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 that they can 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
Weather and Climate
Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on the Earth’s surface
Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area
Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time
Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, severe weather
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs
Pushes and Pulls
Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object
Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull
Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool
Animals, Plants and
Their Environment
Their Environment
Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants or animals (including humans) and the places they live
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air and/or other living things in the local environment
Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as a need to solve a given a problem
Additional Resources
Where to go for additional information and support
