FOSS Historical Snapshot

The FOSS K–8 program was developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley, under three separate National Science Foundation grants, starting in 1988.  In order to secure initial and continued funding, the FOSS pedagogy, science content, and development process were scrutinized by NSF peer-review panels composed of scientists and science educators.  Dr. Lawrence Lowery served as principal investigator; Larry Malone and Linda De Lucchi served, and continue to serve, as project codirectors. 

FOSS was developed in San Francisco Bay Area classrooms by science curriculum developers and classroom teachers.  The preliminary curriculum was subjected to local trial testing in urban and suburban San Francisco Bay Area school districts, revised accordingly, and field tested nationally in ten sites.  The FOSS materials were then revised for commercial distribution.  The program now comprises twenty-six modules for grades K–6, and nine courses for middle school (two still in development).  Each K–6 module consists of 1) a kit of student laboratory materials, 2) a student reading book, 3) a teacher guide, and 4) a module-specific teacher-preparation video.  In addition, teachers, students, and parents have access to a complementary web site, FOSSweb.  The middle school program includes a CD-ROM component for each course.