PhD Science from Great Minds Earns High Marks in Rigorous Review from WestEd

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Jun 22, 2023, 09:00 ET

Richmond, Va., June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PhD Science®, an elementary school science curriculum developed by Great Minds PBC®, has earned high marks from WestEd, an independent nonprofit research organization.

The rigorous review examined PhD Science kindergarten lessons. PhD Science is a free and open educational resource in Grades K–2 that is designed to engage students in authentic science practice. Students ask questions, gather evidence, develop models, and construct explanations while investigating real-world phenomena. The curriculum is also available in grades 3–5, and middle school grades are under development.

In its review, WestEd noted that the curriculum is strong in a variety of important ways, including the way it is sequenced purposefully to support students in building understanding toward the targeted Next Generation Science Standards. The reviewers also commended the curriculum for soundly setting expectations for and around student expression, presenting the materials in an accessible way, and supporting teachers in engaging students in three-dimensional learning—the integration of core ideas, cross-cutting concepts, and science and engineering practices.

"We're glad the WestEd reviewers picked up on aspects of the curriculum teachers around the country love too," said Pam Goodner, Great Minds chief academic officer for science. "I talk to educators all the time who say that PhD Science is helping their students meet targeted learning goals, sparking wonder, and building knowledge about how the scientific world works."

For example, Missy Wooley, STEM Center director of Lincoln Parish Schools in Louisiana, has described teaching with PhD Science this way: "The learning is phenomenon based, discussion heavy, and hands on."

The WestEd review team used the EQuIP Rubric for Science, designed to provide feedback for continuous improvement. This isn't the first strong evaluation of PhD Science. Last year, the Louisiana Department of Education gave the curriculum a Tier 1 rating, the highest possible.

No other science curriculum has to date earned equally high marks from WestEd for its kindergarten materials.

About Great Minds: Great Minds PBC is a public benefit corporation and subsidiary of Great Minds, a nonprofit organization. Teachers and content experts write Great Minds curricula, applying their experience to create materials that resonate with students, teachers, and families. Great Minds curricula currently include PhD Science^®, Eureka Math², Eureka Math, Wit & Wisdom^® (English language arts), and Geodes^® books for emerging readers developed in cooperation with the Fundations^® foundational reading program from Wilson Language Training.