FOSS Pathways Science Resources Wins Parent and Teacher Choice Award from HowtoLearn.com
Gold Medal Winner
Category: Books and Science Resources
Our Parent and Teacher Choice Award team is proud to present the prestigious Gold Medal Parent and Teacher Choice Award to the FOSS Pathways Science Resources, developed by the world-renowned Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley — one of the most respected names in science education worldwide.
These beautifully crafted books are research-based, field-tested, and fully aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as well as all major state science standards. Each title is thoughtfully sequenced to build science understanding grade by grade, creating a coherent scope and sequence that teachers can rely on year after year.
With FOSS Pathways, teachers get a complete framework for inspiring curiosity, guiding students through meaningful hands-on investigations, and building a strong foundation for future science learning. Each module provides ready-to-use lessons, clear connections to literacy and math, and easy ways to assess student learning through observation, discussion, and simple projects.
Educators love that the full program allows them to cover all core science topics systematically while keeping students engaged and excited about learning. Families love that their children start bringing home new vocabulary, questions, and discoveries that connect school learning to the real world.
For any teacher or school district serious about giving students a first-class science education, FOSS Pathways is an investment in building lifelong science thinkers — and a joy to teach.
“FOSS Teaches Kids to Love Science by Letting Them Do Science”
Here is our Parent and Teacher Choice Award review of multiple books in the FOSS Pathways Science Resources
Click here to see the full series
Observing Nature — PreK
Observing Nature invites preschoolers to explore trees, leaves, earth materials, water, soil, isopods and wood, turning everyday outdoor moments into science adventures. Teachers love how this book encourages curiosity, wonder, and excitement about the natural world right from the start.
Who It’s For
This title is perfect for preschool and PreK children ages 3–5. It works in classrooms, daycare programs, and homeschool settings, and can be used for short 10-minute explorations or longer outdoor investigations.
What Children Will Learn
Observing Nature is designed to teach children about the basic needs of plants and animals, how living things grow and change, and the properties of earth material like soil, rocks, water, and wood.
One way teachers can implement this in the classroom is to create a lesson where students gather around a tree to notice new buds or fallen leaves, collect and compare leaves, and turn them into leaf rubbings or art projects. Indoors, they observe isopods in small habitats, talk about what animals need to live, touch soil and rocks, and pour water to see how materials change.
Skills Students Build
Through these activities, students strengthen their ability to observe closely, draw and label what they see, and classify objects by size, color, or texture. They expand vocabulary with words like root, leaf, smooth, and wet, and practice cooperation by sharing tools and taking turns.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers love Observing Nature because it is simple to teach, uses materials from the schoolyard, and supports literacy by encouraging speaking, drawing, and writing. They can quickly check learning by looking at student drawings or listening to explanations, and appreciate that every child can join in and feel successful.
Real-World Connections
Children begin pointing out trees, worms, and leaves on their way home and share discoveries with their families. Parents say children ask to go on nature walks to keep learning, and teachers report that students continue talking about their observations during recess and lunch. Observing Nature helps children see science as part of their daily lives and inspires them to keep asking questions and making discoveries long after class ends.
Animals Two by Two — Kindergarten
Animals Two by Two brings real animals like fish, snails, worms, and birds into the classroom, giving students a chance to observe how they move, eat, and live. Teachers love how engaging and hands-on this book is and how it builds respect for living things.
Who It’s For
This title is ideal for Kindergarten classrooms but also works well in preschool and first grade. It can be used for short animal observations or longer projects where students care for animals over time.
What Children Will Learn
Animals Two by Two is designed to teach students how different animals meet their basic needs and how their structures help them survive.
One way teachers can implement this in the classroom is to set up a lesson where students watch fish swim and snails crawl, comparing movement and speed. They can observe worms and isopods in soil, chart which environments they prefer, and even take a quiet moment outside to look for birds, noticing feathers, beaks, and calls.
Skills Students Build
Students learn to sit quietly and notice details, collect data using tally marks or drawings, and compare animals with words like faster, slower, bigger, smaller. They also learn empathy and responsibility by gently caring for animals.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers love Animals Two by Two because it keeps students engaged and provides many cross-curricular links to writing, math, and art. It helps build classroom community as students work together to care for animals and share their discoveries.
Real-World Connections
Students go home excited to tell their families about the animals they observed. Parents report that children look for worms after it rains and point out birds or snails in their yards, continuing the learning at home.
Materials and Forces — Kindergarten
Materials and Forces engages students in hands-on exploration of how materials behave and how forces act on objects. Through experiments, they discover properties of everyday materials, specifically wood, paper and fabric.
Who It’s For
This title is designed for students in kindergarten It is perfect for science classrooms, STEM clubs, and hands-on learning environments where students benefit from experimenting with materials and seeing science principles in action.
