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Darielle Timothy, SupervisorTracy Matthews, Secondary SpecialistDavid Hitchcock, Elementary Specialist
21000 Education Court, Suite 518Ashburn, VA 20148Phone (571) 252-1360Fax (571) 252-1633Loudoun County Public Schools science programs are designed to actively engage students in the process of science and use reasoning processes that build scientific thinking. These programs teach students to know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world; to generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations; to understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge; and to participate productively in scientific practices and discourse.Elementary - focuses on providing active, inquiry-based, and student-centered science experiences for students. Science instruction in elementary grades emphasizes building student skills, making observations, learning about scientific investigation, and developing scientific habits of mind. Students are presented with authentic scientific questions to answer.Middle School - continues to provide active, inquiry-based, and student-centered science experiences for students. Science instruction in middle schools is built around the framework of the LCPS Core Experiences (CEs), which are scientific investigations carried out by every middle school student. The CEs are aligned to the Virginia Standards of Learning, emphasize building student conceptual understanding and understandings of scientific practice, develop scientific habits of mind and scientific skills, and give students experiences with authentic scientific equipment.High School - offerings are designed to prepare students for continued academic study and eventual entry into the workforce. A variety of courses in the different science disciplines are offered to students. Many students participate in science research through their honors courses, Independent Science Research, and by participating in the LCPS Regional Science & Engineering Fair. Rising 9th grade students are also offered the opportunity to enter the Academy of Science, the LCPS science magnet program.
Science
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Science Curriculum
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Geospatial Technology
Loudoun County Public Schools is a leader, both in Virginia and in the country, in providing opportunities for students to learn about and use this cutting-edge technology. Since 2006, LCPS has offered a dual-enrollment course in Geospatial Technology at the high school level in partnership with the Geospatial Semester through James Madison University. Through the course, over 1000 students have earned college credit. With the program expanding, the goal is for all high schools to offer the course. See a copy of the course syllabus here.
We are proud to be partners with ESRI. All of our schools have an ArcGIS Organizational account putting this technology in the hands of all LCPS students and teachers.
Follow us on Twitter: @LCPS_GIS
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Regional Science & Engineering Fair (RSEF)
To access the LCPS RSEF webpage, click here -
Science Safety
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STEM
Loudoun County Public Schools’ Vision for STEM Education
According to the Congressional Research Service (2008), the United States ranks 20th among all nations in the proportion of 24-year-olds who earn degrees in natural science or engineering. In response, government, business and professional organizations have identified improvements in K-12