The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District is embarking on a significant overhaul of its science curriculum, district officials revealed during a Board of Education work session on November 21. The meeting, which focused on math and science instruction, highlighted a shift at the Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School (PVC) away from rote memorization and toward "three-dimensional learning"—a method designed to mirror how real scientists and engineers solve problems. "The next dimension in 3D learning is science and engineering practices," a district administrator explained during the presentation. "K-12 science is all about teaching and building on these eight ways that scientists think and work... this is how real scientists figure things out." {{quote:560}} The presentation came after a year-long internal review where the district analyzed its current scope and sequence. According to the administration, the review revealed a significant imbalance in how science was taught, particularly regarding the 8th-grade Regents exam in Living Environment. "Thirty-eight percent of middle school science instruction from grades 5 through 8 [was] devoted to preparing students for one Regents exam," the administrator noted. "That represents that 38% of middle school science instruction from grades 5th through 8 are devoted to preparing students for one Regents exam." {{quote:890}} Under the old model, subjects like Earth and space science were heavily covered in sixth grade but never revisited, while the latter half of seventh grade was dedicated almost entirely to building foundational knowledge for the eighth-grade test. To address this, the district is implementing a "phenomena-based" approach. Instead of learning isolated facts, students will investigate real-world events or problems to spark learning. "For example, last year I worked with fourth graders who were amazed by the solar eclipse, a breathtaking real world phenomenon," an administrator said. "These kids would really benefit—actually deserve—having a science curriculum that keeps building on that curiosity and interest every single year of the middle school." {{quote:680}} The new curriculum emphasizes three pillars: disciplinary core ideas (the content), science and engineering practices (the skills), and crosscutting concepts (the connections between disciplines). During the meeting, PVC teachers Michael Plotno and M. Gallagher demonstrated the difference between the old and new methods. In a traditional setting, a teacher might give students a problem and ask them to plan an experiment. Under the new model, students are encouraged to ask the questions themselves. "Which class would you rather be in: one in which you're encouraged to ask questions, experiment, build your own models, or one where you're asked to remember [many] dozens of terms?" a teacher asked the board. "That's where we are, that's what we're redesigning." {{quote:1100}} The goal is to produce students who are not just knowledgeable but capable of critical thinking and problem-solving. "If you think about what these skills help our students to become... it's exactly what Croton-Harmon has always valued: real world problem solving, critical thinking and innovation," the presentation stated. {{quote:580}} The changes align with the New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS), which the district noted are a perfect match for its "Vision Map" and the Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendations. The board also briefly congratulated the cast and crew of the high school's production of *High School Musical* before diving into the curriculum work. No votes were taken during the work session, as the meeting was intended for information and discussion.