Scientists learn to measure with precision. Math is integrated heavily into the science curriculm.
Students learn to set up experiments, work with scientific tools, and record data accurately. They also work extensively in groups.
We work on practical solutions to real world problems: wind power.
Lab safety is paramount.
When the mushrooms pop, Cerrito hits the park and practices classification.
These two were SO close to building a successful model of the mystery tube. Persist! You can do it!
Drawing our ideas

Scientists in Cerrito Creek develop scientific habits through extensive reading, writing, mini-lessons, short films (Brainpop is an oft-used resource), and laboratory practice. Collaborative small group work is the norm, and teachers scaffold these by assigning roles, providing rubrics, and emphasizing goal-setting and reflection. We use Lawrence Hall of Science’s FOSS kits, which are both materials and curriculum that support the NEXT Generation Science Standards

Much of our curriculum comes from our FOSS kits, designed at Lawrence Hall. Here’s an image from the website that helps explain the flow of a typical lesson.

2018-19

I. Electricity and Magnetism–many hands-on labs, a trip to the Exploratorium, and culminating in a “gizmo” project

  1. Energy and Circuits
  2. The Force of Magnetism
  3. Electromagnets
  4. Energy Transfer
  5. Waves

II. Astronomy–it’s stellar.

  1. The Sun
  2. Planetary Systems
  3. Earth’s Atmosphere
  4. Heating Earth
  5. Water Planet

III. Anatomy–including a week of puberty education with Jennifer Devine

  1. Systems of the body
  2. Health and fitness
  3. Active research project

The Cross-Cutting Concepts that give us a lens to see the connection between all scientific domains are:

Patterns. Observed patterns of forms and events guide organization and classification, and they prompt questions about relationships and the factors that influence them.

Cause and effect. Mechanism and explanation. Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted. A major activity of science is investigating and explaining causal relationships and the mechanisms by which they are mediated. Such mechanisms can then be tested across given contexts and used to predict and explain events in new contexts.

Scale, proportion, and quantity. In considering phenomena, it is critical to recognize what is relevant at different measures of size, time, and energy and to recognize how changes in scale, proportion, or quantity affect a system’s structure or performance.

Systems and system models. Defining the system under study—specifying its boundaries and making explicit a model of that system—provides tools for understanding and testing ideas that are applicable throughout science and engineering.

Energy and matter. Flows, cycles, and conservation. Tracking fluxes of energy and matter into, out of, and within systems helps one understand the systems’ possibilities and limitations.

Structure and function.  The way in which an object or living thing is shaped and its substructure determine many of its properties and functions.

Stability and change. For natural and built systems alike, conditions of stability and determinants of rates of change or evolution of a system are critical elements of study.

Next Generation Science Standards, April 2013

 

2019-20

I. Chemistry

Know – The universe is composed of matter & energy.

Understand – Energy changes form: chemical, kinetic, heat, etc.

Do – Identify chemical vs. physical changes in matter.

II. Marine Biology

Know – Most of the ocean fisheries in the world are depleted or severely threatened due to overfishing, bycatch, or habitat loss.

Understand – the ocean into various zones in which different ecosystems thrive based on temperature, sunlight, and pressure

Do – dissect a squid, identify its parts, and name their function

III. Engineering

Know – Fair tests have variables that are controlled. Failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Understand – Solutions are defined by specific criteria for success and constrained by materials, time, and cost

Do – Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.