SCIENCE concepts presented in the program are those referenced in the California State Science Framework; however, the sequence in which they are taught relates to the classroom teachers’ social studies themes. The science curriculum encourages student excitement for learning by incorporating stimulating hands-on activities that question or illustrate subject matter. Students learn to respect their abilities to become involved with scientific ideas by using both inquiry techniques and science thinking processes that encourage exploration and reflective thinking. These processes include the following: observing, communicating, comparing, ordering, categorizing, relating, inferring, and applying. Examples of the science curriculum: KINDERGARTEN: Children participate in units on the five senses, as well as on the investigation of the properties of light, color, and shadows. Other topics include types of trees, why things float or sink, and the variety of homes that animals build. The environments of Mexico are also studied in conjunction with classroom units on Aztec and Mayan cultures. FIRST GRADE: Landforms and land use are studied in conjunction with classroom units on Native American Indians. Studies of weather and sound are coordinated with the music and rituals of Native American cultures. SECOND GRADE: Students study simple machines and their inventors to complement the classroom study of People Who Make a Difference. In the spring the focus turns to a variety of ocean communities including the Santa Monica Bay. Other topics include magnetism and direction, coordinated with the construction of state topographical maps, as well as of the human body. THIRD GRADE: Rotation and revolution are presented in order to better understand the concepts of days, nights, and seasons. Biome Books are created to illustrate ecological relationships that exist in our world. Specific aspects of Egyptian and South African biomes are illustrated. Planets in the solar system are researched, and electricity as a form of energy is studied. FOURTH GRADE: The structure of the earth and its relationship to the universe is presented. Studies of geology and geography lead to more specific considerations of California geology and the Gold Rush. Ideas about light and lenses and their connections to early entertainment mechanisms are presented. In relation to this unit students may participate in the voluntary dissection of a cow's eye. FIFTH GRADE: Owl pellet dissection introduces students to the use of evidence in drawing conclusions. Chemical evidence is explored through an understanding of the structure of the atom and the interactions of atoms and molecules in physical and chemical changes. Students are also introduced to the systems and molecular nature of the human body.