Go2science

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

About Us

What is your mission statement?

Our mission is to make the world a better place! How? By teaching children to be effective questioners and compassionate evidence based decision makers.

What are your qualifications?

Beth is a Nationally Board Certified teacher, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, and is a published author. She has a degree in Human Ecology. Curtis has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology/earth sciences, Master’s degree in environmental science and economics, and a Juris Doctorate. He has published six research articles in peer reviewed journals on paleontology.

Are you really a teacher?

Yes! Beth has 25 years of classroom experience. Curtis is not a classroom teacher, but loves kids and doing presentations in schools.

How do I know your program works?

Teachers, practitioners, and parents tell us amazing accounts of how we have positively impacted their kids both inside and outside of the learning space. They report gains in academics, growth in critical thinking, and improvements in behavior. Additionally, the methods we are sharing via Go2Science routinely helped Beth’s students achieve the highest literacy and math performance in her district even though they usually entered among the lowest.

How do you adapt your lessons for various ages?

We provide grade level lessons for PreK through fifth grade and multiage Fast & Fun activities. The core activity for most lessons works across the K-5 continuum, however, the complexity students bring to that work increases as they gain skills. Additionally, we provide NGSS aligned formative assessment rubrics for grade level lessons to help structure conversation to support learning specific skills. We also provide grade level appropriate integrations for reading, writing, and math as part of each lesson. Pre-K lessons are developmentally appropriate and play-based.

What is the difference between lessons and Fast & Fun activities?

Our K-5 lessons are designed to meet national and state learning standards. The Fast & Fun activities are usually based on the lessons but do not focus on standards and tend to require less materials and time to complete.

Field Research Missions

How many missions do you do each year?

We feature three diverse research missions each year. We do one mission in the fall, winter, and spring. Each mission has a unique research focus and location. However, you do not have to do the three Featured Missions. You can do any of our missions asynchronously on your own schedule. Missions done asynchronously do not have "live" livestream events. 

Is every mission about the same topic?

No. We work with a range of scientists and science topics.

How do you decide where to go?

We decided where to go based on what we think will be highly engaging for kids while showing them diverse geography and cultures.

Is there a schedule for when each mission will take place?

Yes! Each year we feature three different missions; one in the fall, winter, and spring. The dates for featured missions including all livestream dates can be found on our calendar.

How long does each mission last?

Each mission is designed to last at least six weeks but you can do them asynchronously (not following along with us) at your own pace! If you are doing a missions asynchronously, you can speed the mission up or slow down it to fit your needs. All livestream events associated with that mission will be archived so you can watch those at your own pace too. 

Are you testing an actual hypothesis?

Yes! While we try to keep them simple and often have a pretty good idea of what evidence we’ll find, each mission has a real hypothesis from a real scientist. It’s all about the process.

Can we join a mission in progress?

Absolutely! We catalog all our field missions and lessons for you so you can easily go back to missed episodes or activities. We even save a livestream from each day so you can re-create the experience for your students.

Do we have to do all the lessons/activities to follow a mission?

No! You are in charge of the content you deliver to your learners! You could choose to do every lesson or pick the ones that fit your goals. With our extensions and integration opportunities, you’ve got lots of flexibility!

What if we miss a livestream event?

We’ve got your back! We record a livestream event from each livestream day and make it available on our website.

Lesson Plans and Fast & Fun Activities

Who designs the activities featured in each lesson?

Our lessons/activities are designed collaboratively! We work with a team of award-winning teachers and published scientists to produce super fun content that engages a wide range of learners while keeping focused learning front and center.

Are the lessons aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards?

Yes! Every lesson incorporates the three dimensional framework of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We provide formative assessment rubrics aligned to each performance indicator. We show you how to integrate CCSS literacy and math standards into every lesson. This lets you choose the focus since you know what your students need most! The Fast & Fun activities do not necessarily meet NGSS/CCSS standards.

What do your lesson plans contain?

Our K-5 lessons lead with objectives and a NGSS connection. We highlight base knowledge, misconceptions, and vocabulary. We provide a list of simple materials and step-by-step directions for the hands-on portion of the lesson. Finally we show you how to take the learning further by integrating with literacy, math, the arts, and real world connections. In some cases there are game cards, journal pages, or maps you can print.

Do you provide assessments?

Yes! We provide formative assessments aligned to NGSS standards that focus on building a growth mindset!

Do I have to do every lesson?

No! You do not need to do any of the lessons to help us figure out if the hypothesis is true or false.  The lessons are designed to enrich your experience and meet standards. Remember we are your resource and YOU are in control.

How do the lessons help me teach ELA or Math?

Each lesson provides support in integrating at least one or two standards each for literacy and math. You can use them to adapt, replace, or extend any lesson in an existing curriculum. As you select the lessons you want to do for each mission, you can pinpoint the needs of your learners to give extra practice in specific content areas too.

My district requires me to use a specific program for Math or ELA, can I still use your lessons?

