Respondents to a recent informal NSTA poll reported devoting at least “some” class time to implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics (nearly 80%) and Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects (89%). In addition, 84% said English language arts (ELA) implementation was also taking at least “some” class time away from science education.

Participants’ views of the Common Core implementation’s effect on their students and teaching varied widely. Several lamented the lost time for hands-on inquiry and curricular constraints. Many saw the focus on improving students’ math and reading skills as an enhancement to science learning. Still others said they were taking a “wait-and-see” approach as their schools and districts slowly moved forward with CCSS programs.

Here’s what science educators are saying:

Hard to explain since I teach both subjects. I like the idea of the Common Core going deeper instead of wider, but that means teachers in the lower grades need to be sure students have mastery of certain skills.—Educator, Elementary, Middle School, Indiana

Administrators do not know that science is included in the Common Core Math. They are pushing for us to be in compliance with ELA...This will probably put us over the edge.—Educator, Middle School, Massachusetts

I have always felt that science helps math more than math helps science. Science gives real-world applications to math...I see a lot of improvement in reading and writing skills with the students.—Other, Elementary, Middle, High School, Missouri

Actually helped with the physics components; helped with text reading and technical information.—Educator, Middle School, Tennessee

It depends on the science class. If you are teaching physics, it will help the students with the math aspects, something I have always done. However, if you are teaching biology, it does little to help students understand the science concepts. In my district, the larger push is that we are teaching reading and writing concepts in science…time spent away from curriculum is time wasted.—Educator, Middle School, Nebraska

Many in the ELA world think reading about science is good enough...Elementary grade six schedule has minimized science instruction time.—Educator, Elementary, Utah

[Two] weeks in and it is taking time away from my planning of my science lessons. I would [have] liked to have been trained over the summer, not the day before class with a 20-minute lesson from the reading coach.—Educator, Middle School, Connecticut

You cannot do good science without math, so I think spending more time on math skills will ultimately benefit their science understanding.—Educator, High School, Illinois

I am a teacher consultant for the National Writing Project. I am incorporating ELA/Math CCSS in my classroom along with [Next Generation Science Standards] draft materials because it is vitally important that students can read/write critically beyond a lab report—for real-life science application!—Educator, High School, Louisiana

Common Good

It helps with science because we collect a lot of data when we do investigations and have to analyze it...Students have to strengthen their reading skills for science. When we do investigations, there is research on the topic that needs to be done. Students have to improve their reading skills to find the reasons in the research to support their claims and evidence.—Educator, Middle School, New York

The Standards of Practice, which are universal, enhance my class, since the students realize the science and math are related, focusing on main idea, understanding text...as science teachers we must communicate: Communication skills in writing about labs are part of science.—Educator, High School, Florida

It makes sense to teach students how to read/write [nonfiction] during science. I use interactive notebooks and teach reading and discussion/collaboration strategies when appropriate. I do also teach one section of reading and two math and two science [sections].—Educator, Middle School, Wisconsin

We are doing it with the implementation of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in our school, so it really hasn’t been an issue...As a special education teacher, my students need as much instruction with reading as they can get. It is a very slow process, since my students have fluency issues and need to be taught how to break down the science vocabulary.—Educator, Middle School, Kentucky

I have offered and am hoping to incorporate techniques from our reading teachers in my current–event[s] science assignment...I am hoping that it will help all science teachers to incorporate more reading and give science teachers some support in teaching students to be better readers of nonfiction.—Educator, Middle School, Washington

My ELA teacher and I work [so] very closely together…that sometimes our kids ask who is the science teacher and who is the ELA teacher. We like it that way...Science is actually being taught in ELA now, too!—Educator, Middle School, North Carolina

Science Suffering

Unfortunately, not much professional development has been spent helping us (science teachers) truly comprehend how we can best help to support the ELA standards…We’re getting hammered with new teacher evaluations and trying to understand what we need to do for that all at the same time! No time left to create cool science lessons...and prep for them!—Educator, Middle School, Massachusetts

[It has] taken time away from “doing science.”—Educator, High School, Massachusetts

Less time and money is being directed toward science instruction.—Educator, Elementary, Middle School, Connecticut

More time on literacy leaves less time for inquiry. Unfortunately, [high school] level science requires students [to] have ELA proficiency before they begin science, in my opinion.—Educator, High School, New York

Pacing guide is out of the window. Can’t cover science curriculum, effectively.—Educator, High School, Georgia

More work for the teacher…Let us as teachers plan our lesson plans and judge what we need to cover based on state standards...Common Core is not the solution; it is a small [bandage] on a serious wound that is our education system.—Educator, Middle School, Nevada