Teaching and Learning Project

The focus of the Secondary Teaching and Learning Project and the science institutes has been on developing a common vision of teaching science as inquiry and the essential features of inquiry in the classroom. This work has been supported by teacher leaders receiving copies of two books—one from the National Research Council, titled Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards and another book on teaching the process of experimental design, titled Students and Research. Both resources support Colorado science standards and the newly revised CSAP science assessment framework.

The biology and middle school redesign teams used the AIM (Analyzing Instructional Materials) process and tools to select inquiry-based, reform-oriented science instructional materials, which are field-tested during a complete school year, then adopted for districtwide implementation. During the 2004–2005 school year, BSCS Biology: A Human Approach was field-tested and adopted. It will be implemented districtwide during the 2005–2006 school year by all biology teachers.

In addition, three new middle school science programs were selected in the spring of 2005 by teacher leaders, which will be field-tested during the upcoming school year with plans for adoption in 2006. At the elementary level, several classroom teachers are field-testing BSCS Science TRACS: An Elementary Science and Literacy Program with plans for adoption in 2006.

If you have technical questions about this Web site, contact Joel' Bradley-Hess at
joel_bradley-hess@dpsk12.org or 720-423-3723.