Does the phrase, "your homework assignment is to read chapters 5 through 8 in your science textbook" make you cringe?  Probably! What if you knew that other students helped to write it and make it more understandable? Well, that could be, as Nicole Lightfoot mentioned to me "more interesting and cool!". 

These Central Square middle school students helped to shape these brand new textbooks through their own interaction with science.  Mackenzie Sawyer bluntly told me that "I can be a little more creative with it, instead of just telling you what they are and being boring about it."  That allows these textbooks to gain popularity.  Jim Kuhl, a science teacher at Central Square middle school says that " it elevates the value of the textbook here that some of our own kids are actually in it."  It’s that type of connection that could really make a difference learning science here in central New York and, quite possibly, all over the world!  Jim Kuhl revealed to me that "it's a national textbook. It’ll be used across the United States, maybe even internationally. There are a number of English speaking schools overseas. So, the possibility of using it worldwide is very real."

Of the 20 blogs inside these nationwide textbooks, 7 of them were written by Central Square middle school students!  The teachers are impressed.  Maria Donahue, an English language arts teacher here, was beaming when she told me that she was "extremely proud. We are very proud of all of our students. They did a wonderful job." She also told me because the kids wrote in blog fashion that it helped to connect the students to the textbook because of the interactive way people communicate these days, with forums, blogs, twitter and texting that is common now.