Science Is the Subject We Can't Afford to Skip
Ask most school leaders what they cut when reading and math scores dip, and you'll often hear the same answer: science. But what if that trade-off is making things worse? Research consistently shows that strong science instruction doesn't compete with literacy and math — it drives them.
1. Language and literacy underpin science
Science demands more from readers than almost any other subject. Students must decode complex informational texts, interpret graphs and data tables, and construct written arguments — all in a single class period. Students who struggle to read are often unable to access science content at all; they can't parse lab instructions, textbooks, or assessment questions.
This is one reason science scores and reading scores correlate so strongly at the school level. The two skills are deeply intertwined — and teaching one without the other leaves gaps.
2. Math is the language of science
Data analysis, measurement, probability, graphing, and modeling are all embedded in everyday science practice. Students who lack number sense or algebraic reasoning hit a wall in middle and high school science — particularly in physics and chemistry — where quantitative reasoning is unavoidable.
But the relationship works both ways. Science gives math a context and purpose that motivates students and deepens understanding. A student who struggles to care about slope finally sees its meaning when graphing the speed of a falling object.
3. Science builds shared cognitive skills
Science, reading, and math all develop the same core thinking abilities:
- Reasoning from evidence
- Pattern recognition
- Logical argumentation
- Working with abstract representations
Strong instruction in any one of these disciplines tends to reinforce the others. A classroom that practices evidence-based reasoning in science is also training students to write stronger essays and solve more complex math problems.
4. Science can actually boost reading comprehension
Research from the "content knowledge" camp — most notably associated with education researcher E.D. Hirsch — suggests that rich science content in early grades builds the background knowledge children need to comprehend complex texts later on.
A child who understands photosynthesis finds it far easier to read a passage about ecosystems in 4th grade. A student who has studied weather systems brings real context to a nonfiction article about climate. Background knowledge is a reading skill — and science is one of the most efficient ways to build it.
This is exactly why cutting science time in early elementary to make room for more reading drill so often backfires: it starves the very background knowledge that later reading comprehension depends on.
5. Deprioritizing science is a false economy
Under ESSA, science accountability has received less attention than reading and math — and many schools have responded by shrinking science instructional time. But advocates increasingly argue this is short-sighted: improving science instruction may be one of the most effective levers for improving reading and math outcomes over time, not a trade-off against them.
Science is not a luxury subject. It is the engine that powers the cognitive skills every other subject depends on.
Quick-win ideas for keeping science strong
- Integrate CER (Claim–Evidence–Reasoning) writing into science lessons to reinforce literacy simultaneously.
- Use data-rich science activities to give math skills a real-world context.
- Prioritize content-rich science topics in early elementary to build background knowledge for later reading.
- Advocate for science instructional time — protect it even when schedules are tight.
Don't cut the cornerstone
Science success isn't separate from reading and math success — it's foundational to it. When students learn to reason, question, and explain through science, they become stronger learners across every subject.
Ready to make science a cornerstone of your students' academic growth?
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