About Sci5
Why we started Sci5.
A rigorous science track in Newton, built by people you’ll know by name.
A letter to families
Dear families,
School science covers a lot of ground quickly. There is rarely time for the math, the careful measuring and the week-after-week practice that make science click, so many capable students decide it isn’t their subject.
We started Sci5 to change that in Newton. Sci5 is a track, not a one-off class. Belt by belt, students build toward command of physics, chemistry and biology at the level of the AP® exams, with small classes, demanding problems, a hands-on experiment every week, and advancement by mastery rather than by age.
We will measure our own results and share them with every family.
How we teach
Three ideas behind every class.
Real rigor
Demanding problems, taught step by step, on a path that leads to AP®-level command of a science.
Hands-on, every class
Every class is built around an experiment that answers a real question.
Mastery, not age
Students earn each belt by showing what they’ve mastered, with review and a retake when needed.
The research behind it
Each part of a Sci5 week uses a method tested in controlled studies.
Active, hands-on learning
Across 225 studies of science and math classes, active learning raised exam scores by about 6%, and students in lecture-only classes were 1.5 times as likely to fail.1
Inquiry guided by a teacher
Across 37 controlled studies, inquiry-based science teaching had an average effect of 0.50, and inquiry guided by a teacher outperformed purely student-led inquiry.2
Mastery learning
In 108 controlled evaluations, mastery programs improved exam performance from upper elementary school through college, with the largest gains for students who started behind.3
Frequent low-stakes quizzes
Practice testing improved learning more than re-studying or any other comparison, with the largest effects for secondary-school students.4
Spaced review
A synthesis of 839 comparisons from 317 experiments found that spreading practice out over time improves long-term retention.5
Homework that counts
The link between homework and achievement is strongest in grades 7–12.6
Our honest promise. These studies measured the methods, not Sci5 itself, and every child is different. Sci5 is new, so we will measure our own results and share them with families.
References
- Freeman, S., et al. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. PNAS, 111(23), 8410–8415. doi:10.1073/pnas.1319030111
- Furtak, E. M., Seidel, T., Iverson, H., & Briggs, D. C. (2012). Experimental and quasi-experimental studies of inquiry-based science teaching: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 82(3), 300–329. doi:10.3102/0034654312457206
- Kulik, C.-L. C., Kulik, J. A., & Bangert-Drowns, R. L. (1990). Effectiveness of mastery learning programs: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 60(2), 265–299. doi:10.3102/00346543060002265
- Adesope, O. O., Trevisan, D. A., & Sundararajan, N. (2017). Rethinking the use of tests: A meta-analysis of practice testing. Review of Educational Research, 87(3), 659–701. doi:10.3102/0034654316689306
- Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354
- Cooper, H., Robinson, J. C., & Patall, E. A. (2006). Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research, 1987–2003. Review of Educational Research, 76(1), 1–62. doi:10.3102/00346543076001001
Partnership
What you’ll hear from us.
Every week
The topic and homework, in the student workbook.
After each unit
The unit-test result, with corrections and next steps.
March and June
A written progress report, compared with your child’s own placement results.
Anytime
A conversation with your child’s instructor, on request.
Come meet us.
The open house is the best way to see a Sci5 class and ask your questions.