This year Sam Barlow has rolled out a new and exciting science curriculum with hands-on learning and a chance to work in collaboration with peers, along with analyzing data, observing patterns, and using problem-solving skills. The curriculum has given students the opportunity to dive in and get a deeper look into real science. In biology classes, students are learning more about the DNA of lions and getting a deeper understanding of how lions live and function as a pride. This learning development shows learners how to connect ideas and see through problems as it is important to one’s learning.
Mrs. Quirke explained that this new subject into science has grouped kids closer together and helps them collaborate rather than work by themselves. She shares, “It has a different approach,” and “I like students working together.” Many students have mixed emotions about the new curriculum, but Quirke says “Students are more engaged,” showing many kids are more interested in the topics and are more involved in the work. Even though some students feel more interested in the curriculum, many other kids have said they dislike the concept and believe it focuses too much on the same ideas. Many people are tired of the lions since it’s the same thing they have been learning since school started. The big adjustment in the science department caused some concern for students and teachers.
Mr. Eckrich teaches a Biology class and believes that even though the new curriculum is good for students working together, he often finds himself fixing some parts of it that he doesn’t particularly agree with. There are parts of the assignments that skip over important details that many students should learn before moving on to the next idea, a certain foundation that’s needed for understanding. He concludes that our science department at Barlow is amazing, and we are lucky to have such great teachers and staff in it.
The content that students are learning is tougher than before. Quirke says that it’s more difficult to figure it out on your own. This means that instead of the work being given to you easily, it’s more complicated, forcing students to work harder to get a better understanding of the problem so they can find a solution for it. The idea is to help kids build a stronger comprehension of problem-solving and the ability to detect patterns.
Many students argue that the old curriculum was better. They believe that the topic of lions is boring and doesn’t help students get a grasp of the material. A student from a Biology class, Alex Swartz, expresses, “The new curriculum is fun, but I wish they would teach it differently.” He explains how sometimes the subject can be tedious and makes him lack motivation. Others agree with this strongly and share that the idea of lions has gotten old and isn’t showing students the proper purpose of science, particularly biology. Some students disagree and believe that this new way of learning science has helped them and benefited by learning DNA, genes, and roles in life.
Many students and teachers have voiced their opinions about this new curriculum. Some think that this new curriculum has helped them in many ways and has improved their learning by taking things step by step and working together as a group. On the other hand, others can disagree and share that they have not enjoyed the activities and assignments. They think the curriculum isn’t fit for some students and may have some miscommunication errors.
