» Science I, II And III- An Interdiciplinary Exploration Of SCIENCE
Science I, II and III- An interdiciplinary exploration of SCIENCE
Middle and Upper School Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Program
The CSS Middle School STEM Program has five primary components:
a) Science sequence: Science I, II (Living Environment) and III (Earth Science each year-long courses;
b) Engineering sequence: Engineering I, II and III each year-long courses
c) Math sequence: Math I, II (Pre-Algebra), III (Algebra) each year long courses
d) the Electives courses - currently including a dozen, semester long courses
e) the June Minisemester field expeditions courses - month-long thematic courses organized into "in the city", "sustainability", and "study abroad"
The program is also supported by INQUIRY and ARGUMENTS skills courses in our social studies and philosophy curriculum (see Philosophy curriculum for additional details).
Together, the science program at CSS represents the most ambitious and diverse set of science, math and technology course offerings of any school in the city. In any given year, a CSS lower school student may take as many as 5 courses that focus on science, math and engineering, 4 of which would have significant laboratory or field research components.
The Science Program is interdisciplinary in nature and centers around big questions and theories in science. It has extensive experiential, hands-on, experimental and inquiry based components. Field trips and laboratory activities are common including trips to the American Museum of Natural History, the Bronx and Brooklyn Botanical gardens, and the Bronx Zoo. Field expeditions to the Catskills, Jamaica Bay Estuary, Maine, Puerto Rico and Chile provide students with unique opportunities to explore a wide variety of ecosystems.
The STEM Program's philosophical framework is as follows:
1) STEM content knowledge should focus on big ideas and questions - "depth is more important than breadth"
2) STEM is more than just a body of knowledge - it is, even more fundamentally, a way of seeing and thinking about the world
3) Students need to learn to ask good questions and the skill of inquiry
4) Scientific thinking is value ladden - these values include: intellectual courage; skepticism; confidence in the utility of logic, reason and evidence; intellectual humility; critical inquiry, and critical thinking
5) Experiencing science is the key to learning science - by interacting with real natural phenomena and using scientific instrumentation, practicing field and laboratory science activities and project students learn to do science
6) Math is both a unique language and a way of seeing the world. Our math program teaches students how to utilize arithmetic skills, estimation, graphing, geometric and algebraic equations to understand, model, and predict real world phenomena.
Middle School Core Program
Science: As Robert Park wrote recently in the New York Times, "The greatest discoveries of science have always been those that forced us to rethink our beliefs about the universe and our place in it." The best scientists, using the full arsenal of tools at their disposal, including those of mathematics and language, look to not only see the world around them in new and interesting lens, but be able to share and discuss with their community of peers as well. At CSS-MSE science is taught authentically, that is, with an eye to the feeling and sense of discovery that has so often been dissected from the science textbooks that too many of us were brought up memorizing and reciting. Our sequence grounds our students in life and physical sciences in heavy conjunction with our unique and excellent engineering program and numerous science-related electives. Students take the challenging Regents exams in Living Environment and Earth Science in 7th and 8th grades, paving the path to AP Biology in 9th. We refuse to 'teach to the test', knowing that research is overwhelmingly on our side in showing that authentic knowledge is built through focusing on big questions and laboratory and field experiences.
Science I, II, III - is three year interdisciplinary sequence that uses Science PLUS by McFadden and Yager (Holt, Rinehart and Winston), the most highly rated middle school science textbook in the United States. The core science curriculum includes biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and environmental science. By the end of the sequence students should be able to successfully pass the Regents Living Environment and Earth Science examinations, and be able to enroll in 9th grade in advanced level Biology and Physics courses.
Science I A hands-on introduction to science process and research skills. Students utilize the habits of mind and the nature of science as they explore the life and physical sciences through hands-on learning activities, design and implementation of scientific investigations and analysis of secondary data sets. Considerable time will be spent in laboratory investigations and performing data analysis. Units of study include: bacteria and microbes, atomic theory, properties of matter, density, chemical and physical changes, energy conversions, thermal energy and heat transfer, cell structure and regeneration, sexual and asexual reproduction, and human body systems.
Science II - Living Environment-Regents - In the second half of the two year course, students will continue their path and heighten their skills inside the classroom and outside in the field through ideas as diverse as the energy pyramid and communities, evolution and genetics, solutions, plants and energy (as it appears in both sciences). This course may end with students taking the Regents Living Environment exam.
