This guide was developed with the intention of helping teachers and school site administrators in California review the elementary science curriculum and compare it to an idealized model that is presented in the document. Part I of the guide provides a summary of a number of characteristics considered to be important to a strong elementary science program. It was designed to aid teachers, principals, and parents in identifying features of their local science program where attention is needed. Part II presents a full-scale portrait of an elementary science program that focuses on the development of student understanding. This section presents teaching ideas that are concerned with both the knowledge base and science process skills. Common themes are present in the discussion of science instruction in the various subject areas. The disciplines and associated themes addressed are: (1) biological science (cells, genetics, evolution, plants, protists, animals, human beings, ecosystems); (2) earth science (astronomy, geology and natural resources, meteorology, oceanography and hydrology); and (3) physical science (matter, mechanics, energy sources and transformation, heat, light, electricity, magnetism, and sound). (TW)