The Legacy Approach to Science and Social Studies

Science

Science is taught by a specialist in Legacy's science laboratory which contains equipment such as microscopes, scales, balances, and science models for the human body and the solar system. Students become academically accomplished in science by immersion in the scientific method and the process of inquiry. Lessons promote experimentation and allow students to ask questions, develop hypotheses, make observations, collect data, draw conclusions, and evaluate the accuracy of their hypotheses.

At each grade level, students are provided stimulating and instructive experiences in physical, earth, and life sciences. In the area of physical science, students learn about the properties of matter; heat, light and sound; force and motion; electricity and magnetism; and beginning chemistry. In earth science, students study soil; air, weather, climate, and forecasting; the solar system; properties of rocks and minerals; the structure of the earth; and changes that occur on the earth's surface. When students are studying life science, the science lab explodes with creatures, plants, and ecosystems. Units of study include insects, plant and animal life cycles, characteristics of living things, classification of organisms, bones and skeletons, and human body systems.

In middle school, students focus on one area of science for the entire year. Seventh graders explore life science, using a variety of equipment and materials to understand cell biology, genetics, anatomy, and physiology. Eight graders focus on physical science concepts such as motion, forces, chemistry, and buoyancy.

Social Studies

Learning social studies broadens each student's understanding of the world. The social studies curriculum in the lower grades focuses primarily on our local communities and how they function, as well as different cultures. The upper grades study the histories of California, the early United States and ancient civilizations. Middle school students study medieval/early modern world history and U.S. history, focusing on the growth of the new nation through the Industrial Revolution.

Geography, an often neglected study in many curricula, remains a primary focus of Legacy's social studies program. By the time a student graduates from Legacy, he or she will have studied the maps, countries, capitals, major geographical landmarks, and topography of the entire world.