Science Concepts
The Science curriculum at Bay County Academy is a hands-on
exploratory program that meets all of the Michigan Benchmarks
and Standards. Students perform experiments to better understand
scientific concepts. Some of the activities children do include
raising butterflies from caterpillars, growing a classroom garden,
going on observation walks, taking trips to the planetarium
and the zoo, performing chemistry experiments, building machines
and using microscopes to observe cells.
We have extensive science materials for teachers to perform
experiments and lab demonstrations. The teachers also use the
internet and textbook websites to integrate technology into
the curriculum. Frequently, Paragon, our Social Studies curriculum
includes historical information pertinent to current science
units or suggests an experiment related to the time and culture
the students are studying.
Elementary Level |
Intermediate Level |
Elementary Level
Each year the students on the elementary level complete two
units each of Life Science, Earth Science and Physical Science.
The units for each grade are as follows:
Kindergarten:
Animals
Plants
Earth’s Land, Air and Water
Weather
Objects Around Us
Investigating Water
First Grade:
Plants and Animals all Around
Living Together
About Our Earth
Weather and the Seasons
Matter and Energy
Energy and Forces
Second Grade:
Living Things Grow and Change
Homes for Living Things
Exploring Earth’s Surface
Space and Weather
Exploring Matter
Energy in Motion |
Third Grade:
Plants and Animals
Plants and Animals Interact
Earth’s Land
Cycles on Earth and in Space
Investigating Matter
Exploring Energy and Forces
Fourth Grade:
A World of Living Things
Looking at Ecosystems
Earth’s Surface
Patterns on Earth and in Space
Matter and Energy
Forces and Motion
Fifth Grade:
Processes of Living Things
Systems and Interactions in Nature
Processes that Change the Earth
The Solar System and beyond
Building Blocks of Matter
Energy and Motion |
Intermediate Level
In the middle school, our students continue their hands on
approach to science. The students use the Holt, Rinehart and
Winston text, SciencePlus: Technology and Society for their
instruction. This text is based on the Constructivist Learning
Model that encourages students to come to solutions based
on problem solving activities. A four step process is used for
instruction: Invitation to Learn, Exploration, Proposing Explanations
and Solutions, and Taking Action. Students are taught science
by allowing them to think, talk and write about what they
do
and discover. Again in middle school, students complete units
on Earth Science, Physical Science and Life Science. The units
are as follows
Level Green- Sixth Grade
Science and technology
Patterns if Living Things
It’s a Small World
Investigating Matter
Chemical Changes
Energy and You
Temperature and Heat
Our Changing Earth
Level Red- Seventh Grade
Interactions
Diversity of Living Things
Solutions
Force and Motion
Structures and Design
The Restless Earth
Toward the Stars
Growing Plants
Level Blue- Eighth Grade
Life Processes
Particles
Machines, Work, and Energy
Oceans and Climates
Electromagnetic Systems
Sound
Light
Continuity of Life
|
