Welcome to the Science Department. We hope that this site will help you better understand our programs and course selections. For more information, contact you child’s school or Counseling Center.
NYS Educational Learning Standards for Science
The New York State Education Department has established learning standards for Science denoting the skills and abilities each student should attain at various levels of his or her education – elementary, middle and high school levels.
South Colonie Science Department Curriculum
Elementary School Science Education
Science in grades K-4 is studied for the appreciation of natural phenomena, an understanding of how scientific information is organized, and the experience of conducting investigations. To effect the science program, students are supplied with common textual material. The text series is comprehensive and spiral in nature, extending the study of various topics each year. These topic areas are:
- life sciences, including the study of plants, animals and ecology
- physical science, including the study of matter and energy
- earth science, including the study of the earth, space, and weather
Supplemental activities beyond the text also are part of the science curriculum. These activities include the study of ladybugs, butterflies, duck egg/chicken egg hatching, owl pellets and technology challenges.
Middle School Science Education
The goal of the Middle School Science program is to present students with Science experiences based on national, New York State and South Colonie Standards.
High School Science Education
High school students must complete 3 units in Science (including at least one course in life science, one in physical science, and a third in either life sciences or physical science) to complete the New York State’s requirements for earning a Regents or an Advanced Regents diploma.