This month’s blog post was contributed by Tami Plein, Iowa OpenSciEd Field Test Coordinator.
In 1982, when I started my teaching career, science curricula were not created with input from or concern for Iowa students. Textbook companies focused on larger markets like Texas, California, and Florida. But now, thanks to the input and hard work of Iowa teachers, students, and AEA Science Consultants, we have access to a free, high-quality OER science curriculum, OpenSciEd, that meets Iowa Core Science Standards!
Due to the foresight of Kris Kilibarda, a former Iowa DE Science Consultant, Iowa is one of ten partner states currently finishing up 7 years of field-testing the OpenSciEd curriculum. Over 1800 students and 149 teachers from 43 districts across our state have participated in this project. They provided input into the design specifications, development, and revision of all 58 units for grades K-12. Iowa’s AEA consultants and several classroom teachers were part of the OpenSciEd writing and revision teams.
Notably, all released OpenSciEd units have been highly rated by the Science Peer Review Panel at NextGenScience using the EQuIP rubric. It’s the only NGSS-designed curriculum in which every unit has been rated as such. In contrast, 93% of science materials reviewed have not received a quality ranking.
The OpenSciEd curriculum is “phenomena-based and centers on student-led questioning, investigating, and problem-solving, with teachers supporting students as learning facilitators rather than lecturers. This approach fosters a classroom culture where everyone matters and is heard, building unique skills for educators and students and empowering them in their education journey.”1
OpenSciEd instructional routines are designed to value every student’s voice in learning science. Observations of an interesting phenomenon at the beginning of a unit provide all students with an opportunity to enter into the learning. Working together, students ask questions about the phenomenon, design investigations, and find solutions. Students learn how to respectfully work together, building and revising their understanding of science concepts and practicing the skills of science. At the end of a unit, students use a variety of ways to explain the phenomenon and apply their understanding to a new phenomenon or design problem. This instructional model is designed to align with how students learn best.
I’ve had the opportunity to observe Iowa classrooms and listen to teachers talk about their students’ experiences with the OpenSciEd instructional model. In recent ongoing third-grade virtual PL sessions, teachers have shared their students’ mastery of supporting a claim with strong evidence. They were so excited about their students’ growth in this science practice and how it overlaps with skills in Math and ELA.
A favorite conversation was with one of our high school field test teachers. Her students were engaged in a collaborative sensemaking discussion. They were struggling to connect their investigation results to the phenomenon they were trying to figure out. She was just getting ready to step in with a few prompts to get them moving in a new direction when they quickly stopped her! They wanted to figure it out on their own.
During the year, their teacher had learned new ways to move to a more student-centered classroom. One in which the teacher provides a variety of supports so that all students can engage in the science and engineering practices of our science standards. As a result, her students developed confidence in their science skills and created a truly safe learning community in the classroom. Those students knew they could figure it out together. And they did!
It’s important to note the new role of the teacher using this highly rated curriculum. To support teachers in shifting their instructional practice, OpenSciEd developed and field-tested professional learning for each of the 58 units. Research has shown that changes in classroom instruction are needed to increase learning outcomes for students. Adopting a high-quality curriculum alone doesn’t change instructional practices. Implementation of a new curriculum must be supported by systemic change that provides long-term, job-embedded learning for teachers and administrators. “If we expect teachers to utilize the curriculum every day, we have to create a professional learning environment where teachers and school leaders are always talking about, planning, and designing instruction with the curriculum.”2
To this end, our AEA Science Consultants have worked to win Iowa Department of Ed grants and a STEM Scale-up grant to support districts and teachers interested in implementing OpenSciEd during the 2025-26 school year. Over 450 teachers will be participating in the high-quality professional learning this summer and fall that was developed and refined during the field testing of the OpenSciEd units in Iowa. Teachers will also receive free materials and equipment to support the implementation of these high-quality units. These talented consultants have received 7 years of training in the OpenSciEd instructional model, philosophy, and grade-level units. Contact your AEA science consultant for ongoing science support in your district.
- OpenSciEd About Us: Why OpenSciEd? Our Approach https://openscied.org/why-openscied/about-us/
- National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (Summer 2020). High-Quality Curriculum Implementation-Connecting What to Teach with How to Teach It. https://www.niet.org/assets/1da4c1fbd6/high-quality-curriculum-implementation.pdf