Lower School Science
Program Overview
The Lower School science program uses the B.S.C.S. T.R.A.C.S. program (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study; Teaching Relevant Activities for Concepts and Skills), a hands-on approach for the study of science. The boys explore topics in small groups, utilizing collaborative learning to discuss, debate, critique, and build on the ideas of others through communication. The boys become engaged in the experiments and explore the concepts being studied. They explain what they are learning and through the experiences gained from the experiments they elaborate on these new ideas making new conceptual connections between new and former experiences. They also use journaling, field trips, observations, and accompanying texts to enhance their studies.
Junior Kindergarten
The junior kindergarten program covers many of the same topics as the kindergarten program, but not as in depth. There is more time given to play and the building of social skills. Science in junior kindergarten combines a hands-on approach that challenges the boys to use their observation skills to examine the world around them. Field trips, nature walks, artifact collection, stories, math activities and journaling are all used to develop science concepts and foster a love of natural environments. The following topics are included in the kindergarten program: plants and seeds, penguins and polar bears, insects, senses, space – sun and stars, dinosaurs.
Kindergarten
The kindergarten program, Awareness of My World, has five lessons: "Myself and My Family" (Life Science and Science in Personal Social Perspectives), "Movement" (Physical Science and Life Science), "Space and Time" (Physical Science and Earth and Space Science), "Properties of Objects and Materials" (Physical Science and Life Science) and "Science and Technology." Each lesson contains numerous hands-on activities that vary between whole-class activities, guided learning centers and exploratory (independent) learning centers. The program includes stories, poems and games that are appropriate for young learners of science. This level is based on the K-4 Standards from the National Science Education Standards and the K-2 Benchmarks from Benchmarks for Science Literacy.
First Grade
In the first grade the program begins by Investigating Properties (Physical Science). The students use their senses in describing the properties of objects and the materials from which the objects are made. They sort and classify objects according to their properties and explain their classification systems. The module introduces the students to simple tools of science, such as rulers, magnifiers and balances.
Investigating Earth Materials (Earth and Space Science). In this earth science module, students investigate rocks, soils and water and the interactions among them. The students observe the earth materials around them and compare different types of soil and rocks in terms of color, texture and reactions with water. The module includes an introduction to fossils and their formation.
Investigating Animals and Their Needs (Life Science). Students explore the characteristics of guppies, snails and aquatic plants in classroom aquaria. By observing those organisms in their environment, the students learn about what organisms need to survive. They recognize that the structures of the organisms serve specific functions that enable them to survive in their environments. Then, they investigate the characteristics and behaviors of gerbils and isopods. They recognize that an animal's behavior and structures enable it to meet its needs and that animals can survive only in environments in which they can meet their needs.
Testing Materials (Science and Technology) Students investigate the materials from which objects are made. They discover that all materials have properties, such as color, hardness, transparency and absorbency, and that people select a material for a certain purpose according to the properties of the material. They compare structures that are made of different materials and explain why certain structures are made of specific materials.
Second Grade
In the second grade the boys start with Investigating Position and Motion (Physical Science). Students investigate the relative position and motion of objects by using terms, such as "in front of," "to the left of," "in back of," "to the right of" relative to themselves and other reference objects and by measuring distances from one object to another. They represent the position of objects on self-made maps and relate their maps to those of city streets and of stores in the shopping mall. They learn that objects move in many different ways and describe the motion of objects in terms of speed and direction and relate changes in the motion of objects to a force-a push or a pull-that acts on an object.
Investigating Weather (Earth and Space Science). Students use their senses and tools, such as thermometers, rain gauges and wind speed indicators, to describe the weather conditions around them. From their observations and data, students identify patterns, such as seasonal changes, and changes in the weather over time. They use their data to compare changes in the weather from day to day.
Investigating Plants (Life Science). Students plant bean seeds in plastic bag “greenhouses” and observe the growth of the bean plants. The students practice the skills of inquiry by setting up and monitoring controlled experiments about the needs of bean plants and develop skills such as observing, recording, measuring, comparing and analyzing. Students keep journals of plant growth and development and investigate the structures of plants and seeds and the functions of each structure. They propagate additional plants from various plant parts and observe the plants' growth and development.
Designing Sound Systems (Science and Technology). Students explore and compare various sound systems in "sound centers" by striking, plucking and blowing through objects. They describe and record their explanations of how the systems produce sound. They observe sounds at home and in the neighborhood and describe and compare how those sounds are produced. Students investigate ways to change pitch and volume by changing something in a sound system. They develop a musical instrument using simple equipment and tools and then describe how their system "makes music."
Third Grade
During third grade the boys will be Investigating Electrical Systems (Physical Science). In this module, students work with batteries, wires, and bulbs, simple motors and switches to learn about the flow of electricity. They create complete and incomplete circuits and explore multiple ways to get a bulb to light and a motor to run. The module also includes investigations of the ability of materials to conduct electricity or to insulate from such conduction.
Investigating Objects in the Sky (Earth and Space Science). Students explore and describe the position, appearance, and motion (or apparent motion) of objects in the sky, specifically the Moon, the Sun, and the stars. They use their shadows to determine the changing position of the Sun in the daytime sky and use direct observations to describe the changing position of the Moon during the day and at night and of the stars in the nighttime sky. Students also observe that the Moon appears to change its shape every day in a repeating pattern that takes approximately one month.
Investigating Life Cycles (Life Science). Students develop the concept of a life cycle by observing, describing and comparing the growth and development of four organisms: sweet peas, brine shrimp, darkling beetles and painted lady butterflies. They describe the similarities and differences in the stages through which the organisms progress and then compare these stages with the human life cycle. Through a research project, they learn about the life cycles of many organisms and discuss the difference between a life span of one organism (from birth to death) and the life cycle of the species that continues from one generation to the next.
Designing Structures (Science and Technology). This module emphasizes the processes of technological design as students investigate the size, shape and strength of various structures. Students determine what shapes make a structure strong and steady and identify the design elements of structures they find in their local environment. Students learn that changing the shape of a material can affect its strength and that joining materials together in certain ways does so as well.
Fourth Grade
The fourth grade science program is a transitional one that prepares the boys for the Middle School science curriculum. Though still a hands on program, the boys are introduced to a science text for the first time. Thus, the boys are given instruction on how to use the index, the table of contents and the glossary. They learn that boldface words are important and that the topic sentence of each paragraph in a science text helps to focus the reader on what is to come in the paragraph. Lessons on how to study from a text and test preparation are incorporated into the program. The scientific method is taught to the boys. They will respond to a problem by making a hypothesis, conducting an experiment, keeping records, analyzing results and drawing conclusions.
The science curriculum is integrated with the social studies program. Trade books will be used throughout the year in reading class to support science and social studies topics. Computers will be used as a research tool.
Science Topics
- Water, shipbuilding, orienteering
- Earth's history, agriculture
- Human body
- Inventions of Franklin and Edison
- Invention convention
Social Studies Topics
- Explorers of the World
- Colonial times, Revolutionary War; Causes of and major battles
- Government of New Jersey
- Famous New Jerseyans
- Immigration / economics (19th century)
- Immigrant contributions to U.S. (inventions and technology)