Science at SFDS

In this section: 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade Resources

Philosophical Overview

The SFDS science curriculum is based on the belief that students learn science by being actively involved in scientific inquiry, while developing skills to carry out the scientific process. We believe this is best accomplished through a series of concept-based investigations, followed by student-led discussions of the data and results. These “Socratic” discussions allow students to debate observations and form consensus based on actual experimental data. The materials and curriculum are designed to develop each student's awareness of patterns, cycles, and changes that exist in both the natural and physical worlds.

The science curriculum is designed to spiral up through the grades. In other words, concepts are introduced in the lower grades and studied in greater depth in the upper grades, building upon prior knowledge. The curriculum reflects an integrated approach where students investigate the connections between Earth, Life, and Physical Sciences. The SFDS science curriculum has incorporated and adopted the science education standards articulated by the National Research Council, California State Science Framework, and the National Science Foundation.

The goals and objectives of the upper and lower school science programs are essentially the same. As students move through each grade level they are expected to demonstrate greater facility with “hands on” materials and an increased ability to draw conclusions from specific experiments. The scientific process of questioning, testing, and analyzing is always the main emphasis, but as students mature, more challenging and complex content is introduced.

The SFDS science teaching team consists of three science specialists. The lower-school science specialist teaches first through fourth grades. The upper-school science teachers split the grades with one teacher teaching fifth and seventh grade and the other teaching sixth and eighth grade. The science team shares an office and is in constant communication regarding lesson planning and unit content. The science team also has a more formal department meeting once per week to discuss students, curriculum, and long-range plans.

Lower-school science (grades K-4)

Lower-school science covers a combination of Earth, Life and Physical Science units. Topics of study last for varying lengths of time, on average about four weeks. When possible topics integrate with the classroom curriculum. Small group work is central to each class. Students work together with materials to problem solve and experiment. Students are encouraged to discuss their work at table groups as well as during whole class discussions. Investigation skills are emphasized as students learn to ask relevant questions, make observations, take measurements, draw conclusions and evaluate experiments. These skills come together at the end of fourth grade when each student designs and execute their own investigation.

Upper-school science (grades 5-8)

The upper-school science curriculum incorporates units of Earth, Life, and Physical Science at each grade level. Each unit of study focuses on one of these three disciplines while drawing connections between the other two. The curriculum is sequential, developmental, and integrative. Students in the fifth grade are introduced to formal lab reports and begin to write up lab investigations more consistently by sixth grade. These reports help students refine their data gathering (measuring, graphing, observing), illustrating, and qualitative skills. Lab reports are evaluated based on students' ability to think and write critically. Students are asked to apply the standards of reasoning to the hidden hows and whys of an investigation.

Students receive handouts and supplemental material for most investigations. This material is generally produced for the specific investigation. Much of this supplemental material has been adapted from Project AIMS ( Activities to Integrate Mathematics and Science); GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science); The Exploratorium's Science Snack Book; and TOPS Learning Systems. Students may also receive a reference text to supplement the information presented in class. These may include many titles from the Prentice Hall Science series.

Upper-school students have an opportunity to explore units of study in more detail by designing independent projects in which they can apply the fundamental concepts of a particular unit of study. These projects typically range from one to three weeks in length. Projects take many forms ranging from narrated protozoan videos to electric cars, rockets, and functioning circulatory and respiratory systems.