There have been some big changes in the lower school science curriculum this year, with the goal of substantially increasing the amount of instructional time for science. We added a second lower school science lab over the summer, and Heather Ribblett joined the lower school faculty this year to handle science instruction for younger students. Terri Giesel continues to serve as science teacher for third and fourth graders.
In addition to providing more instructional time, the new program features an inquiry-based curriculum in which students learn science content by doing — in essence, students learn science by becoming scientists! Students learn to conduct experiments, make observations, and record their findings in science journals using appropriate science vocabulary. At all ages, students learn to apply critical thinking skills to questions about topics across a number of scientific disciplines. The curriculum is based on the Next Generation Science Standards, which also encourage the integration of other academic disciplines into science work, such as mathematics, reading, and writing.