Science III: Earth Science-Regents: The field of Earth Science draws from the skills of many other sciences (especially chemistry and physics) as well as a set all its own. Students will learn this skill set, becoming proficient in the art of map-reading, rock and mineral identification and stratification as well as chemical structures and the physics of light and seismic waves in astronomy and seismology, respectively. Students will take a Regents Exam at the end of the year.
Middle School Electives
Genetics
How do you get your father’s brown eyes, your mother’s curly hair, your father’s interest in music, your mother’s ability in math? We may have HEARD of genes, but what are they, really, and how do our parents pass theirs to us? In the Genetics elective, we’ll learn how inheritance functions and how the environment plays its part. We’ll have DNA and protein models to work with, and we’ll perform sophisticated scientific experiments at the Harlem DNA lab. By the end of the semester, we’ll have a real handle on the “mystery” of Genetics, one of the newest areas of science.
Astronomy
Astronomy will be a course that uses observations in our classroom, partnerships with local observatories and organizations, and pictures from different satellites to gain knowledge of the Sun, our solar system, and the galaxies beyond. Particular attention will be paid to light and how astronomers use the spectrum to gain even deeper knowledge about our universe.
Bioethics
“Bioethics” is a very broad topic covering a diverse set of philosophical issues, but currently the “hot” issue is access to health care. Almost 50 million people in the United States have limited or no access to health care. The most debated political topic in the country right now is how we are going to rectify this problem. In this class, we will explore the many social, political, economic, and philosophical issues that surround this topic. Particular attention will be paid to issues of social justice.
Green Science
In this course we will explore actions we can take to leave our planet in better shape than we found it. Through community explorations, field lessons, global student exchanges and many more activities, we will explore how we can impact our families, school, neighborhood community and New York City… in other words, our world! We all play a part in improving the environment. In this course, we will see firsthand how making small changes in our everyday habits and the way that we interact with our community has a HUGE impact on our surroundings. EMPOWER yourself, take action to educate others—youth activists can and DO change the world!
Compare your daily activities to taking a walk on a dirt path. As you walk along the path, you leave tracks behind you—your walk impacts the environment you are in. In a similar way, the activities you take part in every day impact your environment. Just like a walk through the forest, you leave a trail behind you, even though it’s a little harder to see. Scientists call this your “footprint.” Have you ever wondered about the size of your footprint? Have you thought about how the foods you eat, the length of your morning shower and other choices you make without thinking too much are impacting lives of people, animals and plants all over the world? The footprint of our way of life influences the lives of people in other countries and future generations. Some of those influences will last forever. Let’s explore the consequences of our lifestyles, and how we can positively influence the lives of others.
Neuroscience
This course will focus on current findings in the field of neuroscience and what insights into ourselves we can glean from them. Students will learn about the basic structures in the brain and how they work as well as interact with eachother and the rest of the body. They will then examine certain phenomena, such as premonitions and gut reactions, and learn about the theories neuroscientists have created to explain them. They will also have opportunities to apply what they have learned about the brain to explain certain phenomena, like optical illusions, themselves. In addition, students will learn how to maximize their learning and processing power, gain insights into their current experience of life and even question the nature of reality itself.
Biodiversity of NYC
Course Overview: With increasing concerns over the loss of global biodiversity it is becoming progressively more important to understand what biodiversity is and what affects it; there is a direct relationship between people’s knowledge of the environment and its sustainability. To protect biodiversity people must first acquire an understanding and a connection for what they are protecting. This course will attempt to help student’s develop this connection and an appreciation for the vast amount of life in their own backyard, through an investigation of the biodiversity of the New York Metropolitan Area. Course Objective: The course explores and develops an understanding of key concepts that relate to biodiversity, through an examination of what biodiversity is, what threatens its stability, and actions that students can take to preserve it. With emphasis on learning through direct experiences, students will engage in field observations and data collection which extend beyond the classroom. Students will also gain a deeper connection of the environment around them and enhance writing skills through self reflection and analysis as they engage in those field observations
Marine Biology
An exploration of the major marine species and ecosystems with a focus on tropical and Northeastern habitats. Students do an in-depth study of two major taxonomic groups (a representative vertebrate and invertebrate) and one major ecosystem (coral reefs, mangrove swamps, muddy benthic, rocky intertidal, Kelp forest, sandy beaches, deep sea vents, and bathypelagic zone). Students dissect representative marine organisms including mussels, oysters, clams, lobsters, shirmp and crabs, sea-urchin and seastars, bony fish and shark. Students develop an understanding of marine organisms behavior, social organization, ecological relationships and environmental problems affecting marine ecosystem diversity. Course includes fieldtrips to representative local ecosystems.