What Children Will Learn
Students investigate how different materials can be described, measured, and changed. They explore magnetic and non-magnetic objects, learn how friction affects motion, and experiment with force and motion by rolling objects of different sizes down ramps. They explore mixtures and solutions and observe how heat can change materials from one state to another.
One way teachers can implement this is through a “Forces in Action” day, where students set up ramps of various heights and experiment with different objects to see which travels farthest. They record data, compare results, and discuss why certain objects move faster or slower, connecting their observations to gravity, mass, and friction.
Skills Students Build
Students develop scientific inquiry skills by planning and conducting investigations, recording data, and interpreting results. They strengthen problem-solving and analytical skills by comparing outcomes and reasoning why results differ. They expand STEM vocabulary with words such as friction, magnetism, solution, and hypothesis, and they build measurement and math skills through weighing, timing, and graphing data. Collaboration is strengthened as students work in teams to set up experiments, share observations, and reach consensus on conclusions. They also practice communication skills by explaining their findings orally and in writing.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers love that Materials and Forces helps students move from simply memorizing facts to actively doing science. It encourages teamwork, curiosity, and perseverance when experiments don’t go as expected.
Real-World Connections
Children begin making sense of the phenomena they encounter every day—why bikes slow down when you stop pedaling, why ice melts in the sun, and why some liquids mix while others don’t. These real-world connections deepen engagement and inspire further questions, laying a strong foundation for middle school science.
Changes in the Sky — Grade 1
Changes in the Sky introduces young learners to the fascinating patterns and daily cycles of the sky, helping them make sense of sunrise, sunset, clouds, rain, shadows, and the movement of the sun and moon. This resource turns everyday observations into meaningful science investigations and sparks curiosity about the natural world.
Who It’s For
This title is ideal for children in grade 1. It is a great fit for classrooms, after-school programs, or homeschooling families who want to introduce children to scientific observation and weather concepts in a hands-on, engaging way.
What Children Will Learn
Students learn to track and describe weather conditions, observe and chart changes in the sky, and understand that the sun and moon have predictable patterns. They explore the water cycle through simple experiments, make and compare shadow shapes, and notice how the length and direction of shadows change during the day.
One way teachers can implement this is by starting a “Sky Watchers” journal. Each day, students step outside to sketch the sky, note cloud cover, or measure shadow lengths. Over time, they compare their observations and notice patterns—like that shadows are shortest at noon or that rain often comes with certain types of clouds.
Skills Students Build
Students build observation and data collection skills by noting daily weather changes and recording them systematically. They practice critical thinking as they compare observations across days and seasons, look for patterns, and make predictions about weather. They expand academic vocabulary with words such as cumulus, precipitation, shadow, and pattern. They also develop mathematical thinking as they measure shadow lengths and chart results, and practice scientific reasoning by asking questions, forming simple hypotheses, and testing them through repeated observation. Collaboration skills grow as students share findings and discuss differences in their data.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers appreciate that Changes in the Sky provides structured opportunities to bring students outdoors and integrate science, math, and literacy. The program is easy to implement with common materials and helps meet early science standards. Families report that children start noticing the sky on their own, proudly pointing out cloud shapes or showing when they can see the moon during the day.
Real-World Connections
Children take their curiosity beyond the classroom—asking about weather forecasts, predicting rain from cloud types, or explaining to family members why shadows look longer at sunset. This connection between classroom learning and daily life fosters a habit of observation and wonder that lasts well beyond the unit.
Plants and Animals — Grade 1
Our Parent and Teacher Choice™ Team is excited to award FOSS Pathways – FOSS Science Resources: Plants and Animals, the Gold Medal Parent and Teacher Choice Award for books from HowtoLearn.com. Plants and Animals helps students explore how plant and animal parts work together to help living things grow and survive. Teachers appreciate how it builds a strong foundation for understanding structure and function in nature.
Who It’s For
Perfect for Grade 1 classrooms, Plants and Animals can be used for whole-class discussions, small group investigations, and hands-on projects that connect to language arts and math.
What Children Will Learn
Plants and Animals is designed to teach students about the role of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers, as well as how animal features like beaks, teeth, and feet help them meet their needs.
One way teachers can implement this in the classroom is to invite students to closely examine plants and sketch their parts, then compare beaks or feet of animals and discuss why they are shaped the way they are. Teachers can guide students in charting how animal parents care for their babies and telling the class what they learned. In the section on The Story of Wheat students can examine what wheat looks like and then discover how to bake something using wheat, such as bread or pasta.
Skills Students Build
Students build science reasoning by explaining how structures help living things survive. They create and refine models of plants and animals, their habitats, write observations, and discuss ideas with peers. In the animal section, students learn about variation, what animals need, animals and their young and more. There is a beautiful section on the rain forest, as well as a thoughtful discussion on learning from nature.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers love that Plants and Animals is easy to implement with materials found in the schoolyard or classroom. It encourages writing, drawing, and oral explanations that strengthen literacy skills.
