Introduction
Noah’s Ark Today (NAT) is an inquiry-based and standards-based
curriculum closely aligned with the National Education Standards in Social Studies and Science.
The curriculum addresses Science goals through Science as
Inquiry skills, Life Science content and Science and Technology skills. Social
Studies and Geography activities address US History and Geography content
goals (including immigration, westward expansion and the pioneers. ) Math,
Reading and Language Arts skills are integrated in the context of learning
science and social studies concepts.
Key topics covered in the curriculum include:
- the basic needs of animals for food, shelter, space and water
- the comparative habitats and climates preferred by different breeds
- specific adaptations within and among the species
- the importance of form related to function
- farm animals as immigrants to the US.
- the role of farm animals in the settling of the United States.
- the geographic distribution of breeds
Using the multidisciplinary approach of an integrated
curriculum, NAT weaves in reading, writing and mathematics opportunities into
every unit. Click here for a .pdf overview of
the curriculum.
Noah’s Ark Today combines instruction about scientific
and historical/geographic concepts with practice in science and communications
skills – observation and description; oral, written, and artistic expression;
reading; and organization of new information. Both concepts and skills follow
learning objectives in the National Research Council’s National Science
Education Standards and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s
Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy as well as the education objectives of
the National Council for the Social Studies and the National Council for Geographic
Education. Program activities encourage active learning and interaction with
the world outside the classroom, and they give teachers the flexibility to
adapt lessons to fit local resources. Though the program is designed for students
in grades K-5, it is also appropriate for mixed-age groups, students of differing
abilities, and older students. Read detailed descriptions of the national Science and Social Studies Standards
Critical Skills
NAT emphasizes critical thinking processes (observing, communicating, comparing,
organizing) and skills (problem solving, decision making and analytical, comparative,
inferential and evaluative reasoning). It emphasizes learning strands such
as systems and processes, and uses scientific inquiry throughout. Specific
skills are delineated in the specific objectives of each activity.
For more about the standards, visit the following:
Benchmarks (American Association for the Advancement of Sciences Benchmarks
for Scientific Literacy) (http://www. project2061. org/publications/bsl/online/bolintro. htm)
AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) http://www. aaas. org/
NRC (National Research CouncilÍs National Science Education Standards)
NSES (National Science Education Standards) (http://www. nsta. org/standards)
NCSS (National Council for the Social Studies) http://www. socialstudies. org/about/
NCGS (National Council for Geographic Education) http://www. nationalgeographic. com/xpeditions/standards/matrix. html
