Sandia Prep Curriculum Guide 2018 - 2019

SCIENCE
Sandia Prep endeavors to introduce
students, through comprehensive course
work, to the many facets of science. In
both middle and upper school, science
classes are taught using tradition principles
coupled with innovation and questionbased
thinking to prepare students to be
leaders in the 21st century.
In middle school, students begin their
journey gathering a fundamental
understanding of what science is
through the exploration of physical,
life, and Earth science. This foundation
emphasizes scientific theory and proper
lab techniques, as well as providing them
with hands-on experience through data
collection and analysis. Upper school
students are excited about moving
into specific areas of science, starting
with geology in 9th grade, where they
are provided a window into the past
through the vast geology of New Mexico.
Biology students study genetics, bacteria,
microscopy, photosynthesis, respiration,
and ecosystems. They are lead through a
variety of complex labs in chemistry class.
The physics curriculum allows students
the opportunity to not only learn how
something works, but physically apply
the theories that are studied in lecture. By
graduation, students are equipped to be
competitive in any science program at any
university.
19
Science 6 - General Lab Science
In this lab based foundation class, students
study a wide variety of topics in various
disciplines of science. Using examples
of work done by real-world scientists,
students model, question, interpret,
and analyze data sets and experiments
throughout the year. Practicing proper
lab techniques and scientific methods,
students acquire new laboratory skills and
increase confidence in their understanding
of science concepts, both locally and
globally. Projects include LEAP (Learning
the Ecosystems of Albuquerque Project),
which requires students to research a
specific species, its ecosystem, and how
environmental factors can affect things
such as behavior and migration; and
involvement in national and international
oceanic research project, which allows
students to work on current research
being conducted by international research
teams. At the end of the sixth grade year,
students have a strong foundation of skills
and content knowledge necessary for the
advanced science courses in upper school.
Science 7 - Life Science
The primary objective of the 7th grade
science program is for students to explore
biological communities and the roles of
living organisms. The class begins in the
school garden, with inquiry-driven field
ecology experiments on plants, pollinators,
ants, or soil. Students delve into botany by
germinating seeds, studying plant growth
and plant anatomy. With this foundation
students transition into ecosystem studies
of diverse microscopic pond life and the
intricate structures inside cells. The class