Course Descriptions

Elementary School Science – Grade Level Descriptions

The California Science Framework breaks each year into instructional segments to provide context for developing these skills.  While adopted instructional materials may divide topics differently, the core ideas addressed will be the same as those found in the instructional segments of the California Science Framework.  These topics provide context for developing students’ skills:

Our currently adopted instructional materials, Amplify Science, provides the three-dimensional learning of NGSS: Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs). Each unit of Amplify emphasizes one SEP.

• Investigation units focus on the process of strategically developing investigations and gathering data to answer questions. Students are first asked to consider questions about what happens in the natural world and why, and are then involved in designing and conducting investigations that produce data to help answer those questions.
• Modeling units provide extra support to students engaging in the practice of modeling. Students use physical models, investigate with computer models, and create their own diagrams to help them visualize what might be happening that cannot be directly seen.
• Engineering design solves complex problems by applying science principles to the design of functional solutions, and iteratively testing those solutions to determine how well they meet pre-set criteria. These units make the development of such solutions the central focus.
• Argumentation units (in grades 3-5) provide extra support to students engaging in the practice of arguing from evidence about ideas and the possible meanings of data gathered. As students move up the K–5 grades, they focus on important aspects of argumentation in an intentional sequence.

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Kindergarten and Transition Kindergarten

Science instruction in K and TK will help students develop and refine their ability to ask questions about natural phenomena that they can directly experience and observe, noticing basic relationships. 

First Grade

First grade science instruction will help students develop and refine their ability to ask questions about natural phenomena that they can directly experience and observe, recognize patterns and begin to ask questions about cause/effect relationships.  

Second Grade

Second grade science uses California landscapes as the unifying theme.  There are four instructional segments in the California Science Framework to provide context for developing these skills:

Third Grade

Third grade uses more sophisticated science and engineering practices.  Students will use quantitative measurement and mathematical thinking as they explore these four instructional segments in the California Science Framework:

Fourth Grade

Fourth grade focuses on tangible processes to develop abstract concepts. They also begin to explain some processes that are not directly observable.  There are five instructional segments in the California Science Framework to provide context for developing these skills:

Fifth Grade

Fifth grade science considers phenomena from previous grades through the central theme of energy and matter exchange within systems.  There are four instructional segments in the California Science Framework to provide context for developing these skills:

Middle School Science – Grade Level Descriptions

The California Science Framework breaks each year into instructional segments to provide context for developing these skills.  While adopted instructional materials divide topics differently, the core ideas addressed will be the same as those found in California’s Instructional Segments.  These topics provide context for developing students’ skills.

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Science 6 Integrated

Guiding Concept: Systems within organisms and between them are adapted to Earth’s climate systems.

These are the Instructional Segments suggested in the CA Science Framework for Integrated Grade 6:

Science 7 Integrated – One Semester Course

Guiding Concept: Natural processes and human activities cause energy to flow and matter to cycle through Earth systems

These are the Instructional Segments suggested in the CA Science Framework for Integrated Grade 7:

Science 8 Integrated

Guiding Concept: The processes that change Earth systems at different spatial scales today also caused changes in the past.

These are the Instructional Segments suggested in the CA Science Framework for Integrated Grade 8:

High School Science - Course Descriptions

LBUSD Core High Science Courses

Biology: The Living Earth

This lab-based NGSS course will explore core biological concepts from a phenomena-based approach. Students will explore various real-world phenomena contextualized into a “storyline” to uncover the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) underlying these and many other natural phenomena.  Aligned to the CA Science Framework’s 3-Course Model, earth and space science concepts are also explored to provide a broader context and deeper understanding of our connected world. Throughout the course, students build an understanding of life and how life changes over time in response to a changing environment. Students will learn and use the practices (Science and Engineering Practices, SEPs) and thinking skills (Crosscutting Concepts, CCCs) used by professional scientists and engineers to answer their questions about phenomena and to design solutions to problems they encounter. 

 

Chemistry in the Earth System

The Chemistry in the Earth System course centers on a range of phenomena on Earth as the context for investigating fundamental principles of chemistry. Aligned to the CA Science Framework’s High School 3-Course Model, this course integrates both Physical Science and Earth and Space Science performance expectations. Students will explore real-world phenomena to uncover the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) underlying these and many other natural phenomena.  Throughout the course, students deepen their understanding of the link between combustion and climate change as the unifying theme. This will include examining connections between matter and energy moving into and out of chemical systems, extending the concept to the movement of energy through Earth’s systems, and ways humans may control these movements. Students will learn and use the practices (Science and Engineering Practices, SEPs) and thinking skills (Crosscutting Concepts, CCCs) used by professional scientists and engineers to answer their questions about phenomena and to design potential solutions to problems they encounter. 

 

Physics of the Universe 

The Physics of the Universe course centers on a range of phenomena on Earth and across the universe as contexts for investigating fundamental principles of physics. Aligned to the CA Science Framework’s High School 3-Course Model, this course integrates both Physical Science and Earth and Space Science performance expectations. Students will explore real-world phenomena to uncover the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) underlying these and many other natural phenomena.  Throughout the course, students deepen their understanding that physical processes govern everything in the universe. This will include learning how physicists interpret processes that shape Earth and space systems using the laws of physics, and how they benefit from applying their models in a range of contexts. Students will learn and use the practices (Science and Engineering Practices, SEPs) and thinking skills (Crosscutting Concepts, CCCs) used by professional scientists and engineers to answer their questions about phenomena and to design potential solutions to problems they encounter.

 

Other High School Offerings

LBUSD offers a variety of other science courses that aim to meet the needs of our students in terms of high school graduation, college preparation, and career readiness. Many of these courses are incorporated into unique courses of study offered by our high schools. Some of these courses have unique themes associated with them such as Medical Biology or Medical Chemistry that relate to the Pathway a student has chosen to participate in. We also offer a variety of Advanced Placement science courses at many of our large comprehensive and small thematic sites. Site specific courses can be found by visiting their web pages.