Parallel Curriculum Units for Science, Grades 6-12

"Teachers at various stages of professional development in curriculum design will find these materials powerful examples that will guide their growth and development and sharpen their skills."
—Mary L. Slade, Professor
James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Supercharge your science curriculum to challenge all students

Based on the best-selling book The Parallel Curriculum, this professional development resource gives multifaceted examples of rigorous learning opportunities for science students in Grades 6–12. The four sample units revolve around genetics, the convergence of science and society, the integration of language arts and biology, and the periodic table. The editors and contributors provide user-friendly methods for creating more thoughtful lessons and show how to differentiate them for the benefit of all students. Included are field-tested and standards-based strategies that guide students through:

1. Exploring the nature of knowledge
2. Discovering connections between science and other subjects
3. Deepening science comprehension according to their interests and abilities
4. Connecting science to society through the study of genetics, historic events, literature, and chemistry

Each unit includes subject matter background, a content framework, study components, teacher reflections, and sample lessons. Also available are online content tools such as handouts, PowerPoint presentations, and research activities. Breathe new life into science learning with this powerful guidebook written by master educators!

About The Authors:

Jann Leppien served as a gifted and talented coordinator in Montana prior to attending the University of Connecticut, where she earned her doctorate in gifted education and worked as a research assistant at the National Research Center for the Gifted and Talented. She has been a teacher for 24 years, spending 14 of those years working as a classroom teacher, enrichment specialist, and coordinator of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Montana. She is past president of the Montana Association for Gifted and Tal­ented Education. Currently, she is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of Great Falls in Montana. Leppien teaches graduate and under­graduate courses in gifted education, educational research, curriculum and assess­ment, creativity, and methods courses in math, science, and social studies. Her research interests include teacher collaboration, curriculum design, underachievement, and planning instruction for advanced learners. Leppien works as a consultant to teachers in the field of gifted education and as a national trainer for the Talents Unlimited Program. She is coauthor of The Multiple Menu Model: A Par­allel Guide for Developing Differentiated Curriculum. She is active in the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), serving as a board member and newsletter editor of the Curriculum Division, and a board member of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students.

Jeanne H. Purcell is the consultant to the Connecticut State Depart­ment of Education for gifted and talented education. She is also director of UConn Mentor Connection, a nationally recognized summer mentorship program for talented teenagers that is part of the NEAG Center for Talent Development at the University of Con­necticut. Prior to her work at the State Department of Connecticut, she was an administrator for Rocky Hill Public Schools (CT); a pro­gram specialist with the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, where she worked collaboratively with other researchers on national issues related to high-achieving young people; an instructor of Teaching the Talented, a graduate-level program in gifted education; and a staff developer to school districts across the country and Canada. She has been an En­glish teacher, community service coordinator, and teacher of the gifted, K-12, for 18 years in Connecticut school districts and has published many articles that have appeared in Educational Leadership, Gifted Child Quarterly, Roeper Review, Educa­tional and Psychological Measurement, National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Bulletin, Our Children: The National PTA Magazine, Parenting for High Potential, and Journal for the Education of the Gifted. She is active in the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and serves on the Awards Committee and the Curriculum Committee of NAGC, for which she is the co-chair for the annual Curriculum Awards Competition