Attempting the Impossible

My head is spinning right now. Absolutely spinning.

Why?

Because I just finished looking over the sixth grade science curriculum that my students are supposed to learn in the next 180 days!

What’s included?

For starters, we’ll study the scientific method. My children will learn about developing effective experiments, writing hypothesis and drawing conclusions. Independent variables, dependent variables and controls are introduced as students analyze evidence to make inferences and predictions. Graphing skills are developed, findings are disseminated and defended, and scientific text is explored.

We then move onto a study of the lithosphere. When I found out that lithosphere basically means “the earth,” I grew a bit intimidated—reading through the standards didn’t make me feel much better.

My students need to learn about volcanoes, earthquakes, sedimentation, deposition, folding and faulting, and the movement of the crustal plate system. They need to learn about the layers of the earth, minerals, rock types and the common rocks found in our state. They need to learn about the properties of soil, including color, texture, structure, pH, consistency and fertility. They need to learn about the impacts that humans have had on the pedosphere and the steps that responsible citizens can take to minimize these effects.

Next up: A study of the cycling of matter. Topics covered include the water, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon cycle, photosynthesis, and the Law of the Conservation of Matter.

We also tackle the rest of the universe! We study the characteristics of the sun, planets, asteroids, comets, moons and meteors. We compare and contrast the Earth to the other planets in terms of size, composition and ability to support life. We examine the role that space exploration has played in history, including a look at the Apollo mission, the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle program. Specifically, we must “analyze the spin-off benefits” that space exploration has had on the medical, materials and transportation fields.

Finally, we’ll study the characteristics of light, heat and sound. We’ll talk about waves by examining frequency and amplitude. We’ll learn how the human eye and ear are specially designed to interpret sensory perceptions, and we’ll explore the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Can you understand why my head is spinning?

As a teacher, I feel obligated to work through this curriculum in a systematic way, regardless of how overwhelming it appears. After all, what good is a “standard course of study” if it isn’t provided for every student? With a singular focus on delivering content and a dedicated aversion to “getting off track,” I can certainly touch on every topic listed.

But aren’t detours a regular part of the learning process for most people—a natural by-product of creative thinking and innovation?

I’ve always thought that our best thinkers are rarely committed to content. They are, instead, committed to thought. They thrive while wrestling with new ideas, refining and revising their own understandings. They ask challenging questions and feel joy discovering their own answers. The mental energy of powerful ideas drives them—not a list of pre-determined topics created by someone else.

This professional tension only makes my head spin worse. You see, the kinds of instructional practices that I would use to deliver the content defined by my curriculum run contrary to the kinds of instructional practices that I would use to develop the kinds of thinking skills that define true ability. What I want students to know and be able to do—what I value most about teaching and learning—doesn’t totally align with what I’ve been asked to teach.

And I’m not sure what to do next.

Will I harm my students if I deviate from the standard course of study?

Will I harm them if I don’t?