The Science of Atoms and Molecules (SAM) project creates 24 activities that span three years of a Physics First high school science curriculum. The activities cover four general themes: motion and energy, charge, structure, and light. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which exposure to SAM activities in one year influences performance on SAM activities in a subsequent year and the extent to which students can recall concepts from SAM activities from prior years and apply them to new activities in a different discipline. The study also examines the adequacy of present teacher professional development of teachers in the use of SAM activities. The data from over 300 students who have engaged in SAM units in prior years and are now studying biology are collected electronically and through interviews with a random selection of 20 students and some teachers. The data are analyzed accounting for student and teacher prior experience with SAM activities and students' prior assessments. Positive results would provide evidence for the how to use computer modeling to teach important science concepts that can be built on in subsequent courses.
