Working With Gifted Science Students in a Public High School Environment: One School's Approach

Abstract

The Chemistry/Physics Program at Evanston Township High School was designed to provide an environment for the rigorous teaching of advanced science and mathematics to accelerated students. This type of student makes up the bulk of students in the Advanced Placement Chemistry and Physics classes. However, there is a small number of students who master class materials quickly and easily and display unusual scientific insight. We consider these students to be gifted, and it is this group on whom we have reported in this article. We discuss various options we have utilized to keep students in the Chemistry/Physics Program highly motivated and challenged.