Science

6^th Grade

The curriculum for this course is a general science course covering a variety of subjects.  The topics emphasized are representative of Life Science, Chemistry, and Earth Science.  It highlights the integration of science and engineering where students follow the engineering design process for themes such as global warming.  For example, students research the effects of global warming on penguins and then design and build an igloo to protect the penguins.  Observation, interaction and comprehension are three main components.  As the scientific method is used as the basis of exploration, discussions, laboratory work, computer simulations, guest speakers, and field trips reinforce the text and lecture material.  Simulating space travel at the Challenger Space Center provides an opportunity for stimulating the love of science.

7^th Grade

The curriculum continues the program begun in Sixth Grade with a general science course.  Topics include the nature of science, geology (rocks and minerals), Life Science (cell genetics, plant evolution), conserving resources (matter and energy), and physical and chemical properties.  The topics discussed will be explored in weekly laboratory demonstrations and experiments.  The hands-on work will be backed up with written competency of the concepts in the results and conclusions section of the lab notebooks.  One of the interdisciplinary projects with English and Computer class is researching and writing a report on an invertebrate organism.

8^th Grade

The culmination of Middle School Science is an intensive look at Physical Science and its interaction throughout Earth and Space.  Topics will include electricity (magnetism and electro-magnetic waves), physics, chemistry (atomic structure, the periodic table and organic chemistry), and genetics (living and non-living environments).  The topics discussed will be explored in weekly laboratory demonstrations and experiments.  The hands-on work will be backed up with written competency of the concepts in the results and conclusions section of the lab notebooks.  One of the interdisciplinary projects with English is the researching, designing, and building of a 3-D molecule.