The Chicago Academy of Sciences' curricula are based on the constructivist theory of instruction. Students approach each lesson using skills that they have gained from prior units or from experiences in their own lives. Scientific principles and concepts are introduced following exploration with hands-on activities and investigations.
Students build their confidence by exploring increasingly complex ideas on successive levels.
We believe that what students learn is influenced by what they already know about the world around them. Existing ideas regulate the connections they make to new information and concepts. Students must be given opportunities to process incoming information using the ideas that they have already formed for themselves. In-depth explanations of content do not help them learn. Our lessons follow a well-crafted constructivist outline, designed by CAoS Club staff and teachers.