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The SPS Science curriculum offers progressive learning in all three major fields of scientific study: physical, earth, and life sciences. Key subject areas are revisited annually with increasing complexity as students advance in grade level. A dedicated STEAM committee explores new avenues each year for additional learning in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math.
Curriculum highlights include:
- Mastery of the Scientific Method: Inquire, Research, Hypothesize, Experiment, Analyze and Conclude.
- Discrepant demonstrations to introduce new science concepts and challenge student knowledge of scientific principles
- Introduction of Science in Kindergarten
- Weekly labs in the higher grades designed to promote mastery of key science concepts
- Progressively more complex hands-on projects and experiments beginning in the Lower Grades. Examples include:
- Grades 1-4
- Major organ introduction through “Paper People”
- Building and study of various models including animal habitats, human bones and lungs, plant & animal cells, and amusement parks (to study gravity and potential and kinetic energy)
- Plant Web Quest highlighting growth, survival and reproduction
- “Hurricane" tracking using latitude/longitude coordinates and hurricane "safe house" modeling to analyze the effects of water and wind on house strength
- Experiments demonstrating electrical circuits, static electricity, magnetism, liquid density, force, buoyancy, changing states of matter, and friction’s effect on moving objects
- Grades 5-8:
- Hydroponic lab activities
- Bone density experiments
- DNA modeling
- Rocket construction, launch and analysis
- Sound wave study
- Trebuchet and catapult testing
- Hot air balloon experiments (study of gas laws)
- "Tower of Power" experiments (study of tensile and shearing forces)
- Fossil casting
- Study of internal organs using life-size human model