Real-World Connections
Students begin noticing patterns in nature, like why ducks have webbed feet or why some plants grow tall and others stay low, sharing their ideas at home and with classmates.
Insects and Plants — Grade 2
Insects and Plants is a favorite because students watch insects grow and plants sprout over time, learning about life cycles and interdependence. Teachers love how this book keeps students engaged for weeks as they collect and analyze data.
Who It’s For
Insects and Plants works well in Grade 2 classrooms and is perfect for teachers who want a long-term investigation that students look forward to each day.
What Children Will Learn
This title is designed to teach students about insect life cycles, plant growth, pollination, and seed dispersal. Students investigate habitats, planting seeds and the diversity of life.
One way teachers can implement this in the classroom is to set up a class habitat with caterpillars so students can watch them turn into butterflies. Have students measure plant growth each week, record data, and compare results. Teachers can demonstrate pollination with fun simulations, then send students to look for pollinators outside.
Skills Students Build
Students build patience and careful observation skills by recording changes over time, compare patterns among species, and explain why insects and plants depend on each other.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers appreciate that Insects and Plants integrates science, math, and writing, giving students authentic reasons to measure, graph, and journal.
Real-World Connections
Students begin noticing bees, flowers, and seeds outside school and talk about how pollinators help plants grow. Parents often say children teach siblings what they learned, spreading the excitement.
Structures of Life — Grade 3
Our Parent and Teacher Choice™ Team is excited to award FOSS Pathways – FOSS Science Resources: Structures of Life, the Gold Medal Parent and Teacher Choice Award for books from HowtoLearn.com. Structures of Life takes students deeper into understanding how living things are built and why those structures matter. Teachers enjoy how it encourages thinking about connections between past and present life.
Who It’s For
Best for Grade 3, this title is ideal for students ready to sort, classify, and model more complex systems.
What Children Will Learn
Structures of Life teaches students about seeds, animal structures, and fossils as evidence of past life. They learn about life cycles, environments and adaptation, genetics and so much more…
One way teachers can implement this in the classroom is to have students compare different seeds, plant them, and observe growth over time. They can observe animals like Madagascar hissing cockroaches and record how their structures help them live, then examine fossils and draw what they think the ancient creatures looked like.
Skills Students Build
Students learn to make charts and tables, use evidence to defend ideas, and create models that they revise as they gain new insights.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers love that Structures of Life prepares students for future units on heredity and adaptation. It offers hands-on activities that keep every student engaged.
Real-World Connections
Students start connecting what they see in today’s animals and plants with how living things might have changed over time, sparking interest in Earth’s history.
Senses and Survival — Grade 4
Senses and Survival explores how animals use their senses to stay alive. Teachers love how active and engaging this book is, with students testing reflexes and building models.
Who It’s For
Perfect for Grade 4, Senses and Survival fits naturally into units on body systems and animal adaptations.
What Children Will Learn
Senses and Survival is designed to teach students about sense organs, stimulus and response, and how sensory systems work together. They will learn all about sensory systems, skeletal and transport.
One way teachers can implement this in the classroom is to create a station where students test how quickly they can respond to a dropped ruler, or how well they can tell where a sound is coming from. Students can build simple models of eyes or ears to show how they work.
Skills Students Build
Students design investigations, collect and analyze data, and explain how senses help animals survive. They also practice collaboration by sharing roles in group work.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers appreciate that Senses and Survival gets students moving and thinking at the same time, and that it connects to real-life examples like sports and safety.
Real-World Connections
Students begin to notice how they use their senses every day and love explaining their discoveries to friends and family.
Living Systems — Grade 5
Our Parent and Teacher Choice™ Team is excited to award FOSS Pathways – FOSS Science Resources: Living Systems, the Gold Medal Parent and Teacher Choice Award for books from HowtoLearn.com. Living Systems helps students understand how matter and energy move through plants, animals, and ecosystems. Teachers love how it connects science to real-world environmental issues.
Who It’s For
Grade 5 classrooms preparing students for middle school science benefit from this title’s depth and focus on systems thinking.
What Children Will Learn
Living Systems is designed to teach about plant systems, food chains, and human impact on ecosystems. They discover food webs, aquatic ecosystems, and how to understand systems.
One way teachers can implement this in the classroom is to have students set up investigations to see how plants take in water, trace food chains, and discuss how human activities like farming or pollution affect these systems.
Skills Students Build
Students learn to think about connections between organisms, use evidence to support ideas, and discuss possible solutions to environmental problems.
Why Teachers (and Families) Love It
Teachers appreciate that Living Systems builds critical thinking and prepares students for middle school and beyond.
FOSS Pathways Science Resources is our premier choice in active investigation science resources and we unanimously award the Parent and Teacher Choice gold medal in books and science resources.
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