misconceptions.
• Answer each rubric verb literally: explain, analyze, evaluate.

Final Checklist Before You Submit

• Evaluation criteria are listed up front.
• Every verdict has a specific example from the resource.
• Adaptations are tied to named learner needs.
• Science content is accurate.
• Recommendations are clear: use, adapt or replace.
• Citations and formatting meet program requirements.

Graduate work is concise. Cut any sentence that describes without evaluating.

How We Help with D678

Send the task instructions, standard, resource and rubric. A writer can explain the science, edit your evaluation, or provide a model for study. See also our education assignment help guide.

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