Science


Science is the struggle to find out about our created world.  It begins with awe, wonderment, and inquiry and ends in understanding and wisdom. It is a search for insight by those who are given the challenge to respond to and care for creation. 

kids with bugsWhat do I notice when I am attentive?
What is the nature of what I see, hear, and feel?
Why and for what purpose does this or that happen?
What created design, patterns, and order are evident?
Who and what benefit or suffer under these conditions?

As students closely observe their world with hearts, hands and mind, they become deeply engaged.  They raise questions, wrestle with contradictions and search for connections.  Inquiry becomes a habit of mind as students pay close attention, reflect and investigate. Disciplined thought develops as they gather and weigh evidence, imagine new possibilities and grasp their own callings to be responsible stewards in the created world.

Scientific Dimensions

science projectPhysical Science, K-8

Properties of Water
Simple Machines
Rocketry & Flight
Matter & Change (Pre-Chemistry)
Laws of Motion (Pre-Physics)
Electricity

Life Science, K-8

Plant Life Cycles
Animal Life Cycles
Pollution and Ecosystems
Human Body Systems
DNA & Cell Biology

Earth Science, K-8

Earth Materials and Movements
Rocks and Minerals
Oceans and Navigation
Air and Water Pollution
Solar Energy
Astronomy & the Solar System

Scientific Habits of Mind

At Mustard Seed, scientific inquiry encourages the practice of important habits of mind.  Students, through the study of science, will:

  • systematically pay attention to their experience and wonder.
  • investigate situations and ask questions formally and informally.
  • gather, consider, and weigh evidence in disciplined ways.
  • take on difficult problems and persevere in their attempt to reach solutions.
  • imagine new perspectives and invent new possibilities.
  • respond to their experience with a sense of stewardship, care, responsibility and respect for God’s creation.

Our Commitments

  • At Mustard Seed, students are actively involved in the scientific process – questioning and investigating rather than just passively listening and recording. 
  • At Mustard Seed, students communicate and collaborate to further their learning of science and technology.  The practice of working in groups to describe problems, gather evidence, design solutions, and represent observations and ideas in writing is common in our classrooms.
  • At Mustard Seed, students consider their moral responsibilities in the world as stewards of creation.
  • At Mustard Seed, students observe the world at close range.  Within the “concrete jungle” special effort is made to travel extensively to pursue scientific study in the field.  Destinations include:

 

Pocono Mountains (Outdoor Education at Spruce Lake, grades 6-8)
Lancaster Farms
Voyage on the Clearwater (Hudson River Sailing)
Meadowlands
Botanical Gardens
Palisades Park (Annual Hudson Hike, K-3)
Cold Springs Harbor DNA Lab