The general goals of the NAIS Science curriculum are to give students an understanding of the nature and methods of science and to develop conceptual and practical skills in the context of student involvement in scientific activity. Students will develop their ability to analyze scientific information critically, apply knowledge and skills in order to generate new knowledge, communicate scientific ideas and their awareness of the impact of science on society, thus helping prepare them for life in the age of 21st century technology.
Grade 1
Students will begin to learn about and investigate the things around them by observing and identifying Living & Nonliving things. They will acquire basic facts about Plants and Animals, the Earth’s Land, Air and Water, the Seasons. They will investigate matter and examine Forces as Pushes & Pulls, and Magnets.
Grade 2
Students will identify changes occurring during the growth process for plants, animals, and humans. They will learn about the sun, moon, stars, and weather. Students will also learn to identify changes in matter, forces and motion, and sound.
Grade 3
Students in third grade compare different types of animals, observe how plants grow, identify differences between rocks, minerals, fossils, and soils, investigate properties and changes in matter, and study heat and light.
Grade 4
In fourth grade, students focus on classifying living things, analyzing animal and plant growth and adaptations, examining human body systems, physical properties of matter, and heat, energy, and electricity and magnetism.
Grade 5
Fifth graders trace the structure of living organisms from single cell to body systems. In addition, students explore animal growth and reproduction, plants and their adaptations, and plant processes. They also focus on matter and its properties, atoms and elements, and forms of energy.
Grade 6
Students investigate plants and plant processes, atoms, elements and compounds. Students delve deeper into properties and changes in matter.
Grade 7
Seventh graders continue to focus on Cells, Body System and Classification, Invertebrates and Vertebrates, Properties of Sound and Light, Electricity, Magnetism and Earth Science.
Grade 8
In Grade 8, students will be introduced to Matter with its states Elements, Compound and mixtures, Atoms and Periodic Table.
Grade 9
In ninth grade, students will be introduced to specialized courses covering, Diversity of Living Things, Chemical Bonding and Reactions, Forces, Atomic Energy, Work and Machines.
Grade 10 Chemistry
Chemistry is a new course introduced to grade l0. This course gives the student a sufficient background about chemistry that would qualify the student to the advanced chemistry course that he would take in the upcoming high school years.
Grade 10 Biology
The Biology course in grade 10 preludes a good introductory foundation for the Biology SAT11 course. The curriculum courses different branches of biology including ecology, cellular biology, genetics, organismal biology.
Grade 11 Biology
The Biology course in grade 11 comprises the advanced part of the SAT II Biology course. The curriculum includes Molecular Biology, Advanced Parts of Genetics, DNA, in addition to the rest of organismal biology.
Grade 12 Biology
The Biology class is designed to prepare students for the SAT II test. The syllabus covers molecular biology, cell structure and functions, genetics and heredity, diversity of life, and interactions of ecosystems.
Grade 11 Chemistry
Chemistry will cover the concepts of chemistry in matter properties and changes, Periodic table, Ionic and covalent compounds, Chemical reactions, the mole and Hydrocarbons.
Grade 11 Environmental Science
Environmental Science will cover:
1-Ecology: Ecosystems, Evolution, Diversity of living things, Energy flow, Biomes, Aquatic ecosystems.
2-Population: Understanding population, Biodiversity, Renewable and non renewable energy, Waste.
Grade 11 & 12 Physics
A high school course in physics is structured to fulfill the general goals as well as prepare students for the SAT II test in Physics. The syllabus covers Motion in one and two dimensions, Forces and Motion, Work and Energy, Momentum and Collisions, Circular Motion and Gravity, Vibrations and Waves, Sound and Light, Electrostatics, and Electric Circuits and Electromagnetism.
Grade 12 Geology
The geology course covers the earth as a system, models of earth, composition of earth, History of earth, Weather in addition to Atmosphere and space.