Getting Started

How do I begin?!?

I've spent my summer talking with teachers from coast to coast and the one thing pretty much EVERYONE has is common is that this first day of school will be like no other.  I get a lot of questions about how to get started with Go2Science and what the schedule "should" look like.  The good news is we designed Go2Science to be adaptable so you can vary its content and pacing to fit YOUR needs!  In fact, with so much going on this fall, an asynchronous first mission might be a great way to take off a bit of pressure.

We'll livestream about this field video on September 15, but you can watch any time!

In order to "complete" a Go2Science mission you need only view and discuss the hypothesis and field mission videos with your students.  All the evidence students will need to decide if the hypothesis is true or not is within the videos.  The date listed under each video on the premission page is the date we'll be livestreaming with classrooms about the content in the video.  We hold eleven, 20-minute livestream session on that date spaced throughout the day so you have lots of chances to join us.  However, many classes report having awesome engagement without ever livestreaming, so if those dates feel like a stressor for you, don't worry about them!  We archive a livestream session each day so you can view it later if you wish.  You can engage with the mission materials at a pace that works for you and your students.

Some schools are planning to use Go2Science content on their remote learning days and may stretch out the mission to last 12 weeks, showing one field video a week and doing that video's related lessons.  We love their ingenuity! ​​

What's in a mission?

Every mission consists of a hypothesis video (2-4 minutes) and 12 field videos (5-6 minutes each).  Each field video has an optional accompanying lesson.  Most lesson can be done relatively quickly (about 20 to 30 minutes) but many of them can easily occupy young learners for hours if given the time.  You know your students and children best so vary the pacing to fit your circumstance.  All you need do to participate in your first mission is watch the videos in order (taking time for discussion) and choose a few lessons to try.  Over time you can choose YOUR own teaching adventure by adding the vote feature, livestream sessions, comics, and 3D printing to your Go2Science experience.  Each element enriches the overall experience but there is no hierarchy.  

Optional livestream sessions last 20-25 minutes and include motion breaks, vocabulary building, and your questions!

What's a "Live Mission?"

The mission you see when you first log in is always the "featured" or "live mission."  Right now, that's Mission: Dinosaur!  It is the only mission that will have active livestream and vote features.  We'll share live mission materials with you over a six week span but they will remain available all school year.  You may also choose to do older missions (available by clicking the down arrow next to the missions tab at the top of the page--see below).  There will always be six visible missions with the live mission in the upper left.  As we share new live missions, the mission in the lower left will cease to be available so plan accordingly.  Note: If multiple grade levels are using Go2Science, consider all using the live mission (even asynchronously) as it helps build a positive school culture, prevents students from experiencing repeated missions (spoiling the illusion of being live), AND gives teachers the opportunity to share planning and prep through vertical teaming.

Start small!  Choose your own pacing.  Add in the elements you choose when you are ready.  AND have fun!