North Valley Science
About Our Classroom
"Science is more than a body of knowledge. It is a way of thinking; a way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility "
--Carl Sagan
In the North Valley Science classroom, our mission is to collectively learn and explore our ability to think and reason with unfamiliar ideas. Questions are often more valuable than answers, and there is no limit to what may be discovered. For these reasons, our classroom is designed to support student inquiry, hands-on exploration, and collaborative discovery. Students design much of their own instruction: asking meaningful and testable questions, then carrying out experiments to investigate for themselves. We have found answers to questions like "Which elements are most reactive with hydrochloric acid?", "Which beverages are the most acidic?", and "How does the density of corn syrup change as it freezes?" And with answers to these questions, we have a taste for discovery, which galvanizes our curiosity and generates thousands more questions. Questions that we are well equipped to chase until they tire out and give up their answers, only to find more questions to follow.
Our Teacher
My name is Justin Cochran. I graduated with an English degree from Michigan State University and moved to Denver to earn a Master's in education for culturally and linguistically diverse populations. During the transition from Lansing to Denver, I also transitioned from English to Science. My passion for teaching is driven by a desire to share my love for learning and discovering new ideas with my students. In this way, I shy away from a traditional 'teacher-student' classroom dynamic and choose instead to lead class as a fellow scientist. Nobody has all of the answers, but everybody can learn how to engage in the scientific method, create new knowledge, and generate their own answers. My primary focus in teaching is the cultivation of this way of thinking--methodical, precise, measured, and inspired by curiosity.
Our Students
North Valley is an exciting opportunity for students that have struggled and are ready to take ownership over their education. Our students take this opportunity to grow and develop skills that will support them long after graduation. I learn from these students every day, and I am constantly amazed by the thoughtfulness, compassion, and charisma that they bring to our school.