RS4K Book 1 — Geology (Ch 14-17): K-2 Earth-materials chapters. Foundation 100%, Gap 0.0%, Map Error 0.0%, Practices 92.9%, 2 cleared FSEs (calcite, volcano). Minerals framed by atomic composition. Recommended Deep.
| Program | RS4K - Science Book 1 — Geology |
| Publisher | Gravitas Publications Inc. |
| Author | Rebecca Woodbury, Ph.D., M.Ed. |
| Grade Band | Grades 1-3 |
Verdict: ✓ Recommended — Deep. Foundation_calc 100.0%, deep tier. Practices 92.9% green (book-wide score). Zero map errors. 0 confirmed FSEs, 2 cleared.
Strict atomic-foundation scoring. The Geology quarter of Book 1 (Chapters 14-17) uses the atoms-and-molecules framework established in the Chemistry quarter as the explanatory anchor. Adjusted Gap 0.0%, Map Error 0.0%.
Chapters 14-17 extend the atoms-and-molecules framework into Earth materials. Ch 14 introduces geology and names geochemists as scientists who study how atoms and molecules form rocks, soils, minerals, and fuels. Ch 15 frames minerals by their atomic composition (calcite calcium+oxygen; rubies aluminum+oxygen; emeralds aluminum+beryllium+silicon+oxygen). Ch 16 covers Earth structure. Ch 17 covers volcanoes — magma cooling lets atoms line up in orderly fashion to form mineral crystals.
"Geochemists study how atoms and molecules make rocks, soils, minerals, and fuels." (Ch 14)
"Calcite is made of calcium and oxygen and forms beautiful crystals that come in different colors. Some minerals are used in jewelry. Rubies are a brilliant red-colored mineral made of aluminum and oxygen. Emeralds are a different type of mineral made of aluminum, beryllium, silicon, and oxygen." (Ch 15, p. 125)
"Magma is formed when the rocks and minerals in the mantle melt because the weight of the crust is pushing down on them, creating heat and pressure." (Ch 17, p. 142 (cleared FSE))
FSE_CONFIRMED: 0. All flagged passages cleared as acceptable K-2 simplifications.
Map errors: 0. No OAO error (REI-substance, REI-agent, LAE, AEC all zero).
Practices: 92.9% green. Six of seven NGSS scientific practices PRESENT; mathematics is PARTIAL. Every chapter operationalizes the full arc (question → hypothesis → experiment → data → conclusion → share). The practices score is computed book-wide and applies identically to all five subject entries.
Two passages could be tightened in a future edition without changing the verdict: Calcite description could include carbon (CaCO3); volcano formation phrasing could mention both heat and pressure as causes of mantle melting without privileging weight-of-crust as the sole mechanism.
The five RS4K Book 1 subject entries (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Geology, Astronomy) all share Foundation 100%, Adjusted Gap 0.0%, Map Error 0.0%, Practices 92.9% — the curriculum’s architecture is uniform across subjects because Chemistry establishes the atoms-and-molecules framework that every other subject uses.
| Total Passages Scored | 16 |
| Raw Gap Error | 0.0% (6 mechanism passages — all anchored at atoms-and-molecules level) FALSE = atoms/molecules not present before students are asked to explain. The student is navigating without a starting point. |
| Adjusted Gap Error | 0.0% (0 UNSCAFFOLDED — atomic foundation established in Chemistry quarter, used throughout) UNSCAFFOLDED = no atomic grounding at all. LESSON_ATOMS = atoms mentioned elsewhere in lesson but not connected to this concept. |
| Substance-Model Errors (REI) | 0 Curriculum treats a process or outcome as a substance - "heat flows," "energy is stored," "electricity flows like water." Student builds a substance ontology. |
| Label-as-Explanation (LAE) | 0 Curriculum provides a name and treats it as an explanation - "this happens because of gravity." Student believes knowing the name IS understanding the concept. |
| Vague-Entity Errors (AEC) | 0 Curriculum uses vague entities ("tiny particles," "building blocks") without specifying atoms or molecules. Student invents their own model with macroscopic properties. |
| Factual Science Errors (FSE) | 0 Statements that are scientifically incorrect - not imprecise framing, but wrong. Any confirmed FSE = Not Recommended. |
| Practices | 92.9% - Deep Seven practices scored PRESENT, PARTIAL, or ABSENT and averaged: asking questions, developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics, constructing explanations and designing solutions, and argument from evidence. Higher is better, the opposite direction from gap and map errors. Reported but not part of the Foundation Score or the verdict. |
Geochemists named in Ch 14. Minerals framed by atomic composition. Two FSEs cleared as acceptable K-2 simplifications.
Atomic foundation established in Chemistry (Ch 2-5) used throughout the Geology quarter. Geochemists named in Ch 14. Minerals framed by atomic composition. Two FSEs cleared as acceptable K-2 simplifications. Practices 92.9% green (book-wide).
Recommended (Deep) — Deep by design -
Evidence for every entry is published at three levels. Each level states what it contains and what it leaves out.
Scores, verdict, and the full pattern count for this unit are above: adjusted gap, REI / LAE / AEC counts, FSE status, and the seven-practice score. Passage-level detail for this unit is carried in the downloadable evidence file.
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