Normal Park Museum Magnet School

Schools That Work

Normal Park Museum Magnet School

Public, Urban

Grades K-8

Chattanooga, TN

OUTCOMES

Since becoming a museum magnet school, Normal Park has been awarded the Magnet School of America Excellence Award and the J.F. Kennedy School of Distinction in Arts Education.

Normal Park consistently outperforms the state on standardized tests in math, reading and science. Attendance is higher and suspensions are lower than the state average.

Integrated Studies
Learning Beyond the Classroom Walls
By integrating visits to local museums and community organizations into the school day, students experience real-world connections to the curriculum.
Integrated Studies
A Tool for Documenting Understanding
Travel journals—a mix of notebook and portfolio—allow students to chart and take ownership of their learning.
Integrated Studies
Travel Journals: Student-Created Textbooks
Each student at Normal Park Museum Magnet School creates a unique “travel journal” to explore the themes of science and social studies units.
Assessment
Using Exhibits as Assessment
Students at Normal Park Museum Magnet School create various types of museum-style exhibits to demonstrate their understanding of academic topics.
Assessment
Creating Academic Exhibits
A museum magnet school uses student-created interdisciplinary exhibits to assess learning.
Community Partnerships
Learning Expeditions: Rethinking Field Trips
For Normal Park students, the entire community of Chattanooga, Tennessee -- from museums and cultural centers to local businesses and natural areas -- provides opportunities to make real-world connections to curriculum.
Community Partnerships
Learning on the Go
Frequent, focused field trips that connect to the curriculum show students how learning continues outside of the classroom.