Classroom Context: Importance of Science in Daily Life

As part of the 2009 science assessment, teachers of fourth- and eighth-graders were asked how much emphasis they place on the importance of science in students' daily lives. The full text of the question, percentage of students whose teachers responded in each category, and scale scores of students for each response category are below.

To what extent do you emphasize each of the following objectives in teaching science to your fourth-grade class:

—Increase awareness of the importance of science in daily life.

A. Not at all
B. Small extent
C. Moderate extent
D. Large extent

Grade 4

Grade 8

Percentage of Students

Average Scores

Fourth-graders whose teachers emphasized the importance of science in daily life to a moderate extent (151) or to a large extent (152) scored higher than those whose teachers placed less emphasis on its importance (142 and 147).

NOTE: The NAEP science scale ranges from 0 to 300. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant. See complete data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 Science Assessment.

Browse questionnaires for the NAEP assessments.