Mr. Cord Carter believes science class should spark curiosity and build confidence, especially during middle school, where students are still eager to learn. At the Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA), a single-gender, college-prep public school in San Antonio, Texas, he’s leading the way as Science Department Chair and Teacher. 

Labster’s Senior Science Educator, Charlotte Hamblet, shared: "While our simulations were never originally intended for middle school education, the opportunity to partner with YMLA has revealed just how capable and curious these young learners are. With strong teacher support, scaffolded guidance, and the highly interactive nature of our virtual labs, we are confident these students can successfully engage with science concepts in ways that are both age-appropriate and inspiring." 

The students at YMLA are a diverse group with varied academic histories. Some have special education needs, others are advanced learners, and many come from underserved communities.

Labster’s flexible, accessible format, he hopes, will level the playing field.

Having used Labster at Fisk University, where he served as Chemistry Lab Manager and adjunct faculty member, he recognized the power of Labster for learners. He sought to bring virtual labs to YMLA to close learning gaps and equip students for success.

Mr. Carter is now piloting Labster across grades 6–8 as part of a grant-funded initiative designed to prepare students to do well on the 8th-grade exam and, of course, spark a love for science that he hopes they’ll carry with them far beyond middle school. 

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Key takeaways: 

• With his Labster experience as a foundation, Mr. Carter is excited to pilot a program that truly supports middle school students in closing learning gaps.
• Labster’s data tools help him understand students’ struggles and celebrate their progress, helping him guide them every step of the way.
• Mr. Carter sees the natural curiosity in his middle school students and is passionate about turning that spark into a lifelong love of science.

Mentorship that Sparked the Path

Initially, Mr. Carter planned to continue teaching high school science after his first year at YMLA. However, a chance encounter with a bright and eager middle schooler changed his trajectory.

“One of the seventh-grade students was getting bored. They had six teachers over the course of a year. He came to me and said, ‘Can I learn from you?’ I started teaching him biology and chemistry, and he was going to transfer out. But when I took over the middle school science classes, he told me he was staying at YMLA just to keep learning.”

Mr. Carter accepted a role teaching middle school because he was inspired by students' curiosity and felt it was a place where he could truly make an impact, shaping young minds.

“Middle school is where identity and confidence are formed. It’s the most crucial time to show students they can succeed in STEM.” 

A Grant-Funded Pilot to Close Gaps (and Open Doors)

Mr. Carter secured a San Antonio ISD Foundation “Bright Ideas” grant to bring Labster’s immersive science simulations into his classroom. His goals:

• Prepare 8th graders for the STAAR Science test, which measures mastery of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
• Build strong science skills starting as early as 6th grade
• Bridge the gaps caused by inconsistent learning in earlier grades
• Offer fun, hands-on virtual labs that won’t break the budget

“If this works (and I believe it will), we’ll present it to the district. It’s been my experience that Labster allows us to meet students where they are, help them succeed, and ultimately save money.”

A Strong Start with Physics and Beyond

Mr. Carter is beginning with physics to help students build a strong foundation in scientific vocabulary, literacy, and critical thinking skills that will carry them through their scientific journey.

“A lot of students struggle in biology because they don’t have the language or background yet. Physics can help build those muscles first. Then, I want them to learn Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Science. We plan on using virtual labs from Labster across each.”

Teaching Model Built on the 5Es

Mr. Carter is planning on integrating Labster into a five-day instructional model using the 5E framework:

• Engage: Spark curiosity with a phenomenon and essential question
• Explore: Use Labster to dive into the topic hands-on
• Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate: Build, expand, and assess understanding

He’ll kick off each week with a CER (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) prompt, then revisit it on Fridays after students have learned through Labster and group discussion to see how their thinking has evolved—and to assess whether the learning has taken hold. 

Data-Driven, Student-Led Learning

Student performance data is a significant part of his strategy, and Labster’s built-in dashboard and quiz questions will provide the insights Mr. Carter will use to understand how his students are truly performing.

“Labster does a great job bringing what students learn in the simulation into real-time. That's why I chose it over free simulations from other sources. Those options don’t provide data. Students just press buttons, and that’s it. With Labster, I get real data to see exactly where they’re struggling, so I can pinpoint and support them directly.”

A Vision for the Future

Mr. Carter hopes the pilot will show measurable gains in STAAR performance. His long-term vision is to expand Labster use across middle and high school science classes in SAISD.

And it’s not just about grades; it is about building future scientists.

“My students want to learn. They’re curious. If we nurture that now, they’ll enter high school ready and confident. Labster can help with that.”

Mr. Carter plans to analyze pre- and post-pilot data to evaluate the impact, and we’re excited to follow along as he continues to empower young scientists by building a model for what’s possible in middle school STEM education.