How Does a Science Class Work at CGA?

As an online school, we understand the challenges of delivering practical science classes to a diverse cohort of students spread across different locations. However, through innovative approaches such as simulations, videos, flipped learning, practical workshops, and home-based experiments, we have developed a dynamic and engaging science curriculum that enables our students to thrive.

As we head into 2026, the CGA science faculty continues to expand hands-on learning opportunities across grade levels, giving students more ways to connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications at home and in their communities.

We spoke with Jennifer Nakamoto, Head of Science Department USA, about CGA’s approach to science:

Science education at CGA is about thinking critically and learning by doing. Even in an online setting, we strive to create opportunities for students to ask questions, test ideas, and reflect on results. These skills are essential not only for exams but for becoming curious, capable thinkers in the world.

Simulations and Videos for Practical Work

At Crimson Global Academy (CGA), our students come from diverse backgrounds and are spread around the world. To ensure that all students have access to high-quality science education, we use simulations and videos as a key component of our science classes. This allows students to engage with practical concepts and learn in a virtual environment, even if they are not physically present in a traditional classroom.

The learning experience they get online, you can just get through so much work, in so much detail because you haven’t got the distractions of a normal physical classroom. So they’re ahead in terms of their learning to where they would normally be. - Nick Salmon, CGA Science Teacher.

Flipped Learning with Edpuzzle

In the US Diploma Pathway, teachers may use Edpuzzle videos as a supplemental resource. Students watch recorded content and answer related questions outside of class time. This flipped learning model allows class time to be used more effectively for deeper discussion, review of complex concepts, and preparation for assessments.

While not a primary instructional tool, Edpuzzle provides an alternate way for students to engage with challenging content and reinforce their understanding.

Microscale Experiments at Home

At-home science projects and labs are an integral part of the CGA US Diploma science program. While students engage with virtual labs using platforms like PhET, Gizmos, and pre-recorded lab data, they are also encouraged to conduct hands-on experiments using everyday materials.

One of our US Diploma science teachers requires students to design and carry out their own home-based experiments. Through this process, students strengthen essential skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and observation. These projects foster independence and creativity while offering meaningful, real-world applications of scientific concepts.

Recent student projects have ranged from testing water quality at a lake in Austin, Texas, to determine the effects of human activity, to measuring percolation rates of different soil types. Another student explored the efficiency of various binding agents in baking, applying both experimental design and data analysis in a kitchen setting.

Our junior high science teachers also integrate practical tasks that require students to film themselves demonstrating scientific principles. In one assignment, students created their own Rube Goldberg machines, incorporating at least five simple machines to complete a task.

In another, students applied Newton’s Three Laws of Motion through guided demonstrations. Across all classes, a popular experiment involved cleaning pennies with different solutions to determine which agent was most effective—reinforcing the steps of the scientific method.

Ready to Learn Science Differently?

While CGA is an online school, we remain deeply committed to hands-on learning and ensuring students understand the importance of lab safety in all environments. These home-based experiments help bridge the gap between virtual and physical learning, and we continue to refine and expand these opportunities based on student outcomes.

As we look ahead, we’re excited about the growing body of work coming out of these student-led investigations. The insights they generate may well reshape how practical science is taught online.

Join a global classroom where science goes beyond the screen. At CGA, students don’t just learn about the world, they experiment with it. Speak to our Academic Advisors today to learn more.