Science
Philosophy
The Science curriculum aims to deepen students’ understanding of the natural world, develop scientific investigation and reasoning skills, and challenge students to apply their understanding to real-world situations.
Science is best learned by doing science--generating predictions and testable questions, designing and carrying out meaningful investigations, and analyzing results in a collaborative learning environment. Students are challenged to critically reflect on their work and consider the ethical implications of scientific developments and the interdependence of science, technology and society.
By learning how to think scientifically, students can internalize life-long learning skills and eventually become contributors to our collective understanding of the world.
Guiding Principles:
We believe that effective science education is:
- relevant, building on students’ prior knowledge and connecting to their lives,
- engaging, using multiple modalities for learning,
- coherent, connecting to other disciplines, and organized around core concepts which recur throughout the science curriculum,
- experiential, connecting investigations to scientific theory,
- collaborative, allowing for discussion and deepening of understanding,
- reflective, requiring students to analyze and improve their work,
- critically-minded, challenging students to explain, interpret, and analyze observations,
- learner-centered, building on students’ prior knowledge and resolving misconceptions, current, reflecting the latest developments in science.
Essential Questions
Nature of Science
- How do we know what we know?
- What is scientific thinking?
- What constitutes valid evidence?
- How do science, technology, and society influence each other?
Life Science
- What is the basis of life?
- How do living things change, survive, and adapt?
- How do humans impact the natural environment?
Physical Science
- How and why does matter change?
- What is the relationship between matter and energy?
Earth Science
- What is our place in the universe?
- How and why has Earth changed over time?
- How does energy affect Earth systems?