Study Shows Green Ninja Science Drives Academic Success, Especially for Underserved Students

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Middle school students using Green Ninja's science curriculum, which integrates real-world connections through project-based learning (PBL), achieve significant academic gains, with particularly notable improvements among traditionally underserved populations.

The study, examining over 4,400 students across six California districts, found that students using Green Ninja's science curriculum showed an average increase of 2.5 points in standardized test scores—surpassing demographically similar districts. In contrast, districts without Green Ninja experienced a 0.6-point decrease in scores. Most significantly, the number of students performing below standard dropped by 13%, further narrowing achievement gaps.

The impact was particularly strong among traditionally underserved populations:

• English learners achieved a 2.7-point increase, compared to the state's 1-point average
• All participating districts exceeded state averages for economically disadvantaged students
• Districts saw a 5% increase in students reaching advanced performance levels

Curriculum Framework and Approach

The curriculum, developed from a National Science Foundation-funded project, is grounded in a framework validated by research at San Jose State University. This framework focuses on three key components:

• Building personal connections
• Fostering empathy for the environment
• Empowering students to enact change

By building students' real-world connections, the curriculum makes learning more relevant and engaging. When students see how lessons apply to real-world challenges, they become more motivated and invested, fostering community involvement, leadership, and academic success.

These real-world connections are reinforced through a project-based learning approach that follows three steps:

1.  Identify: Students explore a local, real-world problem.
2.  Explore: Students investigate and discover the science behind the issue.
3.  Solve: Students develop and share practical solutions to address the problem.

"When students connect science to challenges in their own communities, learning becomes personal," says Dr. Eugene Cordero, professor at San Jose State University, and Green Ninja Founder. "These results validate our approach of translating research-backed principles into practical classroom experiences."

Noah Canton, a middle school science teacher, has observed this impact firsthand: "The real-world focus empowers my students beyond the classroom. Many have pursued careers addressing global challenges, and the program played a key role in fostering that interest."

At Lincoln Middle School, sixth-grade teacher Holly Rios shares an instance of her students' initiative: "My students developed and presented a waste reduction plan to our school board, demonstrating their ability to apply classroom learning to real-world problems."

About Green Ninja

Green Ninja is a comprehensive middle school science curriculum designed to empower students as leaders of positive change. Developed by a team of experts at San Jose State University, including founder Dr. Eugene Cordero, Green Ninja began as a National Science Foundation-funded project to enhance climate literacy.

Today, the program connects students to real-world issues through project-based learning, helping them achieve academic success while becoming active citizens in their communities.

For more information, visit www.greenninja.org.

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Vanessa Mwangi
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SOURCE Green Ninja