Science

Elementary Science

In grades K through 5, the focus of science education centers on taking advantage of the natural enthusiasm and wonder elementary students have about their environment and providing instruction that connects to students’ developing literacy and numeracy skills.  Each year, students have a Physical Science unit, Biology unit, and Earth and Environmental Science unit.

All students come in with some conceptual framework of how and why things they observe occur. Science activities seek to engage, challenge, and refine students’ prior understanding through experiential learning that involves making first-hand observations and collaboratively and individually constructing explanations for easily observed phenomena.   The foundation for future learning is laid as students become familiar with using the science and engineering practices and organizing information into a conceptual framework using the fundamental crosscutting concepts (i.e. patterns - cause and effect - structure and function - scale, quantity, and proportion - systems and systems models - energy and matter - stability and change).

In Kindergarten through 4th grade, each elementary teacher teaches language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  In grade 5, as students prepare for middle school, there is one dedicated teacher specializing in science instruction at each school.

Middle School Science

In middle school, students continue to use the science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts that they have learned in elementary school, but the focus is on incorporating a more in-depth, detailed understanding of the core ideas they were exposed to in elementary school.  The curriculum centers on understanding the interactions and behavior of specific forces, types of particles, and biological and environmental structures so that students have a more sophisticated understanding of why and how observed phenomena occur.

In 6th grade, students take Physical Science.
In 7th grade, students take Biological Science.
In 8th grade, students take Earth Science.

High School Science

In high school, students continue to use the science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts that they have been using through elementary and middle school, and the focus is on incorporating an even more in-depth, detailed understanding of the interactions and interconnections between specific forces, atoms and molecules, cells, ecosystems and more into the conceptual framework of how the world works around them.  Connections between the physical sciences. biological sciences, and earth and environmental science become clearer as students improve in their ability to explain phenomena at varying temporal and spatial scales (e.g. individual/ lifespan vs. regional population/ multi-generational vs. global/ geologic; subatomic vs. atomic vs. macroscopic)

Students are challenged to be increasingly responsible for directing and reflecting upon their own learning.  Students may choose to pursue additional science courses beyond the required coursework based on their interest and long term goals.

Visit the Course Guide for Course Descriptions and Prerequisites

Visit the HS Course Guide for Course Descriptions and Prerequisites