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Science
The Lower School science curriculum exposes students to a broad range of topics, largely studied through experiments, observations, and hands-on activities.
Grade Three
Students in Grade Three begin the year with the study of sound. They make their own simple instruments, then they explore the various ways in which pitch and the shape of the actual instrument can effect tone quality and volume. They then begin a unit on oceanography. The focus of this unit icludes physical features of the ocean floor, the food chain, and the adaptations of living organisms to their aquatic environment. In lab, students investigate floating and sinking and various activities connected with the oceans. They also learn the value of record keeping, and the importance of referring to previous data. Finally, the last unit of the year is a study of acid rain and its effects on the environment.
Grade Four
Grade Four science begins with a unit on geology. The focus of this course is on the structure of the earth and how forces inside the earth power the changes we see on the surface. Lab experiments involve mechanical weathering, classification of rocks, and an earthquake simulation. The next unit is an introduction to issues relating to health and nutrition. Students will be introduced to the new food guidelines and the importance of having a balanced diet. Grade Four finishes the year with a unit on electricity. Some of the topics covered are construction of simple circuits, series and parallel circuits, diodes and semiconductors, the nature of an atom, the structure of a bulb, and conductors and insulators. The culmination of the unit is a group project in which the students create a product using a small electrical motor along with a logo and a sales pitch.
Grade Five
Grade Five science begins with a unit on map and compass. Students are exposed to various types of maps and learn to take an accurate compass reading outside. In the second unit, the students explore the relationship between bones and muscles. They construct models of the skeletal system, and perform experiments on their muscular systems. Students are exposed to forensic science and help solve a mystery based on information found in the skeletal system. In the final unit students grow and care for specially designed brassica rapa plants. These plants have a life cycle, from seed to seed, that encompasses thirty days. Students become familiar with plant reproduction and pollination.
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