Support for long-term classroom planning and professional development. Information covering important topics for today's educators and parents. The program uses a constructivist instructional model that provides students with opportunities for experiential learning and helps teachers to master pedagogical skills that support students' growing conceptual understanding. The program consists of a student textbook, a teacher's guide, and a teacher's resource book. For example, the chapter on human homeostasis engages students by having them read a story about the rescue of two hikers from the wilderness.
Additional information is presented in a series of illustrated articles at the back of the text.
For their evaluation, students work in groups to develop a health care proposal to present to an imaginary foundation. The teacher's guide presents an overview of the program, along with guidelines for laboratory safety, classroom management tips, and answer keys. The teacher's resource book provides background information on cooperative learning and alternative assessment, correlations to the National Science Education Standards, copy masters, and a guide to using microcomputer based laboratories, computer simulations, and videodiscs. A videodisc package and computer simulations are also available. Recommended as a resource in NSTA Pathways to the Science Standards, High School Edition published by the National Science Teachers Association, 1996.