ST. LUCY SCHOOL - Science Lab

WELCOME TO THE SCIENCE LAB

Science classes in grades K-8 are taught in our state of the art science lab by our two science teachers. Mrs. Lane teaches Science to Grades K-5 and Mr. Lane teaches Science to Grades 6-8. Students explore scientific phenomena through hands-on activities, experimental labs, projects, and research. Pre-K students explore science with Mrs. Quinn in the Pre-K classroom and outside space.

Our rigorous science curriculum is fully aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS) that have been adopted by the state of California. The NGSS provide a more coherent progression aimed at overall scientific literacy with instruction focused on a smaller set of ideas building each year to the next level. The interconnectedness of science is taught throughout the curriculum rather than each field of science as separate entities, and includes the fields of technology and engineering.

Science Primary.mp4

Science Jr. High.mp4

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

Science Field trips: Science field trips occur each year at St. Lucy School. Examples include sixth grade science camp and the eighth grade field trip to the California Academy of Sciences. First graders love the trip to see gigantic tortoises, while kindergarteners love Hidden Villa Farm and the pumpkin patch.

6th grade Science Camp: Science camp at Walden West is a favorite tradition. Walden West Science Camp provides environmental science education for 6th graders in a residential camp setting. Visiting schools come for a 4-5 day program where the students explore an outdoor classroom with experienced naturalists and stay in cabins overnight. They learn through hands-on learning while exposing students to new social settings, exploring different environments, and enrichment experiences. Students leave the program with a new sense of personal responsibility, independence and understanding of the natural world around them. Our pizza Friday hot lunch program raises funds to send our sixth graders and their teacher to science camp. We are planning for Science camp for our 6th grade class in spring 2022 and expect to continue with this activity.

Science & Engineering Fair: St. Lucy School students participate in an annual Science and Engineering Fair. Students benefit from a wonderful panel of outside engineers & scientists who donate their time to discuss the projects with each of our Jr. High students. Talking with an outside visitor and articulating the scientific process and results is an amazing experience for the students! The science fair is often combined within the STREAM Celebration event in the evening after the science fair.

Science Elective: Students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades may choose an additional Science elective class if offered. Past electives have included rocket propulsion and myth busting.

CURRICULUM

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS

Pre-K: Our very youngest students investigate and explore in their very own learning space. They utilize their five senses to investigate, observe, question, and make predictions. Students love conducting experiments such as erupting a volcano, seasonal cooking activities and outdoor nature exploration.

Kindergarten - 5th Grade Curriculum: Stemscopes

Kindergarten: The Kindergarteners explore in our fully equipped Science Lab twice per week, making observations about why things occur. Students actively investigate pushes and pulls, speed and direction, energy from the sun, plant and animal needs, and weather. They also travel to the pumpkin patch and Hidden Villa to further explore the world around them.

1st Grade: First grade science is explored in our fully equipped Science Lab twice per week. Students actively learn about plants, animals, traits, patterns in space, sound, light and communication. The curriculum combines digital resources, supplemental print, and hands-on STEM experiences that engage every type of learner.

2nd Grade: Second graders attend science class in the Science Lab twice per week. Students explore states of matter, properties of materials, heat, parts of plants and animals, protecting the young, trait inheritance, and quick and slow changes to land. The curriculum combines digital resources, supplemental print, and hands-on STEM experiences that engage every type of learner.

3rd Grade: Third graders attend class in the science lab twice per week exploring objects and motion, electric and magnetic forces, life cycles, social and group behavior, traits, survival, weather and natural hazards. The curriculum combines digital resources, supplemental print, and hands-on STEM experiences that engage every type of learner.

4th Grade: Fourth graders attend science 3 times per week exploring energy, waves, light, plant and animal parts, sense receptors, rock patterns, changing land and natural processes. The program combines digital resources, supplemental print, and hands-on STEM experiences that engage every type of learner.

5th Grade: Fifth graders attend science 3 times per week exploring matter, changes to matter, properties of matter, mixtures, observing the stars, Earth's rotation, water sources, reducing the human footprint, matter and energy in plants, foodwebs and ecosystems. The program combines digital resources, supplemental print, and hands-on STEM experiences that engage every type of learner.

Jr. High: We have recently begun use of the new Pearson integrated curriculum that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) established by the State of California. This curriculum provides a significant increase in the availability of on-line resources to support and supplement the classroom activities.

6th Grade: The integrated curriculum in 6th grade begins with significant study of living organisms, Biology (including Cell biology), and Body systems. From there it continues with Earth Sciences, Energy, and Weather systems.

7th Grade: The integrated curriculum in 7th grade begins with a study of Chemistry and introduces many of the classical underpinnings of the discipline. From there, we investigate Cells, Minerals, Earth's resources and Ecosystems.

8th Grade: The integrated curriculum in 8th grade begins with the study of Newton's three laws of motion and an investigation of Electricity & Magnetism. Students then begin studying how these ideas apply to the Earth, Moon and Sun before stretching out to a larger investigation of the Universe. From there students study Genetics, Earth's historic geology, and Electromagnetic radiation.

Mrs. Bobette Lane

K - 5th Science Teacher

Mrs. Lane has taught at St. Lucy School since 2007. She teaches Kindergarten through 5th Grade Science. She is a California graduate of San Jose State University with a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and a Minor in Biology. She has two adult daughters and a son who attended St. Lucy School and Bellarmine. Her son is a Sophomore at Loyola Marymount University.

Science, Mr. Michael Lane

6th - 8th Science Teacher

He earned his degrees in Chemistry at San Jose State University and has taught chemistry at De Anza College for 30 years. He had often conducted chemistry demonstrations for the science program at St. Lucy School before joining the science teaching team. His son is a St. Lucy Alumni, who attended Bellarmine and Loyola Marymount University. During his time at SLS, Mr. Lane volunteered as a Cub Scout Den Leader and Cub Master for our Parish Cub Scout Pack. Mr. Lane also has two daughters that went to Presentation High School and have since graduated college.