All SEPUP curricular materials are issue-oriented and hands-on. They utilize research on how students learn and address national science education standards. They are extensively piloted with teachers and students across the United States before being commercially published. SEPUP has produced materials for use at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Each SEPUP curriculum includes:

• a student book (or reproducible student pages)

• a comprehensive teacher's guide

• the laboratory equipment and supplies needed to complete activities and experiments

How does SEPUP curriculum work?

1. Students are introduced to a personal or societal issue that requires knowledge of important science. For example, the SEPUP module Waste Disposal: Computers and the Environment begins by asking students how they might dispose of old technology such as computers.

2. Students complete a series of activities—such as experiments, debates, readings, and projects—that teach important scientific ideas related to the issue at hand. In one activity of the Waste Disposal module, students experiment with metal replacement reactions to investigate whether they are a viable method for reducing the toxicity of liquid waste.

3. Students are continually assessed on their ability to apply their scientific knowledge and skills. During the Waste Disposal module, students analyze a table containing scientific and other information related to different metals. They evaluate whether any of these metals would be a preferable alternative to the copper-containing waste produced during computer manufacture.

SEPUP has science curriculum appropriate for different grade levels.

Elementary School

CHEM-2 is a supplementary science curriculum that provides approximately 15 weeks of science instruction for use in grades 4–6. The science content focuses on the use of chemicals, personal health, and the environment.

There are twelve SEPUP modules; each module is a series of related activities designed to provide 3- to 5-weeks of science instruction for use in grades 6–12. Modules appropriate for use in the upper elementary grades include:

Hazardous Materials Investigations: The Barrel Mystery
Household Chemicals: Better by Design

Middle School

Issues and Earth Science is a year-long earth science course for use in the middle school. The course is also available as individual modules.

Science and Life Issues is a year-long life science course for use in the middle school. The course is also available as individual modules.

Issues, Evidence and You is a year-long physical science course for use in grade 8 or 9. The course is also available as individual modules.

There are twelve SEPUP modules; each module is a series of related activities designed to provide 3- to 5-weeks of science instruction for use in grades 6–12. Each module is focused around science concepts related to a particular issue.

Decision Making: Probability and Risk Assessment
Environmental Impact: Comparing Industries
Groundwater Contamination: Trouble in Fruitvale
Hazardous Materials Investigations: The Barrel Mystery
Household Chemicals: Better by Design
Investigating Energy from the Sun
Investigating Environmental Health Risks
Investigating Food Safety
Investigating Wastewater: Solutions and Pollution
Living with Plastics
Thresholds and Toxicology
Waste Disposal: Computers and the Environment

High School

Science and Sustainability is a year-long integrated science/environmental science course for the high school. The course is also available as individual modules.

There are twelve SEPUP modules; each module is a series of related activities designed to provide 3- to 5-weeks of science instruction for use in grades 6–12. Modules appropriate for use in the high school include:

Investigating Environmental Health Risks
Thresholds and Toxicology
Waste Disposal: Computers and the Environment

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This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation.