Carolina Biological and Smithsonian’s Science Curriculum Wins Prestigious EdTech Cool Tool Award

Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™ for grades K to 5 inspires future scientists and earns top school technology product honors

BURLINGTON, NC, June 10, 2020 – Leading school science supplier Carolina Biological and Smithsonian Science Education Center announced that their new science curriculum won a national EdTech Cool Tool Awards 2020 and was a Finalist in a second category. Presented annually by EdTech Digest, The EdTech Awards honor innovators in education technology. In an age of rapid technological change—innovators, leaders, and trendsetters are education's greatest treasures. Awarded "Best in Curriculum and Instruction," Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™ for grades K-5 is setting the standard in 3D learning and 3D assessment. The program includes print and digital components, as well as hands-on materials. It rose above every other high-quality curriculum nominee in a variety of academic subjects to win in one of the most competitive categories. The list of winners is posted at https://edtechdigest.com/2020-finalists-winners/. Smithsonian Science for the Classroom was also chosen as a Cool Tool Finalist in the "E-Learning, Blended, or Flipped Solution" category.

Available now from Carolina, educators can also accesss many free digital resources from this award winning program now to prepare for students' return to school this fall at Carolina's Learning from Home website: https://www.carolina.com/learningfromhome. To support parents, teachers, and school districts with learn-from-home resources during this challenging time, Carolina is offering free resources for elementary and middle school students, including videos, activities, downloadables, articles from Smithsonian magazines, and more.

Carolina and Smithsonian Science Education Center's Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™ curriculum provides cohesive storylines, superior teacher support, and research-supported instructional design that is backed by proven results with point-of-use support. Smithsonian Science for the Classroom is a high-quality core science and engineering curriculum program specifically developed to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This elementary curriculum is designed to engage, inspire, and connect grades K to 5 students firsthand to the world around them. Smithsonian Science for the Classroom helps teachers to integrate science, technology, math and engineering through engaging and hands-on lessons. A national industry program, The EdTech Awards recognized Smithsonian Science for the Classroom as a top education resource with technology features that teachers need to teach science.

In search of innovative people and products, The EdTech Cool Tool Awards is one of the largest competitions that recognizes outstanding contributions in transforming education through technology to enrich the lives of learners. Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, in which students drive their own investigations of science phenomena and learn through hands-on investigations, stood out from the competition and was selected by the awards host, The EdTech Digest for both a Cool Tool Award Win and Finalist Honors.

"It is exciting that a top professional publication for teachers, The Edtech Digest, awarded the hard work and innovation that we put into creating our K-5 science curriculum from the ground up to help teachers address the complexity and creativity of the NGSS in Smithsonian Science for the Classroom," said Dr. Brian Mandell, Division Director of Curriculum at the Smithsonian Science Education Center. "As always in designing our programs, an extensive field-test in partnership with teachers was an essential part of our process to incorporate feedback from the classroom in a range of schools with diverse populations. The curriculum was developed by teachers and in consultation with teachers at every stage of development."

"Carolina is very proud of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom for standing out among so many of the best instructional school products to win the Cool Tool Award 2020, as well as for helping teachers inspire the next generation of scientists every day in their classrooms," said Jim Parrish, President and CEO at Carolina Biological Supply Company. "Smithsonian Science for the Classroom provides teachers with a high-quality, hands-on curriculum kit that engages students, through phenomena-based, hands-on science investigations led by students."

Availability

Smithsonian Science for the Classroom is available now and includes print and digital components, as well as hands-on materials. Twenty modules of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom are currently available. Each module includes a print-format Teacher Guide, a set of 16 Smithsonian Science Stories readers, a set of 10 Student Activity Guides (Grades 3 to 5), a class kit of hands-on materials to supply 32 students, and digital access to the Teacher Guide and student literacy materials. Prices start at $799.95 for one grade-level module through Carolina. For information, visit Carolina's website, call (800) 334-5551, or e-mail curriculum@carolina.com.

Smithsonian Science Education Center

The Smithsonian Science Education Center is transforming K-12 Education through Science™ in collaboration with communities across the globe. Established in 1985 as the National Science Resources Center (NSRC) under the sponsorship of two prestigious institutions – the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academy of Sciences – the Center is dedicated to the establishment of effective science programs for all students. The Smithsonian Science Education Center works to build awareness for PreK-12 science education reform among global, state, and district leaders; conducts programs that support the professional growth of PreK-12 teachers and school leaders; and engages in research and curriculum development in partnership with it is publisher, Carolina Biological Supply Company, the sole source provider of STC™, STCMS™, and Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™.

Carolina Biological Supply Company

From its beginnings in 1927, Carolina (www.carolina.com) has grown to become the leading supplier of biological and other science teaching materials in the world. Headquartered in Burlington, NC, Carolina serves customers worldwide, including teachers, students, and professionals in science and health-related fields. The company is still privately owned by descendants of the founder, geology and biology professor Dr. Thomas E. Powell Jr.