PSCI 100 Physical Science for Elementary Teachers [GEKN]

The first in a series of science courses for preservice elementary teachers, this course promotes understanding of physical science concepts necessary to teach pre-kindergarten through 6th-grade science. Students develop thinking skills with content knowledge. The course focuses on science learning that will be connected to the other sciences.

Credit 3 hrs May not be repeated for additional credit
Grade Mode Normal (A-F) Course Rotation Fall, Winter, and occasionally Summer I

Prerequisites - MATH 105 with a “C” or higher, MATH 280, (ACT Math Subscore > 22), or (SAT Math Subscore > 530)
Restriction by Major - Elementary - Early Childhood Teaching and Learning (with Certification) [BS], Special Education K-12 Endorsement [BS], Special Education K-12 Communication Sciences and Disorders Endorsement [BS], or Elementary Education - Intent
Restriction by Class - Undergraduate standing

Additional Information - a) This course was previously offered as PHY 100. b) This course is offered on-campus, as a hybrid online (with on-campus lab), and all online (with online labs). Not all modes are available each semester.

Rationale for Knowledge of the Disciplines - This course includes 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of laboratory each week. In this course, all elementary education students are introduced to the core knowledge used in physics to understand phenomenon. This knowledge is an important foundation for studying the other sciences required of the elementary teacher and shows very practically both how physics manifests in our everyday lives and how these concepts can be presented in the elementary classroom. This core knowledge is the same core knowledge used by scientists in every laboratory in the world. The appropriate terminology is introduced and students are shown how to “scale it down” to the elementary student’s vocabulary. The assumptions and shortcomings of models are highlighted. Whenever possible, appropriate simple demonstrations are used. Students are asked to estimate results, mathematics and models are used to predict results, and the results are compared with the student’s intuition. Modern applications are discussed to guide students to become scientifically literate citizens who are capable of making informed decisions about scientific information.

Equivalent Course(s) - PHY 100
Course History -
Major Restriction updated 9/2021; Change to prefix, title, and description 8/2020, effective Fall 2021; Change to prerequisites 4/2018, effective Fall 2018; Major Restriction added 11/2017, effective Winter 2018; prereq added 3/2015, effective Summer 2015

physics, Knowledge of the Disciplines - Natural Sciences (GEKN)

Winter 2025 Course Sections

Fall 2024 Course Sections