Science Curriculum
 | | 6th Graders in Science class |
In the curriculum, first graders explore earth materials like rocks, pebbles, sand, silt and clay. They make tops and spinners to learn more about balance and motion and in the spring focus on insects. Second graders have planted tulip bulbs for the Journey North garden and studied solids and liquids. They will continue the year learning about the human body, air and weather and study the life cycle of plants. Third graders started their year learning how to measure length, mass, volume and temperature. They are geologists learning how to use the scratch test to determine the hardness of rocks and minerals. They will continue their year with sound and a structures of life unit. During that unit, they will plant a salad garden. Fourth graders explore magnets and electricity, creating closed circuits and even an electromagnet. They also use the inquiry method to learn more about the human body. Water is a big focus for fourth graders, which they use to expand  | | Designing science garden |
their knowledge of the three states of matter. Fifth graders learn the importance of variables in controlled experiments by making pendulums. They studied environments by looking at the garden environment. They will combine the environments and variables unit to look at the ideal environment for brine shrimp. They learn to use the microscope and how to relay what they see through detailed sketches. They will build simple machines like levers and pulleys. Sixth graders began the year drawing and collecting information for a field guide to our science garden. Chemistry is a big focus for them as they make mixtures and solutions. A models and designs unit gives them an opportunity to deal with "black boxes" and "humdingers". This physical science unit shows them how scientists deal with concepts that are difficult to explore, like the solar system. They use collaboration and sharing of ideas to design their humdinger, a model from the world of research.
|
