Science
Grade 7: Life Science
Life Science emphasizes the use of the scientific method and critical review of current scientific thought while exploring the fundamental principles of life on Earth. Through hands-on projects, students explore the use of energy and matter by living organisms, past and current schemes for classifying living organisms, the variety of life in Earth, and the relationship between structure and function. Students continue by exploring genetics, adaptation, and evolution. Finally, these topics and principles are applied and brought together during the study of ecology.
Grade 8: Earth Science
Earth Science emphasizes the use of the scientific method and researching scientific topics while studying the Earth from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Through hands-on projects and experiments students will focus on the interaction of geologic systems with atmospheric, hydrospheric, and biologic systems, including the interactions of humans and their planet. Topics range from the Santa Fe watershed, maps, rocks, weather, local New Mexico geologic features to unifying concepts such as plate tectonics, earth history, and evolution of life.