SCIENCE
Upper School
The Science Department curriculum provides students with multiple and varied opportunities to explore the physical and natural worlds firsthand. Students acquire an understanding of the inherent value of the scientific method and knowledge of major scientific concepts. Additionally, students are encouraged to connect scientific principles to everyday experiences, incorporate mathematics into the study of science, write scientific reports and papers, present research to their peers, and evaluate society’s application of scientific discoveries. Instructional technological tools are used when they enhance the curriculum or allow students to employ alternative methods of experimentation and analysis.
The Science Department offers Upper School students courses in the fields of biology, chemistry, and physics. Scientific inquiry, creative problem-solving, mathematical analysis, and scientific writing are emphasized in the study of these disciplines. Students work in collaborative teams designing, conducting, and reporting on laboratory, field, and research investigations. Students use traditional lab equipment as well as electronic probes and sensors, graphing calculators, and computer software when collecting and analyzing experimental data. Intensive-level classes in biology, chemistry, and physics allow students to pursue topics in greater depth and require a higher level of independent problem-solving. As scientific literacy is a principal goal of the department, connections to current issues are woven into the curriculum of each course.
Middle School The Middle School curriculum introduces students to three major fields of science: life, earth, and physical. In the study of each of these disciplines, scientific inquiry and writing are emphasized. Students gain experience using scientific techniques that include making accurate observations, planning investigations, taking precise measurements, recording data neatly, creating meaningful charts and graphs, and communicating their findings clearly. All courses are activities based and stress the value of creative problemsolving and working cooperatively with peers. Science 6: Life Science Sixth-grade science is a life science course that introduces students to basic laboratory skills and scientific writing. In this course, students gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the living world around them and of the complex relationships and processes that exist in nature and within individual organisms. Topics include pond ecology, microscopy, cell structure and function, animal behavior, some human anatomy, and plants and plant reproduction. Students perform many activities, laboratory experiments, and research projects throughout the year. Science 7: Earth Science Seventh-grade science is an earth science course in which students explore Earth’s dynamic structure. This course emphasizes science as a process and continues to expand students’ experimental skills and report writing. Students work collaboratively on many labs and research projects throughout the year. Topics include seasons, lunar cycles, mapping the Earth’s surface, rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Science 8: Physical Science Eighth-grade science is designed to give students a foundation in physical science and to fine-tune their lab and writing skills. Through inquiry labs, problem-solving projects, and creative experimentation, students learn the basics of chemistry and Newtonian physics. Topics include measurement, matter, the atom, motion, forces, momentum, and energy.
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Biology Required course (Full year, 1 credit) Students in Biology develop critical-thinking skills and an ability to apply the scientific method through inquiry-based and teacher-directed labs, small-group activities, and student and teacher presentations. Students learn how to use spreadsheets and graphing software for data analysis and how to write formal lab reports. Content includes experimental design; the characteristics of living things; cell structure, function, and reproduction; DNA biology; genetics and evolutionary biology; and ecology and ecosystem functions. This course is also offered in an Intensive format. Chemistry (Full year, 1 credit) Chemistry is designed for students who have strong algebra skills. It has a laboratory-based curriculum intended to give students a working knowledge of general inorganic chemistry. Topics explored include the properties of matter; problem-solving using dimensional analysis; atomic structure; chemical nomenclature; writing, balancing, and predicting the products of chemical reactions; the mole concept; stoichiometry; the quantum model of atoms; chemical bonding; molecular structure; acid-base chemistry; and radioactivity. This course is also offered in an Intensive format. Prerequisites: Biology for all sections; also Algebra II for Intensive sections. Physics (Full year, 1 credit) Physics is designed for juniors and seniors and explores motion through the use of laboratory and problem-solving activities. The course begins with a thorough study of Newtonian mechanics, including one- and two-dimensional kinematics, forces, work, energy, and momentum. Simple harmonic motion (waves), optics, electricity, and magnetism are explored in the second semester, as time allows. Strong math and problem-solving skills are required. Note: This course is also offered in an Intensive format. Prerequisites: Chemistry and Algebra II. Environmental Science: Ecology (½ credit) With an extensive lab and field component, this seminar-style course brings together elements of biology and chemistry to teach students how ecosystems function. Topics include organization of the environment, flow of energy and matter, biogeochemical cycles, ecological pyramids, tolerance curves, evolution, population dynamics, ecological succession, and the geologic history of Maine. This course is offered only to juniors and seniors.
