Elementary science education in New Hampshire for grades K-5 focuses on cultivating curiosity and foundational scientific understanding through exploration and hands-on learning, aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):

Kindergarten:

Exploration of Nature: Introduction to observing the natural world, focusing on plants, animals, weather, and simple physical properties.

Basic Inquiry Skills: Encouraging curiosity through asking questions and making observations.

Grade 1:

Plants and Animals: Study of living things, their needs, life cycles, and habitats.

Weather and Seasons: Understanding weather patterns and seasonal changes.

Grade 2:

Earth and Space: Exploration of Earth's materials, landforms, and basic astronomy concepts like the sun, moon, and stars.

Properties of Matter: Introduction to solids, liquids, and gases, and how they can change states.

Grade 3:

Ecosystems: Study of how plants and animals interact with their environment and each other.

Forces and Motion: Understanding basic physical forces, such as pushes and pulls, and their effects on motion.

Grade 4:

Energy: Exploration of different forms of energy, including sound, light, heat, and electricity.

Earth’s Processes: Investigating natural processes like weathering, erosion, and the water cycle.

Grade 5:

Structure and Properties of Matter: In-depth study of matter and its interactions, including chemical and physical changes.

Earth and Space Systems: Understanding Earth’s systems, the solar system, and the universe.

These science lessons aim to engage students with interactive and inquiry-based learning experiences, laying the groundwork for more complex scientific concepts in middle school.