Science IDEAS is an instructional model designed to accelerate student achievement in science, reading comprehension and writing. Researched and developed during the last two decades this knowledge-based comprehension model integrates science learning with reading comprehension and writing in a daily two-hour time block.
Students in grades 3-5 are engaged in a variety of inquiry-based hands-on, reading comprehension, writing and concept mapping activities to build students' conceptual understanding of core science concepts while improving their ability to read challenging content area texts. Students in grades 6-8 and Post Secondary classes participate in a modified Science IDEAS model in their content-focused science courses.
The current project is funded through the National Science Foundation, in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health, Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) as part of the Interagency Educational Research Initiative (IERI). This initiative focuses on the attributes of successful scale-up of researched validated educational interventions. Science IDEAS was originally validated through five year study in which findings indicated a strong positive impact on student academic achievement in science, reading comprehension and writing as well as attitude and self-efficacy.
| College of Science
| Florida Department of Education
| Updated: September 2007