In an ideal world, curricula would be designed in response to the developmental needs of learners, but this may not be the reality of the current situation. States have a variety of standards, and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for student performance on tests that are intended to align with these standards. As a result, student learning capacities often get lost in the shuffle. Fortunately, professional educators can deliver developmentally appropriate instruction within the context of the state mandated curriculum. Designing learning opportunities in which students get to act as scientists encourages them to actively participate in a variety of learning experiences, interact with their peers while learning, and make decisions about relevant topics that are applicable to the world in which they live. All of these facets of the learning environment are naturally aligned with the characteristics of middle school students and, as a result, promote increased motivation and more meaningful learning. By implementing such an approach in classrooms, educators may be better able to keep students' characteristics and needs at the forefront of their thinking, no matter how busy or standards-based the year becomes. Thus, teachers can feel confident in their capacity to perform a much-needed balancing act: one that does not lose sight of the characteristics of the middle school student no matter what standards states impose. (Contains 1 figure.)