Madison schools chose new science textbooks

Posted on Monday, April 12, 2010

By: CHUCK CLEMENT, Staff Reporter

Sharon Knowlton, principal at Madison High School, presented the results of a year-long science curriculum and textbook selection study to the members of the Madison School Board on Monday night.

To find the school district's next generation of science textbooks for K-12, Knowlton and a group of Madison teachers spent the past year studying teaching material for subjects such as biology, physical science, chemistry and physics. The educators also chose two textbook companies and asked them to provide individual presentations.

Knowlton said Madison Elementary School teachers will use Scott Foresman Science teaching materials, Madison Middle School will teach with Glencoe science texts, and Madison High School students will study with textbooks from Holt McDougal textbooks.

The school board members were told that the learning material in the textbooks would meet and exceed the state's requirements for science education in K-12 public schools.

Board member Mark Hawkes asked about the availability of electronic textbooks. Hawkes was inform that current science textbooks typically have an online version that classes can also access.

Knowlton said the high school students would have print textbooks in the classrooms and in their homes, they would go online to access their science texts.

Michelle Hojer, a first-grade teacher, told the board members that the first-graders would generally receive their classroom education from a large flip-chart that she would use in front of the entire class. In addition, the first-graders could also use an online version of their science studies.

Hojer said Madison K-2 grades would use the classroom flip-charts because students that young were still developing their individual reading skills.

©Madison Daily Leader 2010