Form B Science Class
The Form B science course focuses on life science with students engaging in a variety of lab activities to present a broad view of life on Earth and the methods of biology. Students begin by studying the building block of life, the cell, and its components. They compare and contrast the similarities between plant and animal cells. Student look in depth at different types of plants and the energy-conversion process of photosynthesis. Students attend a field trip to the US Botanical Garden as a capstone to their plant unit. Students begin their animal study by looking at simple organisms like sponges and sea stars. They progress to looking at more complex invertebrates like insects. Finally they finish the year understanding various types of vertebrates. To understand better the similarities and differences between animal species, students dissect a variety of specimens ranging from the earthworm to the frog. Each student keeps a science binder with his lab observations and conclusions for each activity. In the spring, students work on science projects presented during the Lower School’s Science Week. Science meets three times in our seven-day cycle for the entire year.