Science capabilities were introduced within the New Zealand context following the revised "New Zealand Curriculum" (NZC). These capabilities are a small set of things that NZC intends students to be able to do in science, which weave the nature of science with content strands. Using pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to understand…

We describe here lessons learned in designing an early algebra curriculum to measure early algebra's impact on children's algebra readiness for middle grades. The curriculum was developed to supplement regular mathematics instruction in Grades K-5. Lessons learned centered around the importance of several key factors, including using conceptual…

Chemistry education has been affected in various aspects, especially teaching models, teaching technology, curriculum design, and teaching assessment, in Chinese Mainland since COVID-19 struck. To explore the change in teaching performance and differences in those teaching performances between middle school teachers and university teachers, this…

Consider that colorful photographs, eye-catching illustrations, and captivating images intended to make textbooks more appealing may actually distract students from the lesson at hand. Or that asking students to simply solve math problems might not be as effective as having them explain the steps of solutions that are already worked out--even some…

This is an abridged version of the "Science Framework for the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress." The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and its reports are a key measure in informing the nation on how well the goal of scientific literacy for all students is being met. The framework reflects the nature and…

Both employer expectations and education standards, including the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, are shifting the focus of learning from knowledge and discrete skills to the ability to think critically and creatively. This paper describes the process of translating an existing teacher-led STEM curriculum to fit…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and its reports are a key measure in informing the nation on how well the goal of scientific literacy for all students is being met. The "Science Framework for the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress" sets forth the design of the NAEP Science Assessment. This document is…

"Relentless" is the word that staff members at Stelle Claughton Middle School in Houston, Texas use to describe how they operate: "We don't give up on our students, their families, or our own commitment. We recognize that our own attitudes, choices, and behaviors toward our students and about their learning have the greatest impact…

The focus of this research is to develop an initial framework for assessing and interpreting students' level of understanding of mathematical equivalence. Although this topic has been studied for many years, there has been no systematic development or evaluation of a valid measure of equivalence knowledge. A powerful method for accomplishing this…

Outgoing "Voices from the Middle" ("VM") editor and incoming Vice-President Kylene Beers remembers the origins of the National Council of Teahers of English (NCTE), the long struggle to establish the best curriculum and assessment practices possible, and the frustration with the current emphasis on teaching to the test. Leaders…

Educators make decisions on how they are going to approach teaching and learning based on the goals they are required, or hope, to attain. In many cases, when high-stakes tests are utilized to determine whether a curriculum has been taught and students have mastered it, the curriculum and teaching are so aligned with testing objectives that the…