Think back to your elementary and middle school science experiences. What were you taught? How were you taught? Chances are, you may not remember much about science in your elementary school. In middle school, you might remember your textbook and taking turns reading the textbook out loud in class. Maybe you remember the occasional egg-drop challenge or microscope lab. Imagine, for a moment, a child who will have science memories of algae photobioreactors, penguin habitats, toy design, solving the mystery of pollinator disappearance, flood levees, pizza farms, erosion windbreaks, and space missions. What would be possible for a child who has a rigorous, relevant science experience starting from kindergarten to eighth grade?
Written by area educators, this book is a series of stories on their efforts to modernize education in the St. Louis region. The book’s lead chapter, “Experiencing Real Science,” reveals how the innovative mySci curriculum, developed by the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis, is transforming science education in local schools. The chapter is written by Victoria May, ISP executive director; Rachel Ruggirello, ISP associate director; Jeanne Norris, ISP teacher in residence curriculum coordinator, and Myra Lopez, ISP communication manager.
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