Science courses at the middle school level are non-sequential and they are taught in a manner that provides students the maximum exposure to relevant concepts while igniting a curiosity to explore a specific topic in further detail. All courses are hands-on, and students are constantly researching, taking field trips to The Ruth Patrick Science Center at the University of South Carolina-Aiken, preparing and presenting projects, and doing lab experiments.

Earth Science

Textbook: Earth Science (Prentice Hall, 2001)

Earth Science is the study of several geological sciences that are concerned with the origin, structure and physical phenomena of the earth. The major topics explored are: Inside Earth, Earth’s Changing Surface, Earth’s Waters, Weather and Climate, Astronomy.

Students are assessed through their class participation, lab work, homework, research, quizzes, tests, and individual or group projects.

Life Science

Textbook: Exploring Life Science (Prentice Hall, 1999)

Life Science analyzes all living things on earth. This course is designed to be a pre-cursor to high school biology courses. The major topics explored are: Characteristics of Living Things, Monerans- Protists- Fungi and Plants, Animals, Human Biology, Heredity and Adaptation, Ecology.

Students are assessed through their class participation, lab work, homework, research, quizzes, tests, and individual or group projects.

Physical Science

Textbook: Physical Science (Prentice Hall, 2001)

Physical Science focuses on the analysis and study of matter, energy and the changes they undergo. The objective of this course is to teach the fundamentals that students will require in their future studies of Chemistry and Physics offered at the high school level. The major topics explored are: Chemical Building Blocks, Chemistry in Action, Motion-Forces and Energy, Sound and Light, Electricity and Magnetism.

Students are assessed through their class participation, lab work, homework, research, quizzes, tests, and individual or group projects.