Not enough time for science in Bay Area classrooms?  Learn more…

Letter from LHS Director Elizabeth K. Stage

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
In a recent study commissioned by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Lawrence Hall of Science Center for Research, Evaluation and Assessment, in collaboration with WestEd, surveyed more than 900 Bay Area school teachers and almost 60% of the Bay Area school districts that serve elementary school students, interviewed district officials and representatives from County Offices of Education, and collected data from science-rich institutions such as universities and science centers. We made some important discoveries.  Working so closely with schools throughout the Bay Area, we knew that the time for teaching science had diminished. Eighty percent of K-5 teachers report spending less than 60 minutes each week on science, and 16% of teachers are spending no time at all on science.  This means Bay Area children have few, or is some cases no, opportunities to learn science. This is serious cause for concern. 

District representatives and teachers who participated in the study pointed to many reasons for the limited time spent on science including:

• Pressure to focus on mathematics and literacy to the exclusion of other topics
• Inadequate preparation for teaching science
• Lack of policy priority on and funding for elementary science education

Despite the serious challenges that face educators, there are in fact bright spots in this picture.  Some teachers have found exciting ways to integrate science into reading and math lessons. More than 90% of California districts report they are planning to adopt new science materials by June 2008. We at LHS are pleased that the Hall’s FOSS program is one of the options on California’s list of adopted materials.  And California has placed increased importance on science recently through the addition of a 5th grade science assessment.  New possibilities are opening up to improve science instruction and talented and dedicated teachers and educational leaders are poised to meet the challenge.

We at LHS are here to support you.  The Lawrence Hall of Science, the Exploratorium and other similar Bay Area informal learning institutions currently play a key role in supporting elementary science education. And we are prepared to do more to help.  LHS has long dedicated its resources to addressing critical needs in science education, providing a variety of professional development opportunities and a rich array of classroom materials for educators.  Nationally, more than 20,000 teachers have been trained to use LHS curricula and an estimated 7 million students have been introduced to the wonders of science through these exciting programs which are teacher tested, content rich and standards-based. We value our long-standing partnership with teachers and their school districts – we believe that we can help them to overcome the challenges as they strive to achieve excellence in the teaching of science in our public schools.

You can learn more about the comprehensive selection of educational resources available through the Hall by exploring the links below.

• For those looking for new materials to enhance their existing curriculum and new strategies for addressing complex science subject matter, learning styles and assessment and evaluation challenges, the Hall offers a variety of materials exploring a broad range of physical, natural and earth sciences. 
  
  
• For those seeking opportunities to integrate science with reading and language arts, the Seeds of Science, Roots of Reading program combines inquiry based science activities with content rich student books focusing on vocabulary, language arts and science processes.
  


• For those pursuing professional development opportunities to broaden their knowledge of science, enhance their teaching skills and to introduce new instructional approaches, the Hall offers a variety of in-depth training programs.


• For schools that want to provide their students with outstanding hands-on experiences in mathematics and science at their own sites or at the Lawrence Hall of Science, LHS Programs For Schools offer dozens of options for workshops, exhibit visits, science shows and festivals, and multi-visit programs.

To learn more about the state of science education in the Bay Area, copies of the Research Brief, “The Status of Science Education in Bay Area Elementary Schools” and additional information on study methodology and data can be found at this link: www.lawrencehallofscience.org/rea/bayareastudy. You can also view a brief video summary of the results.

Improving the quality and breadth of science education in the public schools is but one of many challenges faced by teachers and school administrators – yet in today’s competitive, science-rich and technology-based world, it is of critical importance. There is no single solution and clearly no “quick fix.”  Strategies for improvement will be best found through dialogue, collaboration and shared resources, which will empower teachers to teach science and teach it well and provide students with rich opportunities to learn. The dialogue has begun – and Lawrence Hall is here for you.