In the rising tide of reports proclaiming the need to reform various aspects of education, middle level education has been frequently overlooked. The Study Panel on Curriculum and Instruction of the National Center for Improving Science Education recognizes the critical development that occurs during early adolescence and the current reform toward…

This document is part of a second set of reports that focus on science and mathematics education for young adolescents. It addresses the salient issues of improving middle grade science education, emphasizing the importance of the teacher as learner and facilitator. If overall improvement is indeed to occur, the various parts of the system must…