Science
Our science curriculum is an adaptable and evolving resource focused on using the scientific process to help students better understand their world. It provides a scaffold for learning experiences while remaining flexible enough to incorporate student interests, new opportunities, and emerging ideas in science education. Its current stage of development is heavily influenced by a variety of sources. These include Miquon’s environment and rich traditions, current research on science literacy, progressive education practices, student interests and the wisdom of our experienced staff.
View The Science Curriculum Scope and Sequence, which uses specific terminology from Project 2061: Benchmarks for Science Literacy, the Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards, and the NYC Department of Education has been used to describe key ideas already in place.
Approach
To support the development of curious, life long learners, Miquon students actively experiment to better understand the world. The science program emphasizes critical thinking processes that give children the skills they need to explore their own questions.
These essential questions guide the development of worthwhile experiences for Nursery through 6th Grade students:
- How can we observe, question and experiment to better understand our world?
- What lives, grows and breaks down at Miquon?
- How do parts of a system affect each other?
- How can we create what we need or want?
- How does science work? How does science information change over time?
Specific areas of study are selected through the interplay of a variety of factors (including, but not limited to): personal relevance to students’ daily lives, local and global events, the availability of resources, and student and teacher interests. The disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, engineering, and art are woven throughout the curriculum. Core ideas in these fields are investigated and revisited in age appropriate ways to build the foundation for a broad and nuanced knowledgebase.
The Art and Science Show
The Art and Science Show is an event in the spring that showcases work from every child in the school. The art presentation is curated by the students and the art specialist teacher. The science show has had a variety of iterations over the last few years, but it always features reflective learning exhibitions from fifth and sixth grade students. These exhibitions may feature inventions developed by students, extensions of science projects completed earlier in the year, live demonstrations, or creative exhibits that educate visitors about a specific topic. Younger students are also invited to present their projects and inventions, but it is not mandatory.
Science Choice
In addition to scheduled classes, many children also enjoy visiting the science room at lunch choice. The science room is open two to three days a week. Students visit to continue projects from class, build new creations, work with computer programs, read books and spend time with the live animal visitors.
Minicourses
Minicourses are elective courses for children held for an hour on Friday mornings in eight week installments. Topics for these courses may be suggested by teachers or children. Some science related minicourses held over the last few years include: SCRATCH-an introduction to computer programming created by MIT, Google Sites, Woodworking, Art and Sculpture in Nature, Baking Bread, Move It–a dance and fitness class, Bird Watching and Hiking, Paper Airplane Design, Building Things That Go, and Chemistry & Crystals.
Science Blog
Want to learn more about the latest with Science Kate? Check out pictures, kid projects and the other happenings posted to the Science Blog.
Science Blog
Visit the Blog for more »
Curriculum Report
The curriculum report is the teachers’ review of the entire year, looking back and making observations after their plans, projects, problems, and revelations are long over. One of the distinguishing features of this report is the great extent to which each teacher’s style, focus, and personality come through in this retrospective narrative. Check out the Science Curriculum Report.
