Science
Students are introduced to the skills and processes of science in an experiential, hands-on program that spirals in complexity throughout their years at Keys. To enhance the learning experience, the program is driven by student-led inquiries. During the middle school years, we introduce the students to a variety of topics in Earth, Physical, and Life Science areas. The curriculum is arranged so that students sequentially build on their knowledge from year to year. The scientific content is often integrated with the reading and study skills that students need to excel in high school.
Kindergarten
Process/Skills
- »Observation & sorting
- » Trees
- » Five senses
- » What is alive?
Earth Science
- »Earth's features
- » Science of sound
- » Simple machines
- » Magnets
First Grade
Process/Skills
- » Classification
- » Finding patterns in nature
- » Life cycles & butterflies
- » Garden plants & animals
Earth Science
- » What's in the garden soil?
- » The Sun, moon, & stars
- » Properties of matter
- » Magnets
Second Grade
Process/Skills
- »Asking questions & making predictions
- » Local watershed
- » Ecology
- » Rainforest
- » Habitats
Earth Science
- » Water pollution & solutions
- » Rocks
- » Fossils & dinosaurs
- » Properties of water
- » Machines & motion
Third Grade
Process/Skills
- »Measurement & graphing
- » The human body
- » Ornithology
Earth Science
- » Weathering & erosion
- » Planets & the solar system
- » Volcanoes
- » Properties of air
- » Electricity
Fourth Grade
Process/Skills
- » The Scientific Method
- » Summarizing data in tables & diagrams
- » History of science
- » Coastal ecology
- » Marine mammals
- » Desert ecology
- » Sex education
Earth Science
- » California landforms
- » Weather & water
- » Natural resources & energy
- » Basic chemistry
- » Astronomy: relative position, forces, & motion
Fifth Grade
Process/Skills
- » Observation skills
- » Experiment design
- » Data collection
- » Graphing & visuals
- » Research skills
- » Using scientific tools
- » Cells
- » Classification of animals
- » STEP: salmon & trout education project
Earth Science
- »Weathering & erosion
- » Physical properties of water
- » Physical properties of energy
Sixth Grade
Process/Skills
- » Cause & effect
- » Note taking
- » Brainstorming
- » Double-entry journals
- » PowerPoint presentations
-
Ecology & the human body
Earth Science
- » Interior of the Earth
- » Minerals & rocks
- » Rock cycle
- » Bridges
- » States of matter
- » Periodic table
Seventh Grade
Process/Skills
- » Use appropriate tools/technologies to perform experiments using print and electronic resources
- » Construct maps, models, and diagrams to communicate scientific knowledge
- » Ocean invertebrates
- » Sex education
Earth Science
- » Plate tectonics
- » Earthquakes & volcanoes
- » Geothermal energy
- » Light
- » Physical properties of the ocean
- » Chemistry
Eighth Grade
Process/Skills
- » Scientific method developed further
- » Microbiology techniques
- » Centrifuge, aseptic techniques
- » Research process
- » Evolution
- » Plant classification
- » FAST plants
- » Heredity, genetics
- » Bioengineering
Earth Science
- » Archeology
- » Geologic timeline & fossils
- » Simple machines
- » Motion & forces
- » Chemistry