Middle Elementary: "The First Great Lesson"

Science in Middle Elementary lends itself to the study of the world around us and the laws of the universe. The first Great Lesson, "The Formation of the Universe," introduced students to the states of matter and how varying degrees of heat and cold affect these states by performing simple experiments on readily available materials. 

Did you know that without grasses there would be no human civilization beyond the hunter/gatherer?  Botany has included the study of grasses and grains, and extended that study to their importance to human agriculture and civilization. The study of the water cycle also contributes to knowledge about the effect of water, or its lack, on different biomes, and how that has affected the migration and settlement of animals and humans around the world. Biology has included the Time Line of Life and the interconnectedness of plant and animals, predator and prey.

Students receive a lesson about spiders while observing one on our campus.

Our lovely campus gives ample opportunity to observe and study seasonal changes throughout the year. Autumn gives a window on seeds and their dispersal patterns, and the meaning of the terms viability, latency, and dormancy.  We contrast coniferous and deciduous trees and flowering plants.  We have looked at spiders and webs and discussed differences between arthropods and arachnids. Fungi growing on decaying logs in the woods led to a lesson on the rusts, smuts, molds, mildews, and mushrooms that comprise this group of plants.

Our campus and our classroom let nature come inside!