Introduction
Introduction
We created this book to help you, as a college student and future professional, to both learn science and to consider what future citizens need to know in order to be scientifically literate members of society. This book is divided into seven parts:
- Space Science
- Earth Science
- Climate Science
- Course Materials and Pedagogy
Within each part, the material is broken down into smaller chapters. Here you will find written explanations, video links, glossary terms, key takeaways, and practice quizzes to help you understand the material. This book is designed to be a flexible resource; use it as much or as little as you need throughout the course.
Look for these boxes throughout:
Open Source Textbook Key
Throughout this textbook, you’ll encounter recurring box formats designed to guide your learning. Below is a key to help you understand what each box represents:
🗝️ Bolded Words
Important terms or concepts are highlighted in bold for emphasis.
🔗 Embedded Links
Be on the lookout for hyperlinks embedded in the text—they often lead to additional resources or references.
🧠 Big Ideas and Big Questions
At the beginning of each chapter, this box presents the central ideas and guiding questions for the content you’re learning.
💭 Reflections and Additional Resources
Pause and reflect here. You’ll also find videos, simulations, and other resources to deepen your understanding.
📚 Vocabulary
Definitions of key terms relevant to the chapter content.
🧪 Examples
Illustrative examples that help clarify and apply the concepts being discussed.
👩🏫 Teacher Talk
Connects classroom content to NGSS standards across grade bands from elementary to middle school. You’ll also find lesson plans and instructional ideas here.
📎 Resources
Additional resources to support your learning will be located in these boxes.
Important definitions
These boxes define key terms and ideas, and they include examples of how these terms/ideas are used in everyday life.
K-6 Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
These boxes identify related standards from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Key Takeaways
These boxes summarize the most central ideas from each chapter.
