September 4, 2007 

Dear North Andover Elementary Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

Welcome back to school!  The purpose of this letter is to introduce you to updates in the Elementary Science Curriculum.  During the past year, we developed a comprehensive and detailed Elementary Science Curriculum to help guide teachers in science instruction.

Some features of the new curriculum are:

• Massachusetts Curriculum Framework Connections
  Every item in the Frameworks has now been mapped to a grade level.  This will ensure that all students are exposed to each and every concept and skill during the course of their elementary years and be prepared for standards-based instruction.
  
• Focus on Four Content Areas
  The four content areas of science are represented in the curriculum.  These are Life Sciences, Earth Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering and Technology.
  
• Essential Questions
  Each unit is governed by one or two overarching essential questions.  Every activity in the unit will help the students answer these questions and should be revisited several times during the unit.
  
• Inquiry Approach
  Materials have been purchased to ensure that students are exposed to in-depth content and a chance to continually practice science process skills.  This hands-on, minds-on approach is advocated in both the Massachusetts Science Curriculum Frameworks, as well as the National Science Education Standards.

Materials Implementation

Teachers will be teaching all four content areas in the Massachusetts Frameworks and will be gradually implementing new materials with which to teach these topics.  This year's focus is Physical Sciences.  The teachers will receive training during the first term and the Physical Science units will be introduced in the second term.  The units to be introduced this year are:

We are excited about these changes and look forward to implementing a more comprehensive science curriculum in North Andover.

Sincerely,

THE NORTH ANDOVER ELEMENTARY SCIENCE COMMITTEE