Crash Course Scientific Thinking Full Curriculum | 7 Video Lessons + Assessments

Teach a complete two-week Scientific Thinking mini-course that helps students evaluate evidence, recognize bias, understand how science self-corrects, and judge scientific claims more carefully.

FREE CURRICULUM SNEAK PEEK: Download the free Crash Course Scientific Thinking Full Curriculum Educator Planning Guide.

Try an actual lesson free: FREE #1 Introduction to Cognitive Bias lesson.

This single paid product includes all 7 episode lesson sets plus every full-curriculum file. The curriculum organizes all seven Crash Course Scientific Thinking episodes into a coherent 2-week, 1-unit sequence. Week 1 focuses on how science identifies and corrects error; Week 2 moves from consensus and source evaluation to public understanding, then culminates in a self-contained Scientific Claim Reliability Lab.

New Optional Video Companion (used with YouTube)

Use the free Classroom Video Guide Companion Chrome extension to automatically pause YouTube at question timestamps and display prompts during viewing. This optional tool can make whole-class, small-group, and independent video lessons easier to facilitate. The resource works normally without the extension.

What's Included

• 7 individual episode lesson sets
• Teacher Guide, digital/print student materials, Google Forms quiz, and MC Quiz Print ecosystem for every episode
• W01 Week 1 Assessment
• W02 Week 2 Assessment
• U01 cumulative Unit 1 Assessment - flexible checkpoint
• From Claim to Consensus Scientific Claim Reliability Lab
• Educator Planning Guide
• Student Syllabus
• Start Here PDF with access instructions

Course Structure

Week 1 - How Science Corrects Error: #1 Cognitive Bias, #2 Statistical Thinking, #3 The Myth of the Great Experiment, #4 Peer Review, followed by W01.

Week 2 - From Scientific Consensus to Public Understanding: #5 Scientific Consensus, #6 Evaluating Sources & Fact Checking, #7 Science and the Public, the From Claim to Consensus synthesis lab, followed by W02.

Assessment System

W01 and W02 provide weekly checkpoints. U01 is the flexible cumulative unit assessment and can be used as the culminating assessment, an additional testing day, a retake/review checkpoint, or omitted when a lighter two-week schedule is preferred. This one-unit course intentionally does not duplicate U01 with a separate cumulative Final.

Flexible Classroom Use

Use the course on a standard two-week schedule, compress selected episode work for shorter calendars, assign digital or print versions, or use the episode lessons independently while retaining the assessment and planning system for teachers who want a full mini-course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Crash Course videos included?
No. Videos are not included. The curriculum provides classroom-ready materials designed for use with publicly available Crash Course Scientific Thinking videos.

Does the course include a cumulative Final?
No separate Final is needed for this one-unit course. U01 is the flexible cumulative Unit Assessment.

Can I use only selected episodes?
Yes. Every episode has its own complete lesson ecosystem, while the Full Curriculum adds the weekly/unit assessment and planning layer.

Can I use the resources without the Chrome extension?
Yes. The extension is completely optional.

Independent resource notice: Videos are not included. This teacher-created resource is designed for use with publicly available Crash Course Scientific Thinking videos and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Crash Course or Complexly.