Science

Each middle school science course integrates the traditional Life Science, Earth Science, and Physical Science curriculum. The overall goal for the middle school Science program is that all students will achieve scientific literacy that will enable them to use and understand Science in every-day life.

Life Science 7 is the study of living things from the tiniest cell to the largest tree. In this course, students will discover: (a) How to ask questions about the living world around them (b) The tools scientists use in their work (c) The similarities and differences of living things

Life Science 7 Honors is a year course with a focus on life science. Students investigate the complementary nature of structure and function in living things. They explore the systems of the human body and how humans are influenced by their environment. The course content has been aligned with the California State Science Content Standards.

The interaction of matter and energy is the focus of study for Physical Science 8. In this course, students will discover: the nature of motion, forces, and energy; the energy of sound and light; how light is used to measure objects in the universe; how matter is defined; and how energy changes matter.

Physical Science gives students a beginning knowledge of physical science and the means by which scientific knowledge is acquired. Students will learn problem-solving and critical analysis, scientific observation, design of experiments, collection of experimental data, mathematical computations, and the correlation of abstract ideas with concrete examples. Measurement, estimation, and experimental error analysis are stressed. The laboratory activities on properties of matter are organized to lead the student toward the conceptual development of an atomic model of matter.