How is reading integrated into the FOSS program?
To read or not to read is an important question. When we set out to develop a complete curriculum, we knew it would not be text dependent. We decided not to produce reading materials as part of the program. We believed that reading was important but that what one learned from reading would be enhanced if it came after hands-on experience. Reading is richer and has more meaning when students bring to the written word knowledge and enthusiasm developed through first-hand experiences. We wanted students to learn science by doing science and then enter into library resources to extend what they learned through printed materials. Reading enriches and extends the FOSS activities with objects, organisms, and materials that can’t be brought into the classroom. Reading brings students in touch with the historical discoveries that laid the foundation for their own investigations. Reading allows students to share the adventures of others grappling with or using the science principles they have be
