Science
The Lower School science program is designed to help students connect with, make sense of, and care for the natural world. The program builds on the students’ inherent curiosity about the world around them and helps them develop an appreciation for the beauty and wonder of science. Students explore earth, physical, and life sciences, and learn to ask and consider big questions, such as: “How does the world work? How do we know what we claim to know? How are we connected to and dependent on the world around us? And, how can science and engineering help us imagine a more sustainable and just future?
To the extent possible, the program focuses on doing science; students engage in real-life, authentic experimentation and investigation to build their understanding of disciplinary core ideas and science and engineering practices. Students learn to make careful observations, ask important questions, test their thinking, and follow the evidence, as they attempt to construct an accurate understanding of how the world works. Students are taught to think critically, examine preconceived ideas, build models, develop well-argued explanations, and engage in critique and evaluation as they assess possible solutions and ideas.
The School’s ultimate goal is for students to leave the program equipped with the knowledge, skills, understandings, and habits of mind to confront the challenges ahead, make informed and ethical decisions, and be responsible stewards of the natural world.