Why FOSS works for Washington
Phenomena-based science with an eye to the future
FOSS incorporates local and relevant phenomena in a way that addresses standards and instills science literacy that will serve students and their communities well for a lifetime.
FOSS is built around phenomena that students can observe firsthand and relate to the world they know in Washington. Phenomena are organized into coherent storylines for the teacher, empowering them to engage students as they explore.
Benefits of Local and Relevant Phenomena
- Leverages students’ prior knowledge
- Offers direct access and connection to their world
- Levels the playing field for all students
- Allows student-generated questioning and experimentation
- Ensures developmentally appropriate phenomena
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Why Washington Districts Choose FOSS
FOSS gives students the opportunity to think and act like scientists and engineers. UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science developed FOSS for Washington to present science the way students learn it, as they experience phenomena firsthand through active investigation. It’s why FOSS is proven to measurably improve test scores in districts across the country and in local districts in Washington.
South Kitsap School District
Lynden Academy
Cascade Christian School District
Spokane International Academy
Impact Public Schools
Our Lady Of The Lake School
St Catherine School
Assumption St Bridget School
Bellevue Christian School
Hope Lutheran School
Battle Ground School District 119
Olympia School District 111
Riverview School District 407
Sequim School District 323
Bellevue School District 405
Kennewick School District 17
Lynden School District 504
Kent School District
Shelton School District 309
Bellingham School District 501
La Center School District 101
Coulee-Hartline School District 151
Eastside Academics School
Amber Duffield
Northwest Christian High School
Recommended Scope & Sequence
See how FOSS is aligned to NGSS Performance Expectations for each module and course in the chart below.
FOSS Pathways PreK-5
Grade
Earth Science
Physical Science
Life Science
PK
Observing Nature
Foundation for LS1.A, LS1.C, PS1.A, ESS3.C
K
K-LS1-1 | K-ESS2-1 | K-ESS2-2 | K-ESS3-1 | K-ESS3-2 | K-PS3-1
Materials & Forces
K-PS2-1 | K-PS2-2 | K-PS3-1 | K-PS3-2 | K-ESS3-3 | K-2-ETS1-1 | K-2-ETS1-2 | K-2-ETS1-3
Animals Two by Two
K-LS1-1 | K-ESS2-2 | K-ESS3-1
1
1-ESS1-1 | 1-ESS1-2
1-PS4-1 | 1-PS4-2 | 1-PS4-3 | 1-PS4-4 | K-2-ETS1-1 | K-2 ETS1-2 | K-2-ETS1-3
Plants & Animals
1-LS1-1 | 1-LS1-2 | 1-LS3-1 | K-2-ETS1-2
2
2-ESS1-1 | 2-ESS2-1 | 2-ESS2-2 | 2-ESS2-3 | 2-PS1-1
2-PS1-1 | 2-PS1-2 | 2-PS1-3 | 2-PS1-4 | K-2-ETS1-1 | K-2-ETS1-2 | K-2-ETS1-3
Insects & Plants
2-LS2-1 | 2-LS2-2 | 2-LS4-1 | K-2-ETS1-2
3
3-ESS2-1 | 3-ESS2-2 | 3-ESS3-1
3-PS2-1 | 3-PS2-2 | 3-PS2-3 | 3-PS2-4 | 3-5-ETS1-1 | 3-5-ETS1-2 | 3-5-ETS1-3
3-LS1-1 | 3-LS2-1 | 3-LS3-1 | 3-LS3-2 | 3-LS4-1 | 3-LS4-2 | 3-LS4-3 | 3-LS4-4
4
4-ESS1-1 | 4-ESS2-1 | 4-ESS2-2 | 4-ESS3-2 | 3-5-ETS1-2
4-PS3-1 | 4-PS3-2 | 4-PS3-3 | 4-PS3-4 | 4-PS4-1 | 4-PS4-2 | 4-PS4-3 | 4-ESS3-1 | 3-5-ETS1-1 | 3-5-ETS1-2 | 3-5-ETS1-3
4-LS1-1 | 4-LS1-2 | 3-5-ETS1-1
5
5-ESS1-1 | 5-ESS1-2 | 5-ESS2-1 | 5-ESS2-2 | 5-ESS3-1 | 5-PS1-1 | 5-PS2-1 | 3-5-ETS1-1 | 3-5-ETS1-2
5-PS1-1 | 5-PS1-2 | 5-PS1-3 | 5-PS1-4 | 5-ESS3-1 | 3-5-ETS1-2
5-PS3-1 | 5-LS1-1 | 5-LS2-1 | 5-ESS2-1 | 5-ESS3-1 | 3-5-ETS1-3
FOSS Next Generation Middle School
Grade
6 – 8
Integrated Middle Grades
MS-PS1-4 | MS-PS3-3 | MS-PS3-4 | MS-PS3-5 | MS-ESS1-1 | MS-ESS2-4 | MS-ESS2-5 | MS-ESS2-6 | MS-ESS3-2 | MS-ESS3-3 | MS-ESS3-4 | MS-ESS3-5 | MS-ETS1-1 | MS-ETS1-2 | MS-ETS1-3 | MS-ETS1-4
MS-LS1-1 | MS-LS1-2 | MS-LS1-3 | MS-LS1-4 | MS-LS1-5 | MS-LS1-6 | MS-LS1-7 | MS-LS3-2
MS-PS1-1 | MS-PS1-2 | MS-PS1-3 | MS-PS1-4 | MS-PS1-5 | MS-PS1-6 | MS-PS3-3 | MS-PS3-4 | MS-PS3-5 | MS-ETS1-1 | MS-ETS1-2 | MS-ETS1-3 | MS-ETS1-4
MS-ESS1-4 | MS-ESS2-1 | MS-ESS2-2 | MSESS2-3 | MS-ESS3-1 | MS-ESS3-2 | MS-ESS3-3 | MS-ESS3-4 | MS-ESS3-5 | MS-LS4-1
MS-LS1-6 | MS-LS1-7 | MS-LS2-1 | MSLS2-2 | MS-LS2-3 | MS-LS2-4 | MS-LS2-5 | MS-PS3-4 | MSESS3-3 | MS-ESS3-4 | MS-ETS1-1 | MS-ETS1-2
MS-LS3-1 | MS-LS3-2 | MS-LS4-1 | MS-LS4-2 | MS-LS4-3 | MS-LS4-4 | MS-LS4-5 | MS-LS4-6 | MS-ESS1-4
MS-PS2-2 | MS-PS2-3 | MS-PS2-5 | MS-PS3-2 | MS-PS3-5 | MS-ESS3-4 | MS-ETS1-1 | MS-ETS1-2 | MS-ETS1-3 | MS-ETS1-4
MS-PS2-1 | MS-PS2-2 | MS-PS2-4 | MS-PS2-5 | MS-PS3-1 | MS-PS3-2 | MS-PS3-5 | MS-ESS1-2 | MS-ETS1-1 | MS-ETS1-2 | MS-ETS1-3 | MS-ETS1-4
MS-PS2-4 | MS-PS4-2 | MS-ESS1-1 | MS-ESS1-2 | MS-ESS1-3 | MS-ESS1-4 | MS-ESS2-2 | MS-ESS2-4 | MS-ESS3-1 | MS-ESS3-2 | MS-ESS3-3 | MS-ESS3-4 | MS-ETS1-1
*Half-length courses
Physical Science content
Earth Science content
Life Science content
Engineering content
Resources
The FOSS curriculum is designed as a laddered series of experiences that cumulatively develop not just knowledge, but scientific thinking across all three dimensions. You’ll find that the research-based FOSS curriculum with complete equipment kits is ideal for your elementary and middle school classroom. Review the Washington resources below and see for yourself why FOSS is the Full Option Science System that works for Washington teachers and students.
FOSS Pathways:
NGSS Correlations Grade 3-5
FOSS Next Generation:
NGSS Correlations Grades K-5
FOSS Next Generation:
NGSS Correlations Grades 6-8