Science
At Boulder Valley School District, we aim to provide an innovative, whole-child approach to learning to aid in students’ development as problem-solvers in a scientific and technological world.
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BVSD seeks to guide and facilitate young learners in their process of exploration and design: helping them to craft investigative questions, objectively consider evidence, organize their thoughts into explanations, and engage in thoughtful argumentation.
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BVSD aims to provide a rich science and engineering experience by engaging students in constructing their own ideas through reading informational text, participating in hands-on investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, and collaborating with peers to construct oral and written scientific explanations.
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BVSD seeks to provide many opportunities to build a strong foundation in some of the key underlying themes in science and engineering: patterns, cause and effect, structure and function, and systems.
Elementary
Curriculum
2nd Grade
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Simple force and motion
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The relationship between insects and their habitats
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Weather
4th Grade
- Energy
- Fossils
- Variation
- Ecosystems
- Magnetism
- Adaption
- Solar System
- Electricity
1st Grade
- Plants
- Solids and liquids
- Earth’s materials
- Similarities between parents and offspring
3rd Grade
- States of Matter
- Life Cycles
- Earth Materials
- Changes of Matter
- Rock Cycle
- Measurement
5th Grade
- Organize, records, analyzes and interprets data
- Designs and conducts scientific investigations
- Structures and functions of body and plant systems
- Changes in matter(mixture and solutions)
- Changes in Earth’s surface and landforms
- Renewable and non renewable resources
- Weather
Assessment
Learning Materials
Local Resources
We have some amazing community resources here in BVSD. Check out their websites for resources, activities, events, and more.
The Thorne Nature Experience
CU Museum of Natural History
Boulder County Parks and Open Space
Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center
Middle
Curriculum
6th Grade ScienceIn middle level physical science, students will be designing and conducting scientific investigations and constructing scientific explanations based on evidence. Students will make measurements using metric units and will organize their data using bar and line graphs. Students will learn about fundamental concepts in physical science such as the particulate nature of matter, basic atomic structure, forms and sources of energy, energy transfer and transformations, the conservation of matter and energy, and force and motion. Students will also learn about the nature of science as a human endeavor.
7th Grade Science
In middle level life science, students will be designing and conducting scientific investigations and constructing scientific explanations based on evidence. Students will make measurements using metric units and will organize their data using bar and line graphs. Students will learn about fundamental concepts in life science such as cells, ecology, genetics, evolution, and human anatomy.
Learn more about the 7th grade science curriculum8th Grade Science
In middle level earth and space science, students will be designing and conducting scientific investigations and constructing scientific explanations based on evidence. Students will make measurements using metric units and will organize their data using bar and line graphs. Students will learn about fundamental concepts in earth and space science such as the rock cycle, processes that shape Earth’s surface, fossils, natural resources, atmospheric circulation, weather and climate, the water cycle, oceans and other water bodies, and the Earth in space. Students will also learn about the nature of science as a human endeavor.
Assessment
Learning Materials
High
Curriculum
BVSD offers a wide array of high school science classes from geology and biology to sustainability and infectious disease. See all course options here. Not all courses are taught at every high school, so check with your school for the courses being offered.
Assessment
Learning Materials
Kristin Donley
Director of STEM, Northwest
720-561-4205
Bertha Orona
Coordinator of STEM, East
720-561-5443
Kelly Sain
Director of STEM, Southwest
720-561-5103