This is a quick summary of research results from a recent clinical test of the effectiveness of the Maurice on the Moon text and curriculum.
The program was run as a 4-week summer school program with a mixed class of 6th-8th grade students at Santa Fe Middle School in Hemet California. The class was mixed male and female and ethnically diverse. Students in this class were middle class to poverty level. Approximately 25% of the students were English language learners, approximately 15% do not speak English in the home as their primary language. The students were given identical, standards-based pre and post test exams containing 40 experimental questions and 10 control questions. The experimental questions dealt with topics that were read about, discussed, taught, and investigated in classroom activities. The ten control questions were also standards-based questions about the Earth-Moon system, but these questions did not come up in the reading, classroom discussion, or classroom activities during the program. The results below clearly indicate the effectiveness of the program. The average number of correct responses on the experimental question set doubled, while the change on the number correct on the control question set was insignificant.
| Pre-test | Post-test | Δ# Correct | Δ% Correct | |
| Experimental Q's | 13 / 40 | 26.7 / 40 | +13.7 | +34.3% |
| Control Q's | 4.8 / 10 | 5.3 / 10 | +0.4 | +3.9% |
Students were also asked to rate the test for difficulty and their experience with the curriculum on a 1-10 scale. For the difficulty rating, students were asked to rate the test as a 5 if it corresponded in difficulty to an exam they had, or would expect in their regular science class. Each point above or below 5 was to indicate that the test was one year above or below their current level. A 7th grade student who rated the difficulty of the test at 8 would be indicating that the test was 3 grade levels above what he or she would expect during the regular school year.
For the experience rating, students were asked to evaluate how much of the material they had been exposed to during their regular science education. A rating of 5 would indicate that they had seen 50% of the test material before in a classroom situation. Students were cautioned to rate the test only on what they had been exposed to in class, not what percentage of the material they actually understood or had mastered.
| Pre-test Avg. | Post-test Avg.* | Δ Rating | |
| Difficulty Rating | 7.1 | 4.3 | - 2.8 grade levels |
| Experience Rating | 63% | 81% | + 18% |
*The reader will note that only 80% of the test material was presented to the students in the reading, class discussion, and classroom activities. The remaining 20% of the pre and post test material was control questions based on standards not covered in the program at all. The 81% average rating for "Experience" indicates that the students in the class were exposed to all of the experimental standards during the 4-week program. The 63% pretest experience rating indicates that the teachers at the Santa Fe Middle school were indeed conforming to national and California state science standards expectations for coverage of the material, however the 34% increase in correct responses also indicates that the Maurice on the Moon curriculum was substantially more effective that the standard classroom curriculum and methods currently employed by the faculty.
Students in the Summer Science research program were also given a survey on their attitudes and opinions regarding school, science and math classes, and their performance in those classes. Students were asked to respond on a 1-5 scale: 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Slightly Disagree, 3=Neutral or Don't Know, 4=Slightly Agree, 5=Strongly Agree. The survey summary below shows the change in the percentage of students who agreed, disagreed, or were neutral on each response when comparing the pre-program survey to the post program survey. Survey questions were divided into three categories, as seen below.
| Student Opinions of the Pedagogic Process | |
| 1. I enjoy going to school each day. | + 22.2% |
| 2. I like how science is taught in my class. | + 33.3% |
| 3. I like how math is taught in my class. | + 11.1% |
| 4. I enjoy using math to solve problems. | + 50.0% |
| 5. Math is easier to understand with real-life problems. | + 38.9% |
| 6. I like to read in class. | + 22.2% |
| Student Self-Opinions of Academic Skills | |
| 7. I am a good problem solver. | + 5.6% |
| 8. I can solve problems in more than one way. | - 5.6% |
| 9. I have mastered multiplication and division. | 0.0% |
| 10. I have mastered decimals and fractions. | - 5.6% |
| 11. I have a strong command of algebra. | + 22.2% |
| Student Opinions of Future Academic Success | |
| 12. I will have difficulty with math class next year. | - 5.6% |
| 13. I will have difficulty with science class next year. | - 22.2% |
Students were also asked to rate the effectiveness of the Maurice on the Moon curriculum with several survey questions given after the program was complete. Students were asked to agree or disagree on a 1-5 scale as above. The average score of the 1-5 scale rating and the percentage of students who answered with a "5" for "Strongly Agree" is shown below.
| Avg. Score |
% "5" | |
| 1. I enjoyed reading Maurice on the Moon | 4.3 / 5 | 61% |
| 2. I will do better reading books in English next year. | 4.0 / 5 | 11% |
| 3. My reading skills have improved this summer. | 4.2 / 5 | 22% |
| 4. My vocabulary has improved this summer. | 4.2 / 5 | 28% |
| 5. My math skills have improved this summer. | 4.0 / 5 | 28% |
| 6. My science skills have improved this summer. | 4.1 / 5 | 22% |
| 7. I would recommend this program to my friends. | 4.4 / 5 | 50% |