Date of Project

2-1-2025

Document Type

Honors Thesis

School Name

Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education

Department

Education

Major Advisor

Dr. Kristin Cook

Abstract

Science has increasingly become marginalized in the United States today. This is largely due to educational reforms and movements placing an emphasis on standardized testing and mastery of math and reading exclusively. This focus stems from initiatives such as the Back-to-the-Basics movement (1980s), the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (2001), and the development of the Common Core standards (2010), which prioritize data collection and test results over the hands-on experiences and inquiry-based learning that good science education gives. Because of this, many of our students are not receiving consistent, meaningful access to science instruction. This limits their engagement with important areas such as STEM and concepts such as critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

This thematic study investigates how these systematic, nationwide changes have shifted priorities in elementary education and in turn reduces the time allocated for science instruction. Historically, this shift can be tracked through political tension and education reform from the Cold War’s emphasis on science and technological advancement to the recent emphasis on reading and math. Today, teachers must find creative ways to incorporate science instruction into an elementary curriculum that does not consistently provide time and instructions to do so.

Through the thematic analysis of data collected from a survey given to educators across the U.S, this research explores the extent of the shift towards reading and math and highlights creative strategies that teachers implement to make science cross curricular. Results from the data show significant disparities in instructional time, a lack of teacher training in science instruction, and the pressure of testing. This study emphasizes the need for curriculum reform that shifts the focus back to the vital skills that content areas such as science gives to students.

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