Elementary School Science
Flagstaff Academy is proud of its inquiry based, hands-on approach to learning science. In addition to practicing science in the classroom, students in kindergarten through fifth grade rotate weekly into our designated Science Lab. In Science Lab, students use the process of science to understand the world around them, learn to think critically, and develop the confidence to apply these skills in their everyday lives. To further the understanding that science is all around us, Science Lab takes place in our dedicated science lab as well as our outdoor classroom, greenhouse, and organic teaching garden. Science instruction is aligned to Colorado Academic Standards and incorporates literacy, geography, history and art.
The Science Lab teacher collaborates with the greenhouse and classroom teachers to increase depth of knowledge for students. Science lab provides an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the students' understanding of concepts and encourages a thirst for scientific exploration. Examples of innovative units include:
- Kinesthetic astronomy
- Third grade field trip to Bird Conservatory of the Rockies to study bird ecology and migration
- Study of the symbolic monarch butterfly migration with the help of Journey North
- Dissection of a barn owl pellet, using findings to create a food web
- Study of North American pika culminating in presentation of student research at annual pika conference with scientists from University of Colorado Boulder
-
Place-based education program centered around watershed science which includes a visit from the Mobile Earth Space Observatory
