Fifth Grade
The
students will begin the school year working on scientific
investigation. They will be learning the steps and uses of the
scientific method and how it applies to their discovery of new
information. Students will complete hands on labs to demonstrate
their understanding of the topic. Then the students will start
one of the three scientific inquiry kits. The first
investigation will be on Weather. They will learn information on
weather verses climate, forecasting, data collection, high and
low air pressure, weather maps, weather fronts, clouds, water
cycle, hurricanes, tornadoes and weather folklore. Then the
students will turn their attention to investigation of levers
and pulleys. They will investigate all sic types of Simple
Machines. They will work on the three classes of levers and how
they are used in everyday life. Then they will work with
pulleys, incline planes, wedges, wheel-axle and screws. Finally
the students will work on the Models and Design kit. This kit
will test their ability using critical thinking, planning,
building teamwork and social skills. The culminating activity to
this kit will have the students work in teams to construct a
model go cart that will travel down a ramp unassisted and then
make one that is self propelled.
Sixth Grade
The students at the Longwood Middle School will be using the
latest Prentice Hall science textbook that has been written
especially for students to meet the science standards for New
York State. This textbook series captures the students’
imagination and interest in all three sciences: Life, Earth and
Physical. It also gives the students opportunities to work on
and strengthen their skills in reading comprehension, writing,
math and technology. The Prentice Hall textbook has an added
feature of being available on-line to help students prepare for
their tests as well as allow parents to see what their child is
learning first hand. It is an integrated multi-media program
that includes digital labs and gives students connections with
researches in real world situation. The topics that will be
covered this year will include areas of scientific inquiry, work
and machines, energy, weather, weather patterns, climate change,
states of matter, classification of organisms, cell structure
and function, ecosystems, Biomes and living things and the
environment.