Decades of research support integrating play in kindergarten to benefit young students' social, emotional, and cognitive development. As academic readiness becomes a focus, time for play has decreased. As a result, there has been a demand for integration of play with content. This study modifies a project-based science curriculum about how living…

We present teacher-researcher partnership (TRP) as a way of fostering teachers' professional learning. Teachers' participation as research group members is an essential aspect of the partnership. Teachers and researchers share the same goal, which is to improve their understanding of and enhance students' engagement in science. Project-based…

To meet the demands of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), teachers need to reconsider their current instructional practices, shifting from learning about scientific ideas to making sense of phenomena and solving problems using three-dimensional learning components. Project-Based Learning (PBL) provides a framework for creating…

In "A Framework for K-12 Science Education," researchers call for teachers to make dramatic shifts in practice -- and sustain in these changes in practice -- so students can engage in rigorous and equitable three-dimensional science learning. Project-Based Learning (PBL) motivates students from diverse backgrounds to persist in learning.…

Scientific modelling plays a crucial role in students' science learning. Modelling proficiency and literacy development reinforce each other. This study investigates the relationship between teacher support of student literacy development and their modelling proficiency in the context of elementary project-based learning science environments. To…

Project-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach to science teaching that supports the "Next Generation Science Standards" (Krajcik 2015; NGSS Lead States 2013). In a PBL lesson, students design and solve real-world problems or explain scientific phenomena. Students using a PBL model learn and retain more than those not using…

Project-based learning (PBL) is a long-standing curricular model that has been argued to support equity-based goals in science learning. Yet, little is known about how PBL can be implemented effectively and equitably in the context of virtual instruction. This comparative case study follows two elementary science teachers as they transition to…

How can science instruction help students and teachers engage in relevant genetics content that stimulates learning and heightens curiosity? Project-based science can enhance learning and thinking in science classrooms. We describe how we use project-based science features as a framework for a genetics unit, discuss some of the challenges…

Reform efforts in science education emphasize the importance of rigorous treatment of science standards and use of innovative pedagogical approaches to make science more meaningful and successful. In this paper, we present a learning-goals-driven design model for developing curriculum materials, which combines national standards and a…