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 eighth-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

Eighth-graders whose teachers reported emphasizing science in daily life—whether to a small (151), moderate (151), or large (151) extent—had higher scores than students whose teachers reported that they did not emphasize it at all (134).

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.