Space Grant Consortium - University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

But the study also reported a consistent achievement gap: a 20-point gap between students of
color and their white counterparts. The report also recognized significant gains in school
districts that increased their reliance on writing across the curriculum strategies.
This is exactly what we do at the Simpson Street Free Press. All Free Press lesson plans are
constructed around our core, writing across the curriculum philosophy. Through writing-based
lesson plans our students explore core subject areas, polish practical skills, and engage in
community service. And, perhaps most importantly, they engage their community. Through
writing our students learn to think critically, act decisively, work efficiently and work as a team.
Through writing our students gain critical academic self-confidence. We conduct trimester
student evaluations and track report cards to monitor each student’s progress. Our success rate is
consistently high. These nationally recognized best practices effectively bridge the achievement
gap and as a result, 90% of our students increase their core GPA within two semesters and 92%
of our program graduates have gone on to college. Quite simply, our lesson plans focus on basic
academic skills: writing, reading, using technology, and conducting core curriculum research.
3) A Focus on Core Science Curriculum
The work our students produce is widely read and very popular. Our student reporters produce
thoughtful, well-researched articles on topics ranging from ancient civilizations to the latest
NASA missions; from plate tectonics and climate change, to Wisconsin’s changing economy.
This sort of coverage draws young readers into academic subjects in new and interesting ways.
Simpson Street Free Press student writers explore and discover the fascinating world of science
through a series of writing-based lesson plans. Working with our professional teaching staff, our
students (and their readers) learn to think critically about a range of science-related topics. Using
current research and local professionals as resources, these young science reporters explore our
environment, our planet, our solar system, and the fascinating field of science.
In turn, young readers of the Simpson Street Free Press embark on explorations of their own.
Simpson Street Free Press science coverage is designed to complement the Madison
Metropolitan School District’s school curriculum. Science-focused curriculum guides, produced
by our teaching staff, complement each publication of the Simpson Street Free Press and
facilitate its use as a classroom teaching tool. Our students make regular community and media
appearances, reading samples of their science writing work. Their work is also regularly
published in The Capital Times, Wisconsin State Journal, and other area newspapers.
4) Expanding our Message and Vision
With print circulation at 23,000, the Simpson Street Free Press now prints more pages, more
often, and reaches more young readers than ever before with powerful messages of academic
achievement and healthy life choices. In an effort to include more students, the Simpson Street
Free Press is expanding. We are working to expand our current newsroom facility as well as
launch an entirely new online publication.
New online publications will allow us to include more students in our programs and reach
thousands of additional young readers with stories that engage and educate. Expanding our
menu of programs and lesson plans is an investment in proven strategies. Planning is already
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