Science

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the areas of science predominantly related to understanding our planet through a variety of learning activities such as lab experiments, demonstrations, presentations, projects, assessments, and collaborative group work. It is an interdisciplinary course that integrates physical, biological, and earth sciences using a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) design process approach. The course begins with the fundamental scientific skills of safety, scientific method, and measurement. Students will continue to apply and develop these skills through the study of thermal energy, structure of the earth, energy resources, ecology, and simple machines.

In this course, Grade 7 has an integrated curriculum in four major areas of study: life science, earth science, physical science, and the engineering design process. The course begins by delving into the scientific process and what it means to think scientifically. The students are then given an opportunity to explore scientific concepts related to cells, genetics, heredity, life history and an introduction to forces and motion. Finally, students will immerse themselves in the engineering design process through two projects, one involving hydraulics and another involving more about how net forces influence motion and interact with bodies. This course will inculcate experimentation and lab work, demonstrations, presentations, project work, and assessments that are both formative and summative.

The Grade 8 science course covers a variety of topics in the areas of life, physical, and chemical science, with a focus on the physical sciences. The units of study are Structure & Function in Living Systems, Astronomy, Density & Buoyancy, and Matter & Chemistry. Before students begin to learn and apply the concepts presented in each unit of study, they must first begin thinking and acting like scientists. One of the main goals of the course is to develop and refine scientific skills such as predicting, observing, problem solving, documenting, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating. These skills will be practiced using the traditional scientific method and the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) design process. This is accomplished through a variety of learning activities such as lab experiments, demonstrations, presentations, projects, traditional assessments, and collaborative group work.