Elementary Science Program
Our elementary science curriculum places an emphasis on acquiring skills, knowledge, and attitudes toward science. Students are actively engaged in situations that begin with their questions and take them through the process of inquiry. Students gather information to help them find answers to their questions using the data they have collected.
The elementary science curriculum is also designed to align with the Performance Expectations as outlined by the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS). As recommended by the NYSSLS, students are not presented with instruction for one performance expectation in isolation. Instead, students use Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Cross-Cutting Concepts in varied combinations throughout each unit of study.
Science and Engineering Practices
The science and engineering practices mirror the practices of professional scientists and engineers. The use of the practices in the performance expectations is not only intended to strengthen students’ skills in these practices but also to develop students’ understanding of the nature of science and engineering. Listed below are the science and engineering practices from the Framework:
- Asking questions and defining problems
- Developing and using models
- Planning and carrying out investigations
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Using mathematics and computational thinking
- Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Engaging in argument from evidence
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas
The disciplinary core ideas are built on the notion of learning as a developmental progression. They are designed to help children continually build on and revise their knowledge and abilities, starting from their curiosity about what they see around them and their initial conceptions about how the world works. The goal is to guide their knowledge toward a more scientifically based and coherent view of the natural sciences and engineering, as well as of the ways in which they are pursued and their results can be used.
- Life Science
- Earth and Space Systems Science
- Physical Science
- Engineering Design
Crosscutting Concepts
The crosscutting concepts are meant to give students an organizational structure to understand the world and help students make sense of and connect disciplinary core ideas across disciplines and grade bands. They are not intended as additional content. Listed below are the crosscutting concepts from the Framework:
- Patterns
- Cause and Effect
- Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
- Systems and System Models
- Energy and Matter in Systems
- Structure and Function
- Stability and Change of Systems
Learn more about the K-8 Science curriculum:
High School Science Program
Faculty in the math, science and technology departments believe that every student can and will be successful in our courses. Completing assignments on time, seeking help when having difficulty and asking questions in class are the minimum expectations we have of our students.
The key to a student’s success is effort and working with their teacher to learn this challenging material.
Learn more about Science courses at the high school.
If at any time you would like to contact the math/science/technology department supervisor, call 518-861-8591, ext. 1041 or e-mail
piscitellim@guilderlandschools.org.