FOSS connects science to English Language Arts.
FOSS is intentionally designed to promote connections between science and language arts and to help build critical literacy skills.
Group Discussions
FOSS give students regular, structured opportunities to talk in pairs and small groups, contributing accurate and relevant facts to support their sense-making discussions.
Science Notebooks
Students use their science notebooks to keep an organized record of observations, questions, and conceptual understanding, building their ELA skills in the course of their work as scientists.
Science Resources Readings
Readings in FOSS are designed to complement and enhance active investigations. Students pose questions, support their ideas with evidence, acquire information from text and other sources, and interpret illustrations to build understanding of science concepts.
Speaking and Listening
FOSS immerses students in a culture of exchanging ideas as they process and organize their own learning, apply their knowledge, and solve problems in collaborative groups.
Vocabulary Building

See how FOSS students discover English
Get the details on how FOSS investigations seamlessly integrate language learning

English language learner Isabella discovers FOSS
English left Isabella on the outside looking in. FOSS spoke to all her senses, then drew her into reading and writing. FOSS levels the playing field by giving learners multiple ways to engage with the lesson, enticing them in through hands-on exploration rather than text alone.