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Wakefield committee backs multi-year shift to phenomena-based science curriculum
Summary
Wakefield Public Schools leaders described a multi-year plan to move middle- and high-school science instruction toward phenomena-driven units, field-tested options and teacher-designed materials; implementation will begin with at least one new unit next school year and a three-year rollout is expected.
Wakefield Public Schools officials on Feb. 11 outlined plans to shift 5th–12th grade science instruction toward a phenomena‑based model aligned to Massachusetts standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.
Joanne Marks, the district’s 5–12 science curriculum coordinator, told the School Committee the district began a multi-year review in 2023 and has field-tested multiple curricular options. "We started in spring of 2023. We had family surveys. We looked at a lot of data," Marks said, summarizing the work to date.
District staff said the change emphasizes students investigating real-world phenomena, using models and evidence, and integrating scientific practices with disciplinary content rather than teaching content in isolation. John Hanren, identified in the presentation as the Wakefield High School department…
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