Science

Fifth-grade science focuses on ecology and the environment. During daily course meetings, students are asked to think about the physical world around them creatively, critically, and quantitatively. Using hands-on experiments and activities, fifth graders create hypotheses, collect data, examine cause-and-effect relationships, and make observations about their investigations. Students maintain scientific journals in which they design and document experiments exploring the scientific method. Experiential learning and fieldwork on and around the Dana Hall campus are a cornerstone of this course.

Sixth-grade science emphasizes observation, critical thinking, measurement, and experimental skills. Students investigate resources in the world around them with topics related to simple machines, motion, forces, and energy. Sixth graders develop their abilities to observe, ask questions, look for patterns, record and analyze evidence, present and interpret data and draw conclusions. Through hands-on projects, such as the construction of model solar cars and various smaller building challenges, students apply scientific principles and develop problem-solving and engineering skills. Group work, presentation skills, and the effective use of technology are also important components of the course.

In seventh grade, students study living organisms. Students engage in the topics of classification, cellular structures and functions, plant and animal respiration, human body systems, and genetics with labs, experiments, and projects. Students learn to ask scientific questions, design and conduct controlled and observational experiments, collect data, and write lab reports with evidence. Nature journaling supports in-class learning with outside direct experiences. Students continue to build the skills of writing, nonfiction text reading, note-taking, test-taking skills, and cooperative learning in this lab science. 

Earth Science focuses on the study of the inorganic components of our planet and universe. Within the context of Earth Science, introductory principles of chemistry and physics are presented. Major units of study include Earth materials (from atoms and ions to rocks and minerals), plate tectonics, and Earth history. Students gain confidence and competence in group problem-solving and in collecting, manipulating, interpreting, and presenting data.