Catholic Schools Embrace Next Generation Science Standards

Catholic schools in South Jersey are preparing for their second year of using curriculum based on the Next Generation Science Standards. The Catholic school roll-out of the science standards is ahead of the pace for public schools in the state, which adopted the standards in July.
According to Mary Boyle, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Camden, “Academic excellence is a hallmark of Catholic education. Because of our independence and flexibility, we were able to act quickly to use the Next Generation Science Standards and are already seeing results.”
The curriculum was developed through a partnership with the University of Notre Dame. It translates Next Generation Science Standards into goals and outcomes for classroom units that challenge students to develop explanations, models, and real-world applications as a result of their own explorations. Teachers adapt the curriculum and choose strategies, activities, and resources that best meet their students’ needs and their school’s identity.
Sheryl Cordivari, middle school science teacher at Assumption Regional Catholic School in Galloway, changed her approach so students are more active and study real world problems. Before the new curriculum, students in her class would take notes as she provided lectures and demonstrations of complex concepts like velocity, acceleration, momentum, and friction.
With the new curriculum, says Mrs. Cordivari, students do the thinking, not the teacher. “After we covered some basic ideas through discussion and demonstration, I stopped doing the thinking for them. They worked together to design their own experiments to investigate the effects of these forces on real world objects.”
Students took wooden planks, meter sticks, stop watches, sand paper, and other objects, and designed their own experiments. Some figured out how changing the angle of a ramp affected acceleration. Other groups put different materials on ramps to measure the effects of friction. Each group had to collect data, support their conclusions with the evidence they collected, and communicate results to the class.
“Those concepts are easy to confuse and difficult to master,” said Mrs. Cordivari. “Students don’t fully understand them even when they watch a demonstration. When they come up with the ways to test principles and make the connections for themselves, they are far more engaged in class, and what they learn really sinks in.”
During the 2014-2015 academic year, some elementary schools will implement new hands-on materials to further enhance students’ preparation in science. Teachers will continue to meet in their schools and together during regional professional development sessions to refine their techniques. “These efforts ensure that all students gain what they need to be successful, whether they choose a science career, use science in their everyday lives, or make informed decisions as consumers and voters in a scientifically advanced society,” said Boyle.