This teacher's handbook provides information about the philosophy, rationale, and teaching strategies of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) program, as well as information about the SCIS physical and life science sequences to provide teachers with an understanding of the program's overall content and structure. Much of the material in the handbook is based on the "SCIS Elementary Science Sourcebook," ED 026 243. This publication consists of nine chapters: Educational and Scientific Foundations of the SCIS Program, Approaches to Teaching, Psychological Background, Piagetian Operations in the SCIS Program, Overview of the SCIS Program, The SCIS Evaluation Supplements, Concept Encyclopedia, The SCIS Laboratory Materials, and SCIS Organisms and Their Care. It also includes three appendixes: Teacher Self-Inventory; SCIS Films; and Reading List, a glossary, and an index. (PEB)