Science
Our Science program and approach
Science instruction is aligned to the 2016 Massachusetts Science and Technology, Engineering Frameworks. We are continually exploring instructional approaches and resource enhancement. This process is necessarily ongoing because inquiry-based learning is dynamic by nature. Writing and literacy are a critical part of science instruction and students have diverse resources to support reading and writing as it applies to science. State-of-the-art microscopes allow students to see beyond images only previously viewed in texts and highly-engaging books bring learning alive as students connect stories to technical concepts.
During the 2019-2020 school year, our Science mapping will be updated to reflect the changes at the 7-12 level and especially within AP course offerings.
Curriculum
Listed below are the current science curriculum maps that guide instruction across the grades/units. The 2016 Massachusetts Science and Technology, Engineering Frameworks are based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Unit Plans
To support teachers in developing unit and lesson plans aligned to the new standards, the grades K-5 Teach to Learn project developed model units at each grade level. The units have been taught by a group of Teach to Learn teachers and their college student fellows from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Williams College. Changes are made each year with respect to materials used, links to online resources, and student experiences.
Grades 7-12 teach the Frameworks supported by text resources as well as online units. Grades 7 and 8 engage with Project Lead the Way (PLTW) in addition to their other resources. As their website explains, PLTW provides an "engaging, hands-on classroom environment and empowers students to develop in-demand knowledge and skills they need to thrive." North Adams Public Schools students take Energy and the Environment, Medical Detectives, and App Creator in addition to their other science/technology/ engineering standards.