Linn-Mar High School Receives $90,000 Grant to Explore OpenSciEd Curriculum
Linn-Mar High School science department is taking a deep dive into a new curriculum, OpenSciEd, thanks to a $90,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Education.
OpenSciEd is a free, open-source science curriculum designed to help students explore science through real-world questions and hands-on activities. It focuses on phenomena-based learning, where students actively investigate and problem-solve instead of just memorizing facts. Teachers guide students as they ask questions, design experiments, and develop their understanding of scientific concepts.
The grant was announced to districts and AEAs in mid-February. The school is using this funding to provide high school science teachers dedicated time to review and train on the curriculum. Teachers will receive this professional development throughout the spring and summer, including additional training in June, and will potentially pilot the curriculum during the 2025-2026 school year. If the pilot is successful, the full implementation of the curriculum will take place in the fall of 2026.
The structure of the grant allows teachers time to learn the materials in advance of piloting one or two units during the upcoming 2025–26 school year. “Our teachers are very excited about it,” said LMHS science teacher Melisssa Peckosh.
Teachers at the high school have shared positive feedback about the new OpenSciEd curriculum. “I’ve gotten positive feedback from the training,” JoEllen Middlekauff, LMHS instructional coach, noted. “Staff appreciate we’re giving them time to be trained and better understand the curriculum,” adding that the training also includes opportunities for teachers to review the materials.
“There is always a little hesitation and worry about shifting curriculum,” JoEllen Middlekauff, LMHS instructional coach, noted, “but I’ve gotten positive feedback from the training. They appreciate the grant has provided everyone with time to be trained and better understand the curriculum.”