Science is a tool used in everyday life by all people. One doesn't need to be a scientist in the formal sense, or to even be aware of using science, in order to use scientific methods. By developing key scientific skills and understandings, students have the ability to make informed decisions on major scientific issues that will have direct and indirect effects on their lives. The science curriculum is designed to give students an awareness of the influence of science in their lives, to spark their interest in science, and to broaden and deepen their understanding of scientific principles. The goal of the curriculum is to provide a solid foundation of understanding in these courses while building student enthusiasm for scientific inquiry and discovery. It is expected that our students will graduate fully prepared for rigorous high school level coursework at any school of their choice. Our science program has three major goals: 1) to impart key scientific skills and knowledge relevant to the natural world; 2) to endow students with a solid understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry; 3) to nurture students’ curiosity and confidence so that they will formulate their own questions and devise their own strategies for answering them. Science is presented as an exciting exploration of our world, and tremendous emphasis is placed on the relevance of science to our everyday lives. The overarching philosophy of The Bowman Preparatory Academy’s science program is that fun and relevance should motivate students to enjoy the study of science. Our science program emphasizes active participation. In other words, students “do” science. The teacher-guided nature of our explorations lends itself to students seeking their personal path to knowledge through their individual creative abilities. This approach allows students to not only find answers to scientific questions on their own, but also to develop more global problem-solving abilities. Cross-curricular activities are used in the science program whenever possible. This provides integration both across disciplines and between grade levels. Considerable time is spent examining the historical development of major scientific ideas as well as the societal impact of resulting technologies. During a student’s middle school journey, students revisit many scientific topics from different perspectives. This reinforces student mastery while broadening understanding through the integration of different branches of science. Our science curriculum is supported by Harcourt Science published by Harcourt School Publishers, 2008. 
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