Science
Overview
The purpose of science education is to produce individuals capable of understanding and evaluating information that is scientific in nature and of making decisions that incorporate that information. Science offers students the ability to access a wealth of knowledge and information which will contribute to an overall understanding of how and why things work the way they do.
AHSD25 provides students with science instruction beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through their 8th grade year. Elementary students experience science through Activate Learning PRIME. Throughout a year of study, K-5 students will cover three units: a life science, an earth science, and a physical science unit. Middle school students cover four different branches of science in a year: physical science, chemistry, life science, and earth science through the STCMS curriculum.
Standards
In February 2014, Illinois adopted Illinois Learning Standards for Science (ILS-Science), which and are based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). To see the complete scope and sequence for NGSS, please feel free to visit the NGSS website.
The ILS-Science are designed to help students acquire a deep understanding of core science and engineering content and ideas as well as experience applying that knowledge in any context. Students will demonstrate their scientific proficiency by engaging in practices that demonstrate the ability to apply scientific concepts.
Sean McGann
smcgann@sd25.org
Curriculum Coordinator
Math, Science, CTE
Resources
Next Generation Science Standards
Activate Learning PRIME & NGSS
Instruction
Elementary School
All grade 1 through grade 5 students experience science through the Activate Learning PRIME curriculum. The core philosophy behind Activate Learning PRIME is inquiry-based, student-centered learning, as students learn best while doing science rather than merely reading about science.
The student becomes a problem solver, builds the capacity to make observations, develops explanatory models based on their data, seeks and considers concepts and ideas related to those models, and sees new applications for them. In essence, the student becomes a junior scientist. (Chicago Educational Publishing Company, 2013).
Elementary Science Subjects by Trimester: