Stealing Time for Science: A "One School, One Book" Adventure 📚🔬


After 19 years in education—navigating everything from the toothless smiles of kindergarten to the voice-cracking transitions of 8th grade—I’ve learned one universal truth: time is our most precious resource. As a principal, I’m a firm believer that we shouldn't just be lecturing; we should be coaching kids through authentic, real-world discovery. But in the crowded schedule of an elementary school day, Science often gets pushed to the back burner. That’s why my recent job-embedded project focused on one thing: "Stealing" time back for Science.

The Vision: From Presenters to Coaches

I used our school-wide "One School, One Book" (OSOB) event as a launchpad to integrate NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) concepts directly into our literacy blocks.

The goal was simple but ambitious: I wanted to see our teachers shift from "presenters" to "Science Coaches." I wanted to walk into a reading lesson and see students actively using Science and Engineering Practices to explore the themes of their books.

Finding My Allies 🤝

You can't launch a movement alone. I leaned heavily on my "system allies"—the OSOB committee and colleagues who are just as obsessed with 3D science instruction as I am.

Being part of this professional cohort shifted my mindset. I stopped thinking about how to "launch an initiative" and started thinking about buy-in. We mapped out our curriculum and community partners to ensure staff felt supported and collaborative, rather than feeling like we were just adding "one more thing" to their plates.

The Reality Check: Lessons from the Trenches 🧱

It wasn't all sunshine and science kits! I hit real roadblocks, from fluctuating staff participation to the ever-present "lack of time."

This experience was a vital reality check. It reminded me to check my own assumptions: just because a strategy works beautifully in one classroom doesn't mean it’s a "one-size-fits-all" fix. To truly succeed, I had to be more intentional and inclusive, meeting my teachers exactly where they were in their own professional journeys.

The Results: What the Kids (and Teachers) Said 📈

The feedback from our surveys was the best part of the journey. The integration was a massive win for:

  • Student Curiosity: Kids started making real-world connections between the stories they were reading and the science happening all around them.

  • Teacher Support: Staff loved the high engagement. They found that cross-curricular activities actually felt creative rather than like "extra work."

  • School Culture: It turned science into a shared, school-wide conversation.

The Next Step: Leveling Up 🚀

We aren’t stopping here! My next move is to provide more targeted professional development in science instruction. I want to give my team the tools they need to dive even deeper into this integration.

When we kick off "One School, One Book" next year, we won't just be reading together—we'll be discovering together. This journey has reinforced what I’ve always known: being a principal is the best job on Earth, especially when you get to watch a whole school "RISE UP" to a new challenge. 

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