New science curriculum approved for Waltham middle schools

By LEA ZAHARONI

The School Committee approved Assistant Superintendent Shannon Conley’s proposed new curriculum for middle school science classes, which will align more closely with Next Generation Science Standards guidelines. 

After a multiyear inclusive effort in collaboration with the MA Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education and IMplementMA, Conley and the science teachers at Waltham’s public middle schools have chosen the OpenSciEd curriculum as their new foundation. 

Both McDevitt and Kennedy Middle Schools will adopt the curriculum gradually over a three-year phased rollout. OpenSciEd focuses on “phenomena-based” learning rather than rote memorization. It utilizes open educational resources and has teachers act as facilitators as students explore new concepts. 

Previously, the two middle schools had used a combination of legacy and supplemental resources which didn’t align with NGSS guidelines. Continuity between grade levels was also a concern. With the district’s subscription to STEMscopes, another set of online science and math curricula, coming to an end this spring, the opportunity for redirection presented itself. 

OpenSciEd curriculum will launch in middle schools this spring and the implementation phase will begin in the fall. Teachers will have three years before they’re responsible for all six units of an annual OpenSciEd program. Conley elaborated on the extended rollout period, telling the committee, “We want teachers to hone their skills rather than move at a rapid pace. We also want students really understanding the why and the how and not just those immediate facts.” 

Conley credited the science teachers of McDevitt and Kennedy, especially Matthew Burns, for their focused efforts in the search for a new curriculum. OpenSciEd is praised for its use of storylines, and has been partnered with Massachusetts since 2018 and field tested in more than  250 K-12 schools.