SCIENCE

Mission Statement | Science

Science is the lens through which we understand our universe. Therefore, it is more vital than ever to scientifically educate citizens as we engage in this new century of unprecedented change and challenge. Scientific progress and the technological and environmental choices we make primarily determine the future of our planet, species, and society.

Scientific education is built upon the joys and satisfactions of questioning, discovering, and understanding. The scientist’s commitment to objectivity and analysis helps dispel ignorance, superstition, and prejudice. We revel in the increased sense of independence and competence that results from looking at phenomena and figuring out what is happening. Sound training in scientific thinking has a broad application – it is as helpful in the boardroom or the courtroom or town hall as in the laboratory. A scientific education can also develop a deeper sense of appreciation of the natural world, and a more richly enjoyed life can follow. The Dalton Science Department is committed to educating its students to:

• Work and act as scientists do • Observe, explore, experiment, hypothesize, model, analyze, critique like a scientist • Speak, read and write like a scientist • Apply previous learning to new situations • Graduate scientifically literate, with core understandings and knowledge • Understand and appreciate the power, beauty, and limitations of science

Approach scientific issues and questions appropriately, with: • Curiosity • Open-mindedness • Rational skepticism • Imagination • Willingness to take intellectual risks • Desire to learn more • Capacity to work both independently and collaboratively • Take moral and intellectual responsibility towards present and future generations in all actions, as a citizen or as a scientist.

Science 4

Science in 4th grade aims to instill a sense of questioning in students. The Assignments in the 4th grade curriculum include, but are not limited to: Ecosystems; Rocks and Minerals; Matter; Energy; and Simple Machines. In each Assignment, we ask students to use observations to generate questions that can lead to an investigation. By approaching their learning experiences the same way a scientist would approach an investigation, students access and challenge their prior conceptions of the natural world. ach Assignment is taught through social justice lens, and we are deeply committed to fostering an anti-racist school community. Fourth grade students work collaboratively with classmates to conduct, record and interpret observations, and apply new knowledge to novel situations. Cooperative learning and a hands-on, inquirybased approach are key to sparking the children’s curiosity in their science learning.

Science 5

The 5th grade science program approaches science in an inquirybased manner. Students develop scientific questions, design experiments, make observations, and collect data to make inferences and draw conclusions. The Assignments in the 5th Grade curriculum include Light, Planetary Conditions, Plant Investigation, Unseen Life, and an end-of-year independent research project. Students will build their conceptual understanding throughout the year by accessing and elaborating on their prior knowledge and then applying it to new situations. Our curriculum teaches the Assignment through a social justice lens, and we are deeply committed to fostering an anti-racist school community. It is vital that students participate in class discussions and engage productively in group work. Students are routinely asked to analyze and interpret their observations, sequence their ideas logically, and support their thinking with evidence.

Science 6

Students in 6th grade science advance their study of the scientific method and the principles of scientific inquiry that they began in the 4th and 5th grades. Students research carefully-chosen materials and phenomena and understand fundamental scientific concepts through experiment and discussion. The year consists mainly of physical science content with some environment and earth-related topics also covered. The first Assignment is an extensive look at the behavior of matter with a particular focus on heat and pressure. Initial experiments focus on the expansion of solids, liquids, and gases. Students use abstract models of the kinetic behavior of atoms and molecules to construct explanations of observed phenomena. Later, students apply their understanding of kinetic theory to explain phase changes and various observations related to gas pressure. The next Assignment looks at climate change. Students explore the causes and effects of climate change as well as potential solutions. In the winter, students begin an Assignment on electricity. Explorations focus on applying atomic theory to explain the flow of electric current. Students also explore circuits, magnetism, and electromagnetism. An engineering project of their own design and construction calls upon their understanding of electricity concepts. The year culminates with an Assignment on geology and paleontology. After studying the rock cycle, fossil formation and classification, and geological time scales, students engage in a computer-simulated fossil dig called “Dinosaur Canyon.” Using rock and fossil discoveries, students draw conclusions about past environments.

Science 7

In 7th grade science, we explore human behavior, how we function and thrive in our environment, how we understand ourselves as unique, individual organisms integral to small and large communities. We also examine how we have come to understand all of this through the science of learning.

Science 8

In 8th grade, students investigate the forces and events that we observe on our planet today and research how these help us understand the evolution of our planet. Students also study the solar system and the history of the universe as these provide a context and much valuable information for understanding the Earth. Throughout the year, students use scientific inquiry to help build their understanding. They look at patterns and data to arrive at conclusions about the processes that shape the Earth. When necessary, physical science concepts are studied to give students the conceptual tools to make sense of the planet’s dynamic processes. The year begins with a study of earthquakes and the wave propagation of energy. Students piece together a picture of Earth’s interior by looking at information from earthquake waves that have traveled through the planet. Next, students look at volcanoes and what they can tell us about the shifting nature of the planet’s crust. In order to fully understand plate tectonics, students undertake an in-depth study of density, including an engineering project based on this concept. Our students accomplish a complete study of plate tectonics by examining the accumulated observations of the 19th and 20th centuries that pushed the scientific community towards this important revolution in earth science. The course then shifts scale to look at the atomic structure, isotopes, and radioactivity. This Assignment builds toward an understanding of how we utilize radioactive decay to find the ages of old materials. This is followed by a study of the Universe and Earth’s place within it. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of gravity in the formation of the solar system, galaxy, and the universe. The final Assignment is a study of climate and the drivers of Earth’s major climatic patterns, particularly solar energy.