Scientific and technological literacy for an educated society

“Beyond the concern of employability looms the larger question of what it takes to thrive in today’s society. Citizens now face problems from pandemics to energy shortages whose solutions require all the scientific and technological genius we can muster. Americans are being forced to increasingly make decisions—including on health care and retirement planning—where literacy in science and mathematics is a real advantage.”                 - http://nextgenscience.org

Franklin Lakes Public Schools Science Mission

The Franklin Lakes Public Schools’ Next Generation Science Standards/ NJSLS-aligned Science programming provides students with authentic experiences that foster wonder and curiosity, and empower them to develop an appreciation for - and wider understanding of - our world. Through guided inquiry, hands-on investigations, and integrated STEM learning, teachers facilitate the acquisition of scientific & engineering practices, skills, concepts, and content necessary to make evidence-based decisions and solve real world problems. It is our mission to develop students’ scientific literacy, 21st century skill sets, and readiness for college and careers, by providing them with opportunities to perform the work of scientists through investigation, data collection and analysis, and the construction of explanations and arguments that are grounded in evidence, while also advancing appreciation, joy, excitement, and intellectual awareness of the natural and human-made environment.

Students will:

• Become lifelong learners and productive citizens in a dynamic, global society.
• Acquire understanding of and make connections between scientific phenomena across the four domains: life, physical, earth & space, and engineering design to develop a coherent and scientifically-based view of the world around them.
• Engage in scientific & engineering practices that build, deepen, and apply their knowledge.
• Utilize technology as a means to enhance and extend applications of science.
• Utilize inquiry to build upon understanding of core ideas within and across the four domains as they progress through coherent courses of study.
• Develop a respect for evidence by inquiring, observing, collecting, interpreting and analyzing data in order to answer scientific questions.
• Demonstrate learning through a wide range of experiences and varied assessment strategies.
• Recognize the varied perspectives, both objective and subjective, on scientific topics, choices and decisions within society.
• Develop the scientific knowledge base necessary to support awareness, informed decision-making, and problem-solving that advances sustainability efforts for the environment and world.

For more information on this exciting new curriculum, please see the presentation shared with the Board of Education here.

Updated October 2021