PRIME Science provides an American adaptation of "Salter's Science"--a well-tested British multi-disciplinary science program for middle grades. The science is balanced - not integrated - between life, earth and physical science, developing conceptual understanding and integrating mathematics, technology and decision-making. The science is rigorous, interesting and useful to the student. Among the major integrative themes that provide structure for grades six through ten are the earth in space, properties of matter, etc. Each unit begins with an application. The teachers' guides are directed at first year teachers, not teaching in their major discipline. Included are student preconceptions, safety, background, ways of introducing the content and assessment items. The visually-stimulating, attractively-designed student supplements for each of the forty units contain the application, a summary of what students should know, what they need to learn and the activities the can do. The materials are tested and rewritten by teachers and science educators at several sites throughout the US. Professors at the University of California/Berkeley review the materials for content accuracy. The British developers are part of the design team. The adaptation involves not only language translation, but changing data to interest American audiences and adding units to meet local interests and frameworks.
