Piloting OpenSciEd Curriculum

Piloting OpenSciEd Curriculum

Knowles Senior Fellow, Jessica Campbell (Thomulka) was selected as one of four chemistry teachers in the state of New Jersey to pilot and provide feedback about OpenSciEd curriculum during the 2021–2022 school year. OpenSciEd curriculum advocates for equal access to science for all students by engaging them in phenomena that are relevant and exciting, all with an antiracist lens. Lacking the funding needed to purchase lab materials for two units of the curriculum, Jessica successfully applied for a grant from Knowles to cover the cost of purchasing two kits that contained all of the needed materials.

In one of the units, her students explored the driving question: How can we slow the flow of energy on Earth to protect vulnerable coastal communities? In a later unit on ocean acidification and the endangered oyster population, they explored the driving question: Why are oysters dying, and how can we use chemistry to protect them? The 80 students in the four sections of her chemistry course used kit materials to engage in four separate lab experiences, including modeling ice melting on land versus sea; comparing the density of solutions; modeling heat transfer interactions between solids and liquids, and liquids to other liquids; and simulating particle speed.

Jessica reviewed data from informal and formal student feedback surveys with her OpenSciEd professional learning community and Knowles inquiry group to assess the effectiveness of the materials on student understanding. She found when students were engaged in the defining phenomenon, they took ownership of their learning and approached the lesson with more productive energy when compared with students from previous years. Additionally, Jessica’s students used the skills learned in the pilot units to develop a deeper understanding of lessons that were traditionally taught throughout the year. Anecdotally, students’ reactions to the curriculum were very positive, even though it was rigorous and not like anything they had ever seen before. A student commented, “I’ve never felt so inspired!” after learning about coastal communities in unit 1. Jessica looks forward to purchasing a third kit for implementation during the 2022–2023 school year.