Next Generation Science Standards are seen as being demanding but one seventh grade science teacher sees an opportunity.
According to Channahon Junior High School seventh grade science teacher Kirk Lange the new standards give him greater opportunities to expand his students scientific understanding.
Because seventh grade is focused on biology, it is perfect to combine what they are learning with projects, collaborations, and technology.
“I was looking to make a big change,” Lange said, “and with the new standards, it seemed like the best time to make a big shift. I took everything I was doing and revamped it from the ground up. I think this will show us what the students can really do with higher-order thinking. … I’m driving for a much deeper understanding.”
Sometimes teachers struggle with incorporating technology into the classroom. Lange uses technology to accelerate learning, not just as a workbook or dictionary.
Lange encourages students to pursue inquiry based projects.
“It’s a lot less of me telling them science,” he said, “and a lot more of them discovering science themselves.”
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