By the time they arrive at Primary Day most children have, by conservative estimate, asked “Why?” at least a thousand times. And if you’re a Primary Day STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teacher, that’s a very good thing, because the innate curiosity and sense of wonder children bring with them to school provide fertile ground for our science curriculum. The curriculum is built around questions—questions such as What’s going on here? (observation), What other thing is like this? (classification), and What do you think will happen if you try this? (hypothesis). Those questions are at the core of that time-honored process we call the Scientific Method.
We are firm believers that the best way to learn science is to do science.
Students practice scientific problem-solving by doing experiments in small groups in the science lab. Or they venture outside to get their feet wet, doing hands-on projects in and around the school. In Pre-K, students use the Eco-Wonder curriculum which has a team-building and experiential approach with units focusing on gardening, recycling, composting, Earth Science, simple machines, chemistry, and ecosystems. Students learn about sustainability in the context of their lives and how it can better the world at large.
STEM is Primary Day’s integrated, hands-on and collaborative approach to teaching science in Kindergarten through Grade 2. The science lab is home to the engineering center where students work with units from the Boston Museum of Science’s “Engineering is Elementary” curriculum. They build bridges, clean oil spills, pollinate, make better playdough, and create windmills as they explore the engineering design process: ask, imagine, plan, create, improve.
Our teachers make STEM lessons exciting and relevant for students using SMART boards, interactive websites, iPads, robotics, LEGOs, games and myriad building materials.
Inside or outside the classroom, our science curriculum taps students’ sense of wonder, helps them better understand the world around them, and lays the foundation for a lifelong appreciation of what science contributes to their lives.
