Science

The Laurel School of Princeton is a leader among special education schools in providing an authentic experiential approach to learning science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Our curriculum is built to serve the needs of our students who may learn and approach problems differently. We serve the Princeton, NJ community, as well as families throughout New Jersey, who are searching for a school that is designed specifically to meet the special needs of their child who has dyslexia, dyscalculia, or otherwise learns differently. We continually update our methods and curriculum to apply the latest evidence-based teaching methods and incorporate the latest technology in our classrooms.

At the Laurel School, science classes are a hands-on opportunity to interact with and understand the natural world. The goal of each lesson is to combine academic rigor with the joy of scientific exploration.

Our science curriculum intertwines disciplinary core ideas (content), scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts (big ideas), in alignment with New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science. Our three-pronged approach is derived from research-based standards stemming from the Framework for K–8 Science Education (National Research Council, 2011).

Our science program is designed to give our students the skills and knowledge they need to be informed citizens, lifelong learners, and college- ready science students prepared for the careers of the future. Each student is taught to learn and think like a scientist and to become an excellent problem solver. Because we “dig deep” and thoroughly explore the content, our students make important connections between the multiple science disciplines, as well as between science and other content areas.  Laurel students learn by doing, in the classroom, as citizen scientists, and in the field when possible.  Our classes contribute to the wider scientific community through programs like EcoSchools USA, the NASA S’COOL program, and the GLOBE initiative. Laurel School students have the freedom to collaborate, explore, and question in the science classroom. The excitement of discovery is a regular part of each student’s learning experience.

Our program emphasizes that science is both a body of knowledge and an evidence-based, model-building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and revises knowledge. Students regularly formulate their own questions, use measurement and observation tools to obtain data and uncover patterns, evaluate and interpret data, and communicate findings. These practices lead the student to create models and engage in scientific argumentation and discussion.  Our mathematics instruction crosses into the science curriculum, where math concepts are applied to real-world situations in the science and engineering classes. Field trips to reinforce concepts in a meaningful and memorable way are also integral to the program. Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Sciences, and Environmental Science, as well as Engineering and the Engineering Design Process, are studied in each year of the program.