1. GPAEA is joining the Through the VAST Center at GWAEA

3. FOSS 3 rd edition has increased emphasis on student writing and math connections. – The Science Notebook supports the ELA standards. Foss kits allow science to be a context for teaching literacy (reading, writing and speaking). The FOSS 3 rd Edition program reflects the vision of the National K-12 Science Framework with learning progressions that address the disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. FOSS 3rd edition strands start at K level, which supports the scaffolding of science concepts. Each FOSS unit includes an outdoor component.

4. VAST Center supplies kits that are fully stocked with hardware and all consumables –kit is complete and ready to teach with materials for 30 students VAST Center offers a one day professional development training session on each kit Formative and Summative Data Pre and Post-Assessments with an electronic option through FOSSmap for grades 3-5 Opportunities for common formative assessment: – through embedded formative assessments – I- Checks (after each investigation) – and in the science notebook through the utilization of the focus questions.

5. GPAEA/VAST First Year Implementation Grant GPAEA is offering a limited number of grants to support district teachers in their first year of implementation by providing the cost of one kit per teacher (approximately $175) up to $1050 per building for the first year of the building's participation.

6. GPAEA/VAST First Year Implementation Grant One goal of the grant is to facilitate collaborative work amongst implementing teachers through: -A vertical alignment within a building, at least 1 teacher at each grade level* implementing the earth and/or life science kit(s) *grade levels are K-2, 3-5 or K-5 OR -A horizontal grade level alignment with all teachers at a specific grade level implementing the earth and/or life science kit(s)

7. For more information on the FOSS Kit Curriculum visit the Delta Education website at: http://www.delta-education.com/science/foss3/fosscomponents.shtml For questions or to request a grant application email rosemary.peck@gpaea.org