Science

List of 5 items.

• Grade 5: Naturalist Studies

  Grade 5 Science introduces students to scientific inquiry as a process of asking questions, designing investigations, analyzing data, and constructing evidence-based explanations. Throughout the year, students take increasing ownership of their learning by refining research questions, identifying variables, and evaluating results. The year begins with Botany & Adaptations, where students examine plant structures, life cycles, and the relationship between form and function. In Kitchen Chemistry & Experimental Design, students investigate foundational chemistry concepts through controlled baking experiments, emphasizing fair testing, careful data collection, and clear communication of results in a formal lab report. The year concludes with Birds & Evolution, in which students design investigations to explore adaptation and evolutionary change, connecting scientific ideas to local NYC bird species and their environments. Across units, students strengthen skills in observation, data analysis, experimental design, and scientific communication while developing independence and confidence as young scientists.

• Grade 6: Investigative Science

  Grade 6 Science is a yearlong course in which students explore how the world works through hands-on activities, collaborative challenges, and discussions. The year is organized around three major units: Ecology, which explores how organisms are connected to each other and their physical environment; Physics and Engineering, which investigate force, motion, and simple machines through design and testing; and Water, Weather, and Climate. A central focus of the course is learning to think and write like a scientist. Students practice making inferences from careful observations and using specific evidence to support their claims. Scientific writing is emphasized throughout the year to help students communicate their reasoning clearly. By continually asking questions and testing ideas, they develop both scientific understanding and confidence in their ability to make sense of the world around them.

• Grade 7: Human Biology

  Grade 7 Life Science is a course in the study of living systems, from prokaryotic cells to complex multicellular organisms. Students begin the year with the cell as the basic unit of life, examining its structure and the role of genetic information in directing function. The course then progresses through increasing levels of biological organization to organ systems and whole organisms. The classroom environment fosters curiosity and encourages students to ask meaningful questions about living systems, particularly those connected to their own growth and experiences. As they investigate how major human systems function and work together to maintain homeostasis, students consider how biology shapes their daily lives. Through the study of Mendel’s pea plant experiments, they analyze patterns of inheritance and explore how genetic variation influences traits and development. Throughout the year, students engage in hands-on investigations that emphasize careful data gathering, analysis, and the formation of evidence-based conclusions. Modeling and experimentation clarify abstract biological concepts and reveal relationships within living systems. Through laboratory work, research projects, and presentations, students practice analyzing evidence and communicating scientific reasoning clearly.

• Grade 8: Earth Science

  Earth Science is an inquiry-based course that deepens understanding of what drives the ever-changing environments on our home planet. Through modeling, laboratory investigations, and data analysis, students construct evidence-based explanations of large-scale natural phenomena. Emphasis is placed on making inferences based on careful observations, recognizing connections across space and geologic time, and analyzing how energy drives change within and across Earth’s spheres. Students investigate phenomena such as changing seasons, plate tectonics, and the connection between energy resources and atmospheric composition. They will learn how things we take for granted as part of our daily material world connect us to Earth’s natural resources. By the end of the course students are able to scientifically and creatively explain interconnected physical processes that shape the planet, better understand current events in terms of geological context, and make informed decisions about the world around them.

• Grades 7-8: Science Research Elective

  If you're the kind of student who’s always asking “why?” or “what if?”, this is the class for you! MS Science Research (MSSR) is a yearlong elective where curiosity leads the way. You’ll dive into hands-on experiments, explore fascinating scientific phenomena beyond the regular curriculum, and work on long-term projects that let you investigate the questions that matter most to you. Whether you’re testing theories, building models, or chasing down answers about the natural world, this elective is all about exploring science in exciting, creative, and meaningful ways.