Absolutely! We play well with others (see above). We also have handy Standards Spreadsheets that show you which lessons address which standards.

What are Fast & Fun activities?

These are hands-on, screen-free activities inspired by our field videos and lessons. They are designed to be fun, to keep learning going, and support human interactions. They are not designed to meet every NGSS or CCSS standard.

Managing Your Account

What is my screen name?

You select your own screen name when you begin your subscription. Your screen name will be visible to others in our Go2Science community if you use our livestream chat or publishing features. 

How do I reset my password?

If you forgot your password, click “forgot password” to email us and we’ll reset it.

How do I update my information?

All your account information can be edited by clicking on “Your Profile” in the upper right corner of your screen revealing a drop down menu. Click your screen name to access User Settings and Subscription Information to update your profile.

Do students/learners get their own accounts?

No. Only adults are allowed to create accounts. We do this for a number of reasons but mostly to protect the privacy of young learners and to encourage classroom-wide/family discussions.

Do you keep any student/learner data?

No. We do not collect or store any personal information about our learners. When you post work on our webpage, it is your responsibility to ensure there is no personally identifiable information regarding the learner.

Subscriptions

What subscription levels do you have and what does each include?

We offer Basic and Full membership rates. The Basic level provides access to all of our features except livestream events, voting, and publishing. The Full level includes everything in Basic, plus livestream events, voting, publishing, personalized professional development, free accounts for tech integrators and other support personnel.

We also have a Lite membership that only provides access to the hypothesis video, field videos, and Fast & Fun activities associated with the "live" or current mission.

Do you have a district or organization subscription rate?

Yes, please contact us if you are interested in purchasing for a district or organization at curious@go2science.com with the subject line “group pricing” to discuss your options.

Are you available for summer school/camp?

Yes! We are happy to work with you so Go2Science can be a part of your  summer school/camp. Please contact us as soon as possible at curious@go2science.com to get the ball rolling!

Do you offer a free trial?

No, but if you request it, we will provide a personal tour of our website and all that we offer.

Hypothesis Videos

Do you work with real scientists?

Yes! We try to find scientists who represent not only a variety of fields of study, but also a variety of ages, ethnicities, and genders.

Do you take suggestions for new hypotheses?

Sure! We’d love to hear from you. Email your suggestions to us at curious@go2science.com with the subject line “Mission Idea.”

Field Videos

How do you shoot the field footage you show us?

We use Go-Pros, DSLR cameras, and cell phones. While we usually just film each other, occasionally we have an extra person lend a hand.

How many field videos to you produce for each mission?

We produce twelve, 5-6 minute field videos per mission.

Can I watch the field videos at any time and stop and start them as needed?

Yes! Feel free to watch them at any time. Pause. Re-wind. Re-play to your heart’s content.

Do I need to schedule a time with you to watch a field video?

You can watch the videos at any time. They will also be featured in our livestream sessions that happen at specified times.

How can I use the field videos?

Our field videos are super adaptable! View them before a livestream to help your learners brainstorm outstanding questions. Watch them in their entirety or for just a few seconds to set the stage for our lessons. Use them as a hook before a writing workshop or math lesson. Pause the video for shared reading and concepts of print lessons. If you are projecting onto a white board surface, learners can mark up the text slides to circle words, letters, or punctuation. You can even play word games. For example, everyone stands up when they see a specific vocabulary word.

Where can I find field videos?

You can find field videos on the Field Videos & Lessons page and the Field Video Collection page.

Livestream Events

How do I join a livestream event?

Livestream events are only available to those who have a Full membership. Access livestream events by clicking a time in the "Livestream Events" box. Once you’re on the Livestream page, click the play arrow to see the live feed. Dates and times for livestream events are posted on our website and in our Calendar.

How often and at what times to do you livestream?

We livestream each Tuesday and Thursday during the active phase of a current mission. We have multiple times available each day, so you can join the sessions that best fits your schedule. Please see our Calendar for livestream event dates and times.

Do I need to schedule a time to livestream with you?

No! You can click in and join a livestream whenever it works best for you.

What equipment do I need to join the livestream?

Not much! All it takes is a computer connected to the internet with a screen your learners can see and audio they can hear.

Can you see or hear us during a livestream?

No. This is a one way connection. You can see and hear us but we cannot see or hear you. People joining us during a livestream cannot hear or see each other either. The only way you interact with us and others during a livestream event is via the chat feature when you send us messages.

Can we pause your livestream?

Yes, but only the livestream video feed pauses. The chat box does not pause so once you've paused the livestream video, the chat will be out of sync with it.

What do we do if the livestream fails for some reason?

Unfortunately, this may happen but it can be an excellent teachable moment. If it happens, use it as an opportunity to model flexible thinking and problem solving to your learners. Ask them what might have happened and how to solve the problem. Is your internet down? Did a storm knock out the connection from headquarters? Next, decide what to do. You can show the field video from the Field Videos & Lessons page. You can join another livestream event. You can watch a recorded livestream event the next day. You can whip out your Go2Science journals and write about what you think happened! Rest assured, if the problem is at headquarters we’re on it with our best flexible thinking, too.

