Currently, the New York State Department of Education is working on reviewing and refining the 21st Century Science Standards. The New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District has always believed that the true way for students to learn and understand the scientific method is by “doing science.”
Each week, students in all classrooms learn about the process and content involved in scientific theory, conduct some experiments, and then once a week participate in a district-wide hands-on science lab period during which they conduct additional experiments under the guidance of the science lab teachers Lara Holzkamp and Joanne LaRocca. These teachers guide all grade level students to the understanding that science is not just words but true life inquiry and investigation.
Our science committee, under the leadership of Principal Karen Olynk, has designed inquiry study kits that align to these standards, and prepare our students with the hands-on knowledge necessary to remember scientific principles for their lifetime. All of our students and staff have a deep respect for the scientific method and have retained their knowledge from class and lab lessons which is demonstrated by a 98 percent proficiency result on the New York State multiple choice and hands-on science examination administered to fourth-graders across our entire state each year. The focus in the coming year will be to examine the use of non-fiction science content texts to support the teaching of English Language Arts skills.
The most critical skill that we embed into our students is that all scientific learning is a process and not just an event and that inquiry and investigation are lifelong skills.
