Research shows Smithsonian curriculum and professional development improve science, reading and math achievement in elementary grades

Newly released independent research Research conducted over five years demonstrates the impact of Smithsonian’s high-quality Science for the Classroom curriculum, combined with professional learning, on elementary school students’ achievement in science, math, and reading. The study’s findings, conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, are especially relevant to ongoing recovery efforts to combat teacher learning loss and burnout.

As part of this research collaboration with the Smithsonian Research and Education Center, the Center for Research in Educational Policy (CREP) at the University of Memphis conducted a school-level randomized controlled trial involving more than 1,600 students in grades three through five. in North Carolina and South Carolina. Predominantly rural schools were assigned to either implement the Smithsonian Institution’s Science for the Classroom curriculum with support for professional learning (treatment group) or continue teaching as usual (control group). CREP then assessed the cumulative impact of Smithsonian Science Education Center resources over three school years on students compared to their comparison group peers. Using a mixed-methods approach, CREP sought to examine whether the Smithsonian intervention improves student achievement, particularly for high-needs students, in science, mathematics, and reading.

Highlights of the Smithsonian Science Institution’s evaluation for a classroom curriculum with accompanying professional learning include:

• In the combined sample, students demonstrated statistically significant gains in science on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT10) compared to the business-as-usual group.
• When their SAT10 scores were separated, students in the combined sample were identified as belonging to groups that are traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields – women, economically disadvantaged people, those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) ) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)—continue to outperform their peers in science; the difference for women was statistically significant.
• In the combined sample in both states, students performed better on state assessments in reading and math than their peers who received regular science instruction.

“It’s not always easy for elementary teachers to find time to teach science,” said Carol O’Donnell, director of the Smithsonian’s Douglas M. Lapp and Ann B. Keyser Center for Science Education. “But thanks to this data, we now know that elementary school teachers can spend time teaching science and improving students’ science knowledge, as well as improving their reading and math skills. This research shows that high-quality learning materials based on natural phenomena and real-world problems, as well as consistent and differentiated high-quality professional development, are essential for early learning. We value the expertise of CREP, the educational organizations in North Carolina and South Carolina with whom we collaborated, and the teachers who participated in this study have dedicated their lives to the most important profession of our time—teaching. This research lays the foundation for years to come as we continue to bring the Smithsonian into classrooms across the United States.”

The contents of this report were developed under an Educational Innovation and Research (EIR) Early Stage Grant (PR# U411C190055) awarded to the Smithsonian Research and Education Center, U.S. Department of Education.*

*The contents of the report do not necessarily reflect the policies of the U.S. Department of Education, and readers should not assume that it will be endorsed by the federal government.

About the Smithsonian Research and Education Center

The Smithsonian Science and Education Center (SSEC) transforms K–12 education through science in collaboration with communities around the world. SSEC is recognized nationally and internationally for the quality of its programs and impact on K-12 science education. Visit SEC website to find out more about Smithsonian Science for the Classroom curriculum and Smithsonian Science for North and South Carolina Classes project. Follow SSEC on LinkedIn, X And Facebook.

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