Adventurers:

After the new year, we will continue building on our science learning by taking a deeper look at ecosystem changes and human impact on the environment. Students will explore how factors such as pollution, habitat loss, climate change, and invasive species can disrupt food webs and affect the balance of ecosystems. We will examine real-world examples to help students understand how changes to one organism can impact many others within an ecosystem.

In addition, students will learn about ways humans can protect and care for the environment, including conservation efforts, reducing waste, recycling, and using natural resources responsibly. Through hands-on activities, discussions, and simple investigations, students will connect these science concepts to their own lives and begin to understand how individual choices can make a positive difference in the world around them.

Explorers: 

After returning from winter break, we will begin a new science unit focused on human body systems. Students will take a closer look at specific systems, including the skeletal, muscular, digestive, and respiratory systems. We will explore the jobs of each system, how they support one another, and how healthy habits help keep our bodies strong. Students can look forward to hands-on activities, discussions, and new projects as we continue building our understanding of the human body.

Expeditioners:

After returning from winter break, we will begin a new science unit focused on human body systems. Students will study major systems including the skeletal, muscular, digestive, and respiratory systems, with an emphasis on structure, function, and interactions among systems. Instruction will explore how each system contributes to maintaining homeostasis, how systems work together to support movement, energy use, and gas exchange, and how disruptions in one system can affect overall health.

As part of this unit, students will participate in a pig dissection around March. This hands-on investigation allows students to apply their knowledge of anatomy by identifying organs and organ systems in a real specimen. Because pigs have body systems that are very similar to those of humans, the dissection provides an authentic opportunity to compare structure and function across systems and better understand how organs are organized and connected within the body. Students will practice proper lab safety, respectful handling of specimens, and scientific observation skills throughout the experience.

Learning in this unit will include hands-on investigations, data analysis, collaborative discussions, and applied projects designed to deepen students’ understanding of anatomy and physiology and strengthen their ability to identify and explain how body systems work together as an integrated whole.