Science
The overarching goal of the Science department is for all students to have sufficient knowledge of science and engineering by the time they graduate high school to engage in public discussions on science-related issues, be careful consumers of scientific and technical information, and enter the careers of their choice. The major goals of the Science curriculum are to:
Implement a guaranteed and viable district science curriculum that is aligned with learning expectations set forth in the Connecticut Core Science Curriculum Framework and the Next Generation Science Standards that helps children continually build on and revise their knowledge and abilities, starting from their curiosity about what they see around them and their initial conceptions about how the world works.
Achieve scientific literacy preparing students to be confident and capable lifelong learners who are equipped with the skills needed to access, understand, evaluate and apply information and present coherent ideas about science, integrating common core science literacy skills into the curriculum.
Develop a thorough understanding of scientific explanations of the world through experimentation of the disciplinary core ideas and applying these understandings to solve environmental and societal challenges.
Foster each student's understanding and use of technology and engineering, including the ability to assess the relevance and credibility of scientific information found in various print and electronic media.
The Science curriculum is aligned with learning expectations set forth in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Information regarding these standards can be found on the Connecticut State Department of Education website.
Science Units and Skills/Student Outcomes
What students should know and be expected to do by the end of the unit
Properties of Matter
Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen
Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved
Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties
Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances
Space Systems
Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down
Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from the Earth
Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky
Earth's Systems
Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact
Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth
Obtain/combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources
Energy in Ecosystems
Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth and motion and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun
Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water
Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers and the environment
Additional Resources
Where to go for additional information and support
