Students in science teacher Jenna Roberts’ 3A honors Earth Systems class engage in one of many interactive labs. The students place stars on a graph in relation to their luminosity and temperature. Both Roberts and students report that the new curriculum is beneficial due to a more personalized take on science. They have found that tackling bigger topics is easier when applied to something that is more involved.

With less pressure to memorize and perform well on standardized tests, students focus on their “culminating event,” which is the end of semester project. Each lab gives them a better visual grasp on what they are learning and in result, a greater understanding of their assigned project.

Incoming freshman students are responding well to the new curriculum format and also the expanded use of technology. Laptops that were previously implemented in middle schools help familiarize new students with their environment. Online labs and research allows each student to interact one-on-one with the material, reducing the adjustment period.

However, with this new teaching style, teachers are forced to cram a lot of content into a short time frame – science teachers must cut out certain information and prioritize what will be most useful to students in the end.

“Hands-on is more fun to learn and therefore, I remember it,” said freshman Serendipity Chamberlain.

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