Foo - Need help finding a book - 5th grade science Florida Public Schools

Kid is fifth grade, Florida Public School. He doesn't bring home a "book". He brings what seems to be ripped pages of a book, clipped together into "lessons":

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/Other/8018841d.png

On the top left it has the image of Florida, but I don't know if this is something publish by the state or not:

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/Other/e5773dc4.png

on the left side has some info about the publishing:

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/Other/44d07506.png

I want to know if this is an actual book I could go and buy or what the deal is. We need lesson #4 like right now and we can't find it.

Well, it seems the number near the Florida icon is what they call a "benchmark". Benchmark SC.5.L.17.1 is googable, but all inks I've found give a brief description of what the lesson is about and a bunch of "resources" that end up in dead links. I can even find sample exams for this lesson but the actual lesson material seems to be elusive.

I hereby declare I have developed extreme hatred for the Public School system. In my days we had a "book" and a "notebook" and it worked just fine. Now we just have loose pieces of paper filled with questions and no answers anywhere. Kids have no way of studying at home for a test, there's no book, no resources, no nothing...gee I'm mad!

My wife happens to teach 5th grade in Florida.

What I can tell you is the majority of the state, at least the central Florida counties, have begun converting to "consumable" textbooks. They look ripped out because all the books are essentially a big workbook from which each lesson is taken.

Because Florida has become so test and benchmark driven the lessons are meant to be as uniform as possible, and these types of textbooks are the easiest way to achieve this. Teachers supplement additional lessons, but the benchmarks the workbooks focus on are completely driven by the state.
Edit: One other reason these types of books are used is because parents railed against their kids having heavy backpacks weighing them down to and from school. It's actually a mix of the two. Exactly what the state/district wants taught and how they want it drilled is contained in each lesson/handout, and they don't have parents complaining about hunched over kids.


Due to current budgetary constraints, the chances of the school having an extra copy around are slim (unless they've had more students leave the school than come in). Your best bet is to ask the teacher or just call the office. Other than that, good luck. Like I said above, they're meant to be consumable which means you won't find many on aftermarket listings like Amazon or Ebay.


Edit: Many newer textbooks also have an online component. My wife is asleep or I'd ask her if her science book does. Even if it's too late for this one, I would ask the teacher for future reference (the teachers often have to set each student up with some sort of login or something similar).

Man... I would love to get a copy of these materials and keep it at home. This whole standardized thing... did you knew alligators do not live in swamps anymore? They live in "wetlands". So many tricky words.

You should be able to find these books at any FLA high school. It's standard.

The textbook series is called Science Fusion. They do have online copies of the texts available. Ask your child's teacher how you can access it. If not, I may be able to help. PM me if you can't get access from the teacher.

The textbook series is called Science Fusion. They do have online copies of the texts available. Ask your child's teacher how you can access it. If not, I may be able to help. PM me if you can't get access from the teacher.

THX 3 2! I'll talk to the teacher on Monday. Had no time today.

I see the other teachers have already chimed in on the concept of the workbooks. Ms. MillCreek sometimes has me stop by her classroom and help her rip out the pages and bundle them up for the kids. You have to be careful and not try to rip out too many pages at once. Otherwise, they rip all to heck instead of a nice clean tear. Don't ask me how I know this.

did you knew alligators do not live in swamps anymore? They live in "wetlands". So many tricky words.

That was probably written by an FSU grad who didn't want "Gators" and "Swamp" in the same sentence. Or perhaps it was written by a UF grad, which only shows you how much they know. :)

With all the budgetary constraints, they ought to buy all the kids an iPad, and give them a digitized app. Or perhaps not an iPad, but a Kindle or Nook which is more focused on reading anyway.

That was probably written by an FSU grad who didn't want "Gators" and "Swamp" in the same sentence. Or perhaps it was written by a UF grad, which only shows you how much they know. :)

With all the budgetary constraints, they ought to buy all the kids an iPad, and give them a digitized app. Or perhaps not an iPad, but a Kindle or Nook which is more focused on reading anyway.

LOL! Good one.

Ruben, I just looked at the city you live in, and I'm kicking myself for not doing so sooner. You're SCPS.

I just asked Mrs. Zanobi, so here you go:

http://www.thinkcentral.com/index.htm#scienceHealth

Click Science Fusion. State/District/School. At her school, User Name is Student ID # (might have to contact school) and Password is the student's birthday (YYYYMMDD). [This should be somewhat standard throughout the county, but we're not positive.]

Damn I wish I would have caught that sooner.

Ruben, I just looked at the city you live in, and I'm kicking myself for not doing so sooner. You're SCPS.

I just asked Mrs. Zanobi, so here you go:

http://www.thinkcentral.com/index.htm#scienceHealth

Click Science Fusion. State/District/School. At her school, User Name is Student ID # (might have to contact school) and Password is the student's birthday (YYYYMMDD). [This should be somewhat standard throughout the county, but we're not positive.]

Damn I wish I would have caught that sooner.

Wohoo! Found it! Foo educators and their spouses are so awesome! Got all the way till the student ID. I have that somewhere in my files.

Wohoo! Found it! Foo educators and their spouses are so awesome! Got all the way till the student ID. I have that somewhere in my files.

Spectacular! Glad we could help you find what you needed. Happy studying. :)

No problem, great to be able to help a Foo and a neighbor at the same time.

No problem, great to be able to help a Foo and a neighbor at the same time.

Whoohoo! Thanks a lot man... I found the student id on the idp and we logged in, it's awesome. I can see all the current material and the stuff that's coming in the future... watching the lesson about water mixtures and solutions... oh man, there's no way this boy is gonna fail an exam now! wohoo!

This is like the best thing I ever got out of foo... besides the advice of avoiding Golden Corral on a First Date. :D :D :D

So what you're really saying is that the kid is going to turn out smarter than the old man. :lol:

So what you're really saying is that the kid is going to turn out smarter than the old man. :lol:

Of course... that the whole point of having kids (besides having a backup plan in case social security doesn't deliver).

Man... I would love to get a copy of these materials and keep it at home. This whole standardized thing... did you knew alligators do not live in swamps anymore? They live in "wetlands". So many tricky words.
Well, sometimes they live in marshes, too. And lakes. And I used to see them in irrigation ditches and up the sweetwater reaches of the Sebastian River, and very occasionally in the mangrove breaks. "Wetlands" is a term that encompasses all of these places.

Well, sometimes they live in marshes, too. And lakes. And I used to see them in irrigation ditches and up the sweetwater reaches of the Sebastian River, and very occasionally in the mangrove breaks. "Wetlands" is a term that encompasses all of these places.

Today we learned that Hyenas are scavengers, like Vultures. We thought the hunt stuff down, but nah.