Science

6th Grade

Overview: In 6th grade, students will explore Earth’s place within our universe in addition to our place as humans on Earth. This will include introductory topics in physics as we explore how gravity affects Earth’s rotation and our orbit around the sun. Students will actively utilize our HyLab to create scale models of astrological matter and experiment with a variety of forces and conditions that may alter conditions in space, and on Earth. We will then take a closer look at geological and biological resources on our planet and how they support life. In the Spring, students will further study how resources are utilized by humans around the world as they prototype sustainable solutions for the future of our planet and living organisms.

In their first year of science at Hyla, students will begin to build a foundation for how to understand science and conduct experiments that follow the scientific method. We will build skills in scientific literacy and explore what it means to conduct a controlled experiment that can generate reliable results. Students will utilize data to make graphs and learn how to create tables and charts to communicate their findings with others. This course is a place where questions are encouraged and mistakes are simply an opportunity to generate new ideas and problem-solve with the support of others.

Student Skills:

Learning through inquiry
Collaboration and teamwork
Accessing and analyzing information
Materials management and organization
Oral and written communication
Critical thinking

Academic Skills:

Scientific Method
Data collection and analysis
Engineering design process
Mathematical modeling
Scientific literacy
Design thinking

Units of Study:

Earth’s Place in the Universe
- The solar system, stars and navigation, the formation of Earth
Earth’s Systems
- Weather, water, nutrient cycles, climate change
A Human Planet
- Living organisms, human population growth, allocation of resources
Geology
- Earth’s transformation over time; past, present and future
Resource Management
- Water, agriculture, renewable and nonrenewable resources, sustainable use
Engineering Design
- Introduction to design thinking and lab development

7th Grade

Overview: In 7th grade science, we explore topics within life sciences, gaining a better understanding of the world around us and ourselves. From observing how animals interact with each other within the fields and forests surrounding our campus, to how we as humans take care of our bodies. Seventh grade science will be filled with opportunities to gain a greater depth of knowledge for who we are as humans, and what we need to survive. We’ll examine both macro and microbiology, allowing students the opportunity to work with an array of materials and devices in our HyLab to examine cells, experiment with plant growth, dissect specimens, and use our 3D-printer to prototype advancements in artificial limbs. The year will culminate with a project-based unit on biotechnology and how human life can and could be supported in space.

In this lab-based course, students will continue to build on their skills to design and conduct laboratory experiments, and learn how to communicate their findings from scientific experiments in a clear and accurate way. This course creates an opportunity for students to utilize previous knowledge from an array of disciplines and look at life on a biological level, like learning how diseases spread centuries ago compared to now. We’ll take time to reflect on our own behaviors as adolescent humans and analyze how this varies from other animals. Students will conduct studies into how we define health and take care of our bodies and minds, and will share their findings and goals for healthy lifestyles with our school community through a health and wellness fair.

Student Skills:

Critical thinking
Collaboration and teamwork
Materials management and organization
Oral communication skills
Mindfulness, reflection, journaling
Self-assessments

Academic Skills:

Lab development
Data analysis
Mathematical Modeling
Engineering design process
Connection between self and science
Proper use of scientific language
Relationship between structure and function

Units of Study:

Ecology
- Characteristics of Life, biodiversity, symbiotic relationships, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
Cells
- Diffusion, cellular structure, cellular transport, endosymbiont theory
Introductory Genetics
- Mendel’s peas, heredity, punnett squares
Health & Wellness
- Nutrition, metabolic processes, fitness, mindfulness, goal setting, reflection
Natural Selection
- Survival of the fittest, genetic variation, artificial selection
Biotechnology
- Intersection of technology & life, robotic limbs, supporting human life in space

8th Grade

Overview: Eighth grade is an exciting year in science in which we fine-tune skills in scientific thinking while studying topics in chemistry, physics and biology. This course will explore atomic structures and how molecules react with one another through a series of lab-based experiments. After exploring chemical reactions at the molecular levels, we’ll revisit life science to explore chemical reactions that occur within our bodies, and reactions that take place in plants. With a foundational knowledge in molecules and their properties, we’ll take a closer look at the molecular structure of DNA through a series of experiments that mimic the processes scientists experimented with when they first discovered DNA’s structure. During the second half of the year we will pivot to physics, an opportunity for students to showcase their skills as experimental scientists as they ask questions, design experiments, and analyze results to test how motion, energy and force affect events on Earth.

This course is designed to utilize and enrich the skills and scientific practices students have been building in the preceding two years. Students will engage in iterating cycles of planning and conducting investigations, collecting and analyzing data, and using models to demonstrate their scientific thinking. Following this cycle, students will construct scientific explanations and arguments to communicate their findings. The goal of this course is to give students the opportunity to showcase their skills as experimental scientists as they ask questions, collaborate, design experiments, analyze results and communicate their findings. They will be prepared with both skills and content knowledge to make a smooth transition to lab-based science and engineering courses at the high school level.

Student Skills: