CAESART will carry out an impact study to examine the effects of Amplify Science, an integrated science and literacy curriculum, on young students’ science learning. The impact study will examine how the integrated science-literacy curriculum affects students’ understanding of science, both in the short term (over one school year) and long term (sustained over two academic years). In addition, the study will explore whether the effects of the curriculum vary by implementation.
To determine the short-term and long-term effects of a science and literacy curriculum developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science on student science learning.
Integrating science and literacy in the early years of school can provide added support for students who do not have the background knowledge and vocabulary needed to engage in science. In addition, pressures to raise and maintain test scores in math and literacy leave limited time for science instruction. An integrated science-literacy curriculum offers an avenue for increasing the amount of time spent on science in early elementary classrooms.
Using a randomized controlled trial, the study will compare outcomes for students using the integrated science-literacy curriculum to those using a traditional, non-integrated science curriculum. The study also will look at differences based on how the curriculum is implemented and on the unique characteristics of students, teachers, and schools.
The randomized controlled trial will be conducted over two academic years, with a target population of 44 elementary schools (2–3 kindergarten and 2–3 first-grade teachers in each school). The student sample will include an average of 12 students per classroom.
The study will compare outcomes for students whose schools were randomly assigned to receive the Amplify Science curriculum to those of students whose schools use their regular science curriculum. Teachers using Amplify Science will receive support and training on implementation from Lawrence Hall of Science.
Our criteria for schools include: (1) public schools (including charter and magnet schools) serving full-day kindergarten and grade 1 classes; (2) at least two participating teachers in each school with at least two years’ teaching experience; (3) an established practice of teaching science in the elementary grades; (4) not already using an integrated science-literacy curriculum; (5) willing to accept random assignment; (6) willing to share student assessment and demographic data.
We expect the impact study will increase the time spent teaching science, and that teachers will report improved confidence and self-efficacy in science teaching. We also expect that students, including multilingual learners, will demonstrate improved science learning and be better prepared for future science learning.