The Center for Teaching and Learning Launches K-8 Science

The New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is widely acknowledged as a leader in high school STEM education. Today, that reputation is taking on a broader scope. CTL is piloting a K-8 expansion of the highly successful Progressive Science Initiative® (PSI®).

CTL already offers a K-12 mathematics program, the Progressive Mathematics Initiative®. Completing a K-8 science sequence will round out CTL’s STEM offerings.

Program Manager Michelle Lageman is guiding CTL’s PSI K-8 program development. Michelle manages curriculum writing being completed by a group of 19 teacher-writers. She makes writing assignments, reviews and edits written work, assures that materials conform to Next Generation Science Standards and is coherent across grade levels. Lageman also monitors and responds to user feedback. Andrew Ross, a science teacher at Egg Harbor City Community School who designs unit sequences, writes units, helps guide other writers, and assists in editing, is also important in shaping the work.

PSI’s K-8 materials are being piloted in grades 6-8 in the Irvington School District (New Jersey). There, Union Avenue Middle School and University Middle School teachers trained in PSI teaching methods at the start of this school year are trying out the new materials.

While it is still early in the piloting process, initial feedback from teachers has been very positive. Teacher input is already shaping the courseware; in response to their input, answer keys with score guides have been added to the labs offered, to help create more uniform grading.

CTL’s interest in creating K-8 courseware has two important parts. First, creating materials that guarantee a coherent sequence of instruction from K-12 will boost overall student outcomes in science. In addition, many K-5 teachers are responsible for the entire range of instructional topics, a significant burden. K-8 PSI aims to support those teachers by providing them with completely aligned instructional presentations, assignments, labs, and assessments that allow them to be confident, effective science teachers.

Lageman noted “We’re excited to be creating these courses and open to teacher feedback, as always, to help us continue to improve.” Interested educators can reach Michelle Lageman at michelle@njctl.org.

Tags: News