"The important thing is to never stop questioning." Albert Einstein


Science, sprouting from the root word “scientia,” which means knowledge, offers facts that explain the world around us. With a challenging and versatile curriculum our students are faced with facts, skills and concepts that intrigue and make students wonder “why?”Science Webpage

The science curriculum from KG-Grade 5 will be based on a set of standards provided by NGSS or the Next Generations Science Standards. By adapting these standards we allow ourselves and our student’s freedom. Meaning, we are no longer bound by text books. We are provided with the opportunity to branch out and enlarge the scope of the skills and concepts we teach in the class room. The standards ensure that our students are learning what science is today. Science changes and evolves over time. The science concepts people have learned long ago in the classroom are only basis for what we teach now, and we now have a much broader spectrum of scientific standards to abide by. We will use the text book as a reference guide for students to fall back on, if need be, however ; teaching will be done mostly via outside resources and hands on activities.

In our science classes, the concern of our teachers' is not the memorization of the content they are learning, but rather, the student's ability to use scientific skills to understand and thereby prove the concepts they have been presented with in classroom. Students are required to practice certain skills called the Science and Engineering Practices in their classrooms. They will begin practicing these skills in KG continuing to grade 5.

The Next Generation Science Standards will allow us to increase students’ achievement, give students the opportunity to research on their own obtaining information independently and making them independent thinkers, synchronizing English, Math and Science and to ensure college and career readiness.

 

Useful Links:

Science and Engineering Practices: http://www.crscience.org/pdf/NGSSK5PracticesSummar...

Next Generation Science Standards: http://www.nextgenscience.org/search-standards-dci

Overview of Grades:


Science WebpageIn grade 1, students will explore Physical Science by investigating why things vibrate and what is light and how it is important. In Life Sciences, students will design solutions to solve problems by learning from their surroundings. They will also determine how parents and their children are alike and how they are different. Finally, in Earth Sciences students will observe and explore why the moon appears when the sun does not, and is there the same amount of daylight all year. Why or why not.

Science WebpageIn grade 2, Physical Science allows students to observe materials and their different properties. This allows students to investigate what the function of these materials are and how they are important to us. In Life Sciences, students will observe and compare where different animals live and why. Lastly, in Earth Sciences students will research and provide evidence about how the Earth changes overtime. Also, students will travel the world exploring the seas and the different landforms.


Science Webpage In grade 3, Physical Science intrigues students to inquire about force, its types and how it may interfere with life. Life Sciences allow students to discover that all organisms are different, but are all alike each possessing birth, growth, reproduction and death. This feeds into traits of organisms and how these traits can be affected by the external environment. Earth Sciences challenge students with tables and graphs so that they may explore weather around the world. After becoming familiar with weather, students will learn about extreme weather conditions and will design a solution to solve the effects of disasters.

In grade 4, Physical Science will ask students to construct explanations about energy and speed and observe how energy can be transferred from one place to another. Also, Physical Science describes the patterns of waves and how they are used to transfer information. Life Sciences offer the students an understanding of how organisms use their internal and external structures to function and how information is transferred from their brain to the rest of their senses. Science Webpage Lastly in Earth Sciences, students will explore the past regarding fossils and rock formations. Students will also make observations and measure the effects of weathering and erosion on the Earth. Students will obtain information regarding fossil fuels and energy and how using them effects our environment. Finally, students will generate solutions to reduce the impacts that planet Earth has on humans.

Science Webpage In grade 5, in Physical Science students will model and describe that although some particles are too small to be seen, they still exist. Students will use evidence to measure and graph that if a state of matter changes its mass remains the same. Physical Science also gives students the opportunity to describe how animals use energy to function and grow. Science Webpage In Life Sciences, students will collect evidence and support that plants get energy from air and water. Finally, Earth Sciences require students to argue why the sun is brighter than other starts. Also, Earth Sciences will oblige students to develop models to describe ways the spheres of the Earth interact. Lastly, Earth Science will create protectors of the environment by indulging students in ways communities use science to protect the Earth and its environment.