A recent study conducted by Northeastern University has revealed a transformative outcome for students and teachers who utilize curriculum based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This third-party instrumental case study was designed to investigate the experiences of fourth and fifth-grade science teachers as they implemented the KnowAtom curriculum, which is specifically designed for mastery of NGSS standards. Overall, teachers observed “an increase in collaboration, improvement in test scores, increase in academic vocabulary and discourse, and an increase in participation. They also saw students more engaged, which resulted in better behavior in the science classroom.” These overwhelmingly positive results are a direct result of KnowAtom curriculum and its impact, changing how teachers view science education and the role of students in the education process. The study focused on answering the following questions:

How did teachers respond to the new program? What professional development resources were they provided? How did the program influence their teaching practices? Were any changes observed in the learning outcomes of their students? Were there changes in how the teachers felt about adapting their traditional teaching methods?

The NGSS was developed with the collaboration of 26 lead state partners, placing emphasis on nurturing students’ capacity to think critically about key scientific theories, utilize skills learned in other areas of their studies to communicate their findings, and work collaboratively with their peers to solve complex problems. Shifting to NGSS standards is critical to the essential educational reform needed to help United States schools catch up with students from other countries. Pew Research Center reports that, globally, “U.S. students continue to rank around the middle of the pack”, placing 38th in math and 24th in science out of the 71 countries evaluated. Educational curriculum development leaders like KnowAtom have faced the significance of these findings head-on by developing proactive methods to address known shortcomings and advance student performance results in U.S. institutions. Co-founder of KnowAtom, Francis Vigeant, explains that “as educators, it’s not just the facts that we need to focus on but really how we question and challenge students to learn by thinking in lessons designed for creating, evaluating, and analyzing scientifically.” Studies that provide proof of the success of NGSS programs like KnowAtom are essential to help foster effective changes in our continuously evolving educational system. To learn more about the findings of the research study, read the blog here. About KnowAtom  KnowAtom is a complete K-8 solution designed for mastery of the Next Generation Science Standards. Our research-based, classroom-tested tools and techniques equip teachers to bring students’ own ideas to life with hands-on materials and technology. To learn more, visit www.knowatom.com or 617-475-3475. Media Contact: Francis Vigeant, CEO 617-475-3475 [email protected] Source: KnowAtom