In elementary science students study many topics. One major focus across the grade levels is the study of plants and animals. As students progress from grade to grade the focus increases complexity building upon their knowledge from previous years.
Kindergartners study how plants and animals are alike and different in how they look and the things they do. First graders construct explanations using evidence to show how all living things need basic necessities of air, water, food, and space. Second graders take what they learned previously and expand on their knowledge of living things by studying life cycles. Third grade students focus on classifying plants and animals into major groups such as mammals, birds, amphibians, fish, etc. Fourth grade focuses on Florida plant and animals. They study topics such as food chains, animal's impacts on their environment and heredity. Lastly, fifth graders focus their learning on changes in the environment and how this affects animal populations and the adaptations animals have they enable them to survive.
To help students interact with this knowledge
and to engage them in a more meaningful way we have several habitats in
the classroom. The classroom is home to an aquatic
turtle habitat and two large freshwater aquariums.