Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District began its partnership with Beckman@Science in 1998 and since then has opened a science materials warehouse, set up regular training for teachers, and adopted a hands-on inquiry based science curriculum for kindergarten through sixth grade. All K-6 teachers received training in the district adopted science curriculum/kits, which have been aligned to the California State Academic Content Standards. This brought the district total to 449 elementary teachers bringing hands-on, inquiry based science to 100% percent of the 12,135 elementary students in grades K-6. Kit rotation occurs three times during the school year, allowing students in elementary schools to benefit from multiple kits in the Beckman@Science Program. In addition, middle school science teachers in grades six and eight are also utilizing the FOSS kits to support the hands-on, inquiry experience for their students.

Before this systemic reform, the district-adopted science materials were textbooks with few materials. Teachers were very independent in their development of units of study in science. The adoption of the inquiry-based kits has given a united focus to the teaching of elementary science in the district. Additionally, high school teachers report an increased number of students requesting science classes. In 2001, the first year students that benefited from the Beckman@Science program in elementary school, entered high school. That year, 204 more high school freshmen at one high school alone, wanted science courses than in the previous year.

With the recent state science curriculum adoption many school districts in Orange County have adopted science textbooks as their core curriculum; however PYLUSD has committed to the continued use of hands-on inquiry based science curriculum following the Beckman@Science vision. Placentia-Yorba Linda USD will have all students in grades K-6, receiving hands-on inquiry based science curriculum. As we implement the (K-5) Full Option Science System (FOSS) in the strands of Life, Earth, and Physical science, we will have continuity throughout the grade levels from kindergarten to fifth grade. At the sixth grade level teachers will be using the middle school science curriculum adoption from Glencoe and two additional kits from FOSS. (Landforms and Earth Processes).

Our district trainings for teachers are held at our Professional Development Academy and include the opportunity for them to not only learn and do the lessons in each kit, but also to participate in professional dialogue with their colleagues and kit specialists. This collaboration serves to strengthen further training and the immediate implementation of new learning. Teachers share how they use technology, accessed information via web-sites, share ActivInspire lessons they have created to support instruction, and ways to use the digital microscopes in the classroom. All courses are taught using the California Standards for the Teaching Profession as a guide to instructional delivery. Presenters are evaluated on their ability to model appropriate instructional strategies, use of technology, engagement of participants, and level of learning by the participant. Classes are hands-on and require investigation on the part of the participant to facilitate their understanding and belief in the value of inquiry-based science.

Future professional development will include training in the area of subtle shifts toward additional inquiry, further science notebook training, cross-curricular integration of science with other subject areas, science content, and the use of technology in the science class. Some of the technology subjects already covered are digital microscopes, internet based resources, ActivInsprie, and digital photography in the classroom. The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District students are benefiting from the strong science focus that supports life long inquiry and understanding of their world.