Orienteering and Outdoor Survival
Architecture
Architecture and design concepts will be introduced through a series of studio exercises building graphic literacy both in reading and producing blueprints of various object prototypes. Additionally, the class will learn about notable designers, architects, and famous buildings through which key figures, construction methods, and famous built forms will be established. These initial explorations prepares the students for designing two culminating design projects: their dream bedroom and an urban park playground. Examining their investigations, combined with those of their fellow students, the students will assimilate the essential elements of the professional practice of architecture and its players, prototypes, and principles. On the way through these explorations students will be encouraged to analyze the art behind construction and the rationale of good design.
Human Evolution
This course will discuss how humans evolved to become what we are today, based on How Humans Evolved by Robert Boyd and Joan Silk at UCLA. We will begin by discussing how evolution works as a general concept. Once we have a solid grasp on the basics of evolution we will discuss primate ecology and behavior. This will give us the foundation to transition smoothly into the history of the human lineage allowing us to fully dissect the evolution of modern humans, on which the majority of the course time will be spent. Genetic diversity, behavior, language, and evolutionary psychology will be major foci of discussions. The course grade will be based primarily on a midterm, final, project, and paper.
Advanced Math - Geometry
High School level Regents test introduction to 2-dimensional geometry.
Logic and Math Puzzles
Everyone’s heard about Sudoku. But there are many more kinds of Japanese logic puzzle (some of which are much more fun!). In this course we’ll begin by learning a few of them. Logic is more than just fun and games. It's the backbone of philosophy and science. In each case we ask which conclusions follow logically from what we already know or can observe directly. So after we get good at solving the puzzles, we’ll use them to help us understand what exactly we’ve learned how to do, and why it’s so important.Naturally one of our tasks will be to crown a champion puzzle solver. In addition, however, students will learn:
– the concepts of deduction and formal abstraction
– the concepts of argument and proof, and their uses in math and science
– logical rules and techniques, such as modus ponens and proof by contradiction
– the connection between logic and rationality: why be “logical”?
– how to detect and avoid logical fallacies (mistakes in reasoning)
– and we’ll finish with an introduction to philosophical logic – including (time permitting) the strange story of how a special kind of logical puzzle (called a paradox) tormented early 20th century philosophers, and what they did about it.
Students who take this course (and work hard!) will be well prepared for a rigorous introductory course in philosophical logic which may be offered in the future.
Sustainability
The STAR elective, a continuation of the STAR (StudenT AmbassadoR) summer program, aims to engage and empower CSS students to act as environmental engineers, stewards, and community leaders. The course will further student’s knowledge of sustainability, touching upon topics such as renewable energy, carbon emissions, waste reduction, and preservation of the natural environment. Content will be imparted to the students via lectures, documentaries, and field trips. Students will be asked to relate issues of sustainability to the needs of their own community and articulate through presentations and proposals how to implement steps that will make a difference for the environment. An additional aspect of this course will be the continued maintenance and development of the engineering projects that the students have built over the summer. The elective will conclude with an independent project in which students will build models of their ideal, sustainable community which will reflect the knowledge and skills learned during the class.
June Mini-semester
Travel Abroad courses
6th grade- Puerto Rico - Island Biodiversity
7th grade - Natural History of Northeastern Seaboard
8th grade - Natural History and Anthropology of Mexico
Sustainability themes courses
6th grade - Water
7th grade - Energy
8th grade - Food
"In the City" themed courses
6th grade - Architecture in the City
7th grade - Nature in the City
8th grade - History in the City
Upper School Science Sequence
9th - Biology - AP/Regents and Conceptual Physics
10th - Chemistry - AP/Regents or AP Biology or AP Environmental Science
11th - Physics - AP/Regents or AP Chemistry or AP Environmental Science
12th - Columbia University Science courses
Upper School Electives
Philosophy of Science
Science and Pseudoscience - why do people believe in weird things!
The Big Questions of Science
Great ScienceLiterature
The Lives of Scientists
The Big Unknowns of Science - unresolved questions for future scientists
