Vol. 12, No. 2, Fall/Winter 2001

Students in districts served by The Einstein Project in Green Bay, Wisconsin, arrive in middle school well prepared. The “Einstein kids,” according to Project Director Sue Theno, have solid backgrounds in inquiry science at the elementary level. The 64 districts that are part of this project use the NSRC’s Science and Technology for Children® (STC®) curriculum almost exclusively. As a result, Theno says, the students are familiar with lab techniques and hands-on learning strategies. They also have a solid grounding in science concepts in the earth, physical, and life sciences.

The transition to middle school, and to the NSRC’s new Science and Technology Concepts for Middle Schools™ (STC/MS™), has admittedly been a challenge. Thanks to careful planning and a strong emphasis on professional development, however, The Einstein Project has already successfully introduced two STC/MS modules, Human Body Systems and Properties of Matter, into classrooms. Two other modules, Energy, Machines, and Motion and Catastrophic Events, are being pilot tested by experienced teachers. All the teachers who will eventually use these two modules in their classrooms will undergo professional development in January and at the summer Einstein Academy. Meanwhile, plans for introducing the final four modules in the STC/MS curriculum are also falling into place.

The Einstein Project had been in the market for a middle school science curriculum for some time, reports Theno. Their Middle School Initiative Committee had piloted materials from 32 vendors. “We had the funds, but there was nothing out there to purchase,” she says. “We thought we’d be waiting forever.” During this time, Theno sought to increase Einstein teachers’ preparedness for implementing inquiry science at the middle school level by sending them to professional meetings and conventions. The Project did a science survey to determine the module topics in which there was greatest interest. Another part of the decision-making process was to survey students’ test scores and to identify the areas in which they were strongest. This study showed that students were doing much better in the life sciences than in earth and physical sciences.

After participating in the national field test of Human Body Systems in 1999, Theno and her staff became convinced of the merits of STC/MS. They also knew that implementing it would take some preparation. “It’s a rigorous curriculum,” she says. “Instead of adapting the content in order to make teachers comfortable with it, the NSRC developers kept the standard high.” Another advantage of STC/MS, says Theno, is its consistent alignment with the National Science Education Standards. And, compared with STC, STC/MS offers far greater opportunities for using technology in the classroom, more reading, and more writing. All these changes meant that professional development was essential.

Before teaching an STC/MS module, all Einstein Project teachers undergo 10 hours of professional development. The training focuses on science content and on helping teachers gain familiarity with the lab materials and measuring tools used throughout STC/MS. Classroom management and logistics are also included. For example, the teachers learn how to structure activities so that students will have time to complete their labs within the time allotted; they also discuss strategies for sharing activities among classes.

Support for teachers is ongoing. The Project has designated one staff member, Carol Pearson, as a “point person” for questions related to materials as well as other issues. Carol also participates in the teacher training sessions. “She knows the modules backwards and forwards,” says Theno. Another key element of Einstein’s professional development support program for STC/MS is the Einstein Project Educators’ Advisory Council. Two teachers from each school district are members of this group. Members meet four times a year to share experiences and take what they’ve learned back to their own schools.

One final piece of the professional development process occurs up front. It entails ensuring a smooth transition between the elementary and middle schools. The project offered a workshop, “Here Come the Einstein Kids,” which was designed to help middle school teachers understand what skills and understanding they could expect from fifth- and sixth-grade STC “alumni” entering middle school. “Students who have studied STC, for example, know how to design experiments, make observations and record data. Normally, these skills have to be introduced in middle school,” says Theno.

Although students and teachers who are part of The Einstein Project are building on a solid foundation, STC/MS has forced them to scale up learning experiences for everyone. “It’s a whole new beginning,” says Theno—a beginning that has everyone’s attention and enthusiastic support.

—L.H.

The Einstein Project began in 1991 as a consortium of nine school districts with no curriculum, no professional development and no materials—just a vision. A core group of educators and business people joined together to engage in a long-term effort to effect lasting change in science education. Now celebrating 10 years of success implementing the STC elementary science curriculum, this unique school, business, and community partnership is preparing to have a lasting impact on the middle schools of Wisconsin.