Scientific inquiry and understanding is nurtured regularly through hands-on projects, labs, scholarly readings, and seminars. Our science projects are often referred to as "science occupations" because we use our farm land and animals as living, breathing textbooks that allow us to apply the scientific method and our own deep curiosities to actual needs and manual labor.

 

“An occupation provides direct experience, which is by nature urgent, intimate, and engaging. It contrasts with symbolic experience, which can be remote, detached, and even beyond the comprehension of the adolescent.” 

John Dewey, Democracy and Education

 

Intellectual and physical efforts combine in solving real problems that must be addressed in order for the farm to be maintained and in good working order. Comparative anatomy is grounded in the close study of the anatomy and body systems of our goats, chickens, and bees. Biology is rooted in the soil, the seeds, the flora, and the fauna that we work with nearly everyday. Chemistry comes to life through soil maintenance, water studies, and culinary arts.

 

When not learning directly from the land, students are engaged in various topics of study and activities. Robotics and simple machines help reinforce understanding of the physics. A symposium on climate change reveals our need as a civilization to understand the complex interrelationship between all living things and the ways we choose to live.

 

As often as possible, studies in Science thematically correlate to studies in the Humanities. Studies of the properties of water, for example, might be paired with in-depth Humanities research on early river-based civilizations and the development of agriculture. An integrated study of earth and space might find students designing Mars habitats and colonies, demonstrating understanding of multiple scientific concepts along with law, government, and cultural activity.

 

While we do not follow any textbook chapter for chapter (we are often experiencing what others can only read about!), we do utilize science textbooks and other written and digital resources on a regular basis to support their experiential learning. The three-year cycle of science curriculum meets and exceeds the national Next Generation Science Standards. Throughout the 3-year cycle, students will study and experience a broad range of topics including physics, chemistry, biology, genetics, health, technology, and engineering. 

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"We especially need imagination in science. It is not all mathematics, nor all logic, but it is somewhat beauty and poetry."-Dr. Montessori