North Penn SD curriculum team previews new Pennsylvania science standards, emphasizes phenomenon-based learning

The North Penn School District curriculum department briefed the ECI committee on the state'adopted Pennsylvania science standards and how the district will align instruction ahead of the July 1, 2025, implementation date.

Donna Doan and Dr. Sean Arnie, curriculum department presenters, told the committee the standards (described in the presentation as the "steel standards," and modeled on the Next Generation Science Standards) shift classroom practice from memorization to sense-making, embed environmental literacy and sustainability, and add engineering and cross-cutting concepts across grade levels. "The steel standards which, science, technology, engineering, environmental literacy, and sustainability are Pennsylvania's new science standards which will be going into effect, 07/01/2025," Dr. Arnie said.

The new approach emphasizes phenomenon-based learning: lessons begin with observable events or problems that students investigate and explain over multiple lessons and grades. Doan said the district can continue to use its existing FOSS kits as the core curriculum and will supplement them with Mystery Science and Generation Genius to add engineering lessons and faster, video-based phenomena presentation.

Committee members pressed for details on elementary scheduling and resource impacts. Member Michael Fusco asked how often elementary teachers deliver science and whether hands-on investigations fit into class time; Doan answered that kindergarten typically has 30 minutes for science/social studies/SEL, grades 1'— about 40 minutes, and grades 5'— (departmentalized) around 75 minutes per day, and that teachers typically teach science about 40 percent of the year. Doan said each elementary grade uses three FOSS modules (one life, one physical, one earth and space), and the district is supplementing with online materials to reduce setup/tear-down time for hands-on investigations.

When asked about cost, Dr. Arnie said the district did not need to buy a full new core because FOSS aligns with NGSS and supplements are relatively inexpensive: "we do not have to, spend a significant amount of money," he said, adding that over time the district expects some savings by using existing kits with online supplements.

The presenters credited a K'—2 science committee of more than 25 teachers who participated in six full-day professional learning sessions led by the Da Vinci Center. Doan said a Mystery Science training session for staff was scheduled for May 20 and that professional development would continue into next year as teachers shift practices.

At the end of the meeting, public commenter Jason Lanier of Lansdale criticized language in the district vision and the standards, saying the wording conflated "equitable" and "equal" opportunity and warning the shift might prioritize social goals over content mastery. Lanier said, "it's like you talk about education going to being for something of scientific interest to finally in the future being about student advocacy and justice." Committee members and administrators responded that equity in schools refers to providing appropriate supports so students with differing needs can access the curriculum.

Next steps identified in the presentation included continued professional development (May 20 and ongoing), piloting Mystery Science this year, and a phased rollout aligned to the July 1, 2025, state effective date.