Do you archive the livestream events?

Yes! We archive one event for each livestream day. You can find them in the Livestream Events section of our website by clicking the Recorded Sessions button. Of course, the chat feature won’t be live, but it is a great way to keep the flow going if you miss a day for any reason.

Live Chat Feature

Is there a limit on how many questions we can ask each day?

Technically, no, BUT we strongly encourage you to ask just a few high quality questions. This is an excellent opportunity to work with your learners to understand what makes an outstanding question. We suggest that before you join a livestream event, you watch the associated field video and work with your learners to develop questions that dig deeper into the topic.

Who can post questions?

Anyone! However, depending on the number and type of question we get, we may be unable to address every question. So, we encourage working with learners to come up with a couple of high quality questions for each livestream so we have a better chance of answering all of them!

Does someone moderate what is posted in the livestream chat?

Yes! We see every post but others do not see those posts until we approve it. That slows the rate of questions to an age appropriate stream and ensures only relevant and safe content appears on screen.

Can I delete or edit something I post to the livestream chat?

No, but if you’ve made an unfortunate typo no one will see it except the moderator. We won’t approve anything that would be embarrassing or offensive to our community.

Can we scroll the chat blog?

Yes! You can scroll up and down during a live session.

Voting

How do we vote on a question?

When the Vote feature is available, a ballot question is open from Monday morning through Thursday night of that week.

How long do we have to vote on a question?

When the Vote feature is available, ballot questions are open from Monday morning through Thursday afternoon as 4 pm Eastern time.

Can I change my vote after I have voted?

No, once your vote is submitted it is final.

How often can we vote?

You may submit one vote for each question.

Can we see the results of the vote while the vote is still open?

Yes. Votes are tabulated in real time.

Do you have any suggestions for how the voting feature can support learning?

We sure do! You can use the data for graphing activities. Use the process to discuss voting and civic responsibility. Build collaboration skills by working together to get a consensus.

Publishing Their Work

How do I publish my learners’ work?

Simply snap a photo of the work you wish to share and follow the steps on the “Publish It!” page. You can create a post with one or multiple photos.

How do I remove my learner’s work?

Click on the publication that you posted and wish to remove. There is a red button labeled "Delete Your Publication" on the right side of the page just below the image banner. Click it to remove the publication. This button deletes all images and comments on a publication.

Who can see my learner’s work?

That’s up to you. You can either share their work with the whole Go2Science community (recommended) for comment and peer review or just your class/family (a great way for kids who have special privacy concerns to still feel included).

How do I keep my learner’s identity confidential?

Avoid personal identifiers when posting pictures and text. Use a nickname instead of real names.

How can I see and comment on other classes’ work?

On the Publish It! page, you’ll find thumbnail previews of uploaded work. Click on the thumbnail to expand the image and reveal a comment box.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Curiosity Cat and Data Dog

What are the reading levels and how did you determine them?

The comics are aimed at three reading stages within each document. The sounds effects (pop, pip, zoom) are geared to pre-readers. (Fountas & Pinnell Levels A-C, DRA Levels A-3) The speech and thought bubbles are for beginning readers. (Fountas & Pinnell Levels D-G, DRA Levels 4-12) While the text panels are targeted to early and established readers. (Fountas & Pinnell Levels H-M+, DRA Levels 14-28+) At the beginning of the year, we aim towards the lower end of each stage and increase in complexity as the year progresses. We use multiple tools to help determine levels, including Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score, comparison to anchor texts, and of course, experienced teacher smarts!

How can I use the comics for reading instruction?

That all depends on what your learners need!

  • Use the video read aloud version to introduce the comic or use it after learners have worked with the printed text to reinforce the learning.
  • Print or project one of the pdfs for independent, group, or choral reading.
  • Use the comic as an anchor text for the week or as supplemental reading.
  • Download the comic tips for suggestions on supporting pre-readers through established readers.

3D Print Files and Music Videos

What are 3D printable files?

We use a 3D scanner to make 3D files of objects we see in the field. Then we make the files available to you on our website. If you have a 3D printer, you can print those files so your learners can hold 3D versions of the objects we showed them in our field videos! Cool!

Are the music videos original and who writes them?

Yes! Our musical master, Kate, writes and performs all our music. No matter what topic Curtis throws her, Kate comes up with something catchy! Beth produces the lyric videos.

Report Misuse of Website

How do I report something I see on Go2Science that I think is inappropriate?

We appreciate your help keeping our community safe and productive. If you see something that is not supporting those goals please email us the link to the page and a screen shot (if possible) at curious@go2science.com with the subject line “Misuse.” Thanks!

Where can I find your use policy and privacy policy?

Privacy
Terms of Use