Project Goal

V... Inc would like to offer an interactive online science curriculum to be used in either a school or home environment.

Background - Most elementary schools are doing a poor job teaching science for a number of reasons such as tight budgets, an emphasis on reading and math, and the unrelenting pressure of preparing for the high stake tests. Homeschoolers too lack a solid pleasant low cost scientific program, K-5. There are many projects & experiments & websites with information. What is lacking is a comprehensive scientific curriculum that builds interest and understanding in science.

Description - The course should cover the science curriculum standards as defined by the 50 states and prepare students for the emerging 5th grade standardized science tests. The course should be entirely online and automated with a large number of opportunities for enrichment through experimentation, group discussion, or classroom activities. As much of the course should be self-contained with outside websites and resources used sparringly (due to how they can change and the links need to be monitored and maintained).

Likely development path - There is probably some major components that can be rolled up easily:
- A curriculum in the public domain or for low cost should exist due to the large amount of research and investment coupled with the textbook consolidation in the last few years. This should include the basic text covering the materials, illustrations, descriptions of experiments, vocabulary lists, workbooks, teacher guide, and assessments.
- There are many choices for LMS for delivery. it should deliver to each student the next learning activity with good flexibility to repeat. It should handle any type of learning activity. All activities should be tracked. The preference would be for an open source system such as Moodle.
- The lessons should be packaged in small bitesize pieces with full audio visual support. At the outset, a simple screen reader such as Natural Reader for the PC can be integrated although I'd like to get the lessons read by a human. Students can be given both the text to follow along and a simple animation of key terms (like a blackboard) for much of the materials at first.
- Demonstrations and experiments can be provided in online simulated form, through video demonstrations, or through physical experiments.