Why FOSS works for Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
Eagle School Of Madison
Sunset Ridge Elementary School
St Mary’s Springs Academy
Milwaukee Public Schools
Poynette Middle School
Venture Academy
Coop Ed Service Agency 02
La Crosse School District
Appleton Area School District
Elk Mound School District
Jefferson School District
St Johns Lutheran School
St Peter Lutheran Grade School
Lake Country School District
Cameron School District
Johnson Creek School District
Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran School
Immanuel Lutheran School
Cassville School District
Germantown School District
Divine Savior Catholic School
Walworth Joint School District 1
Rosholt School District
Oregon School District
School District Of Whitefish Bay
Mukwonago Area School District
Menomonie Area School District
Wausau School District
New Berlin School District
Wautoma Area School District
Merton Community School District
West Bend Joint School District 1
Somerset School District
Rolling Hills Elementary 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
Trees & Weather
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
Changes in the Sky
1-ESS1-1 | 1-ESS1-2
Sound & Light
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
Water and Landforms
2-ESS1-1 | 2-ESS2-1 | 2-ESS2-2 | 2-ESS2-3 | 2-PS1-1
Solids & Liquids
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 Wisconsin resources below and see for yourself why FOSS is the Full Option Science System that works for Wisconsin 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