A new free elementary science curriculum now available nationwide could reshape how young students learn science — and a Michigan State University professor helped lead its development.
Amelia Wenk Gotwals, a professor in MSU’s College of Education, played a central role in developing OpenSciEd, an open-access K–5 science curriculum aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, or NGSS, as well as key components of Common Core math and English language arts standards. The materials are now freely available to educators across the United States and globally.
Gotwals co-led development of all K–2 materials with Tanya Wright, former MSU professor, and served as head of assessment for the full K–5 curriculum, leading the design of tools to help teachers evaluate student learning.
“This work was always about supporting teachers and students in real classrooms,” Gotwals said. “We wanted to create materials that reflect how students actually learn and not treat science, literacy and math as separate silos.”
The effort was supported by an $8 million grant from multiple foundations, with approximately $1.8 million awarded to MSU. Gotwals served as principal investigator for the university’s portion of the project.
Before its national launch in spring 2026, the curriculum was piloted by more than 900 teachers across nine states, including Michigan. All units were externally reviewed by the National Science Teaching Association and earned the NGSS Design Badge, recognizing them as top-rated instructional materials aligned with national science standards.
A foundation built over a decade
The work builds on more than a decade of research and collaboration. Gotwals’ efforts trace back to the 2013 rollout of NGSS, when she and Wright identified natural overlaps between science learning and literacy development.
“Students are reading, writing, speaking and listening as part of doing science,” Gotwals said. “We saw an opportunity to support teachers with materials that bring those pieces together.”
That idea led to the creation of SOLID Start — Science, Oral Language and Literacy Development from the Start of School — a K–2 program first piloted in a Michigan school district in 2014.
Developed alongside educators and tested in classrooms, SOLID Start provided a foundation for the broader OpenSciEd effort. The program, which includes curriculum materials, tools and professional learning resources, remains freely available online.
“We don’t want materials that only work in ideal situations,” Gotwals said. “We want something that works in real classrooms.”
Expanding access to science education
The new elementary curriculum builds on earlier OpenSciEd materials developed for middle and high school students. Gotwals contributed to those earlier efforts as well, helping design assessment systems during the initiative’s early phases. But her leadership is most evident in the K–5 materials, developed since 2022 through close collaboration with teachers nationwide.
“We worked with educators across the country to understand what teaching looks like in different contexts — from Michigan to Louisiana to Washington,” Gotwals said. “Teachers were our collaborators. Their insights shaped everything.”
By making the curriculum freely available, the initiative aims to expand access to high-quality science instruction, particularly for districts with limited resources.
“OpenSciEd provides teachers with materials they may not otherwise have access to,” Gotwals said. “When districts don’t have to spend on curriculum, they can invest in professional learning and other supports that help teachers implement these materials effectively.”
Ultimately, Gotwals hopes the curriculum will help students build stronger connections to science from an early age.
“When teachers feel confident using these materials, it changes how science is taught,” she said. “And that can change how students see themselves as learners and thinkers.”
