What is BioSmart?
BioSmart is a SPPS district term. Our school is working to define what it means to our building, teachers, and students. At this point we have developed two goals to support the BioSmart initiative. Our English-only classes participate in the BioSmart initiative.
The first goal is to understand and strengthen our 3M and Target Partnerships for science field trips and experiences. We have done this by looking at the curriculum and standards at all grade levels. We have created a schoolwide scope and sequence for the school year. In grades 3, 4, and 5, where the 3M and Target Partnerships are the strongest, we have developed opportunities for teachers to better understand the purpose of each experience by collaborating with each partnership.
The second goal was to look at the grade level science, reading, and writing standards for grades 1 and 2 and write Science Friday curriculum. This curriculum was written during the summer by Wellstone teachers. Teachers looked at the writing units, as well as MONDO reading lessons, to align science standards to support both reading and writing. During science classes, teachers are able to pre-teach science concepts so that classroom teachers are able to spend more time on teaching the skills and strategies of becoming better writers and readers.
BioSmart is a work in progress and will continue to develop as new opportunities arise.
SPPS has teamed up with 3M & Target to provide SPPS students with partnership opportunities. Wellstone teachers work with each partnership to understand the science standards supported by each partnership.