NGSS Middle School Science - Encore New Curriculum Adoption

Encore believes that constant improvement and constant moves to a more technological way of educating is critical in making sure that Encores Students are well prepared for life after high school. This means that Encore is always "looking for the better mousetrap" when it comes to delivery methods of education and actual curriculum for our students. Of course, Encore has budgetary limitations that keep us from changing the world every single school year, but we do our best to make changes that we can control every year. Even in this unprecedented and strange time, Encore is still working on improvements. The first change for this school year is the curriculum for science in 7th and 8th grade.

Encore will putting before the Encore School Board the adoption of TCI Curriculum for middle school science in July's Board meeting. Encore has been using TCI for middle school History since inception. The big difference with TCI is that much of the curriculum has progressive project based learning (PBL) that help students gain the critical thinking needed to succeed as a lifelong learner. Project Based Learning builds on the philosophy that students will learn, comprehend, and retain more if they are integrating their learning in hands on projects that teach specific concepts.

In Finland, where education surpasses all other countries, the educators are moving to a method of teaching that is phenomena based learning. Their plan is to eliminate subjects in school and instead; put students into learning teams where they complete real world projects and derive all of their subjects from completing this real world project. The United States, Project Based Learning concepts are in the same vein as this philosophy. Finland is just putting this philosophy on steroids.

Bring Science Alive! will be used for 7th and 8th grade starting this fall. Encore will be adopting the Integrated Science model that is NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) based.

"The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards. Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students." (www.nextgenscience.org)

This curriculum will be integrated through Encore's already implemented one to one technology, so this curriculum will have an online component for all students.

Students enrolled in the middle school science classes will have an annual subscription to TCI's "Bring Science Alive!" for their grade level. This subscription for the class will be set up on the student assigned school computer. Then, every student will receive access to:

1. Student Text Online

2. Interactive Tutorial

3. Interactive Student Notebook online

4. Lesson Games

5. Assignments

6. Text-to-audio options

7. Spanish Translations

Encore is excited for the new curriculum. As we work to improve every year, we are excited to share this new science content with our middle school students.

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Denise Griffin, CEO is the author of this blog for Encore Education Corporation. Part of Encore Education Corporation is Encore High School, a free public performing arts regional high school in Southern California grades 7 - 12. Encore's program is currently taking applications for the fall 2020 enrollment. Encore offers full time, hybrid time, and independent study programs. Encore offers transporation from the Inland Empire and the high desert. www.encorehighschool.com. Where arts and academics grow together. WASC Accredited. Copyright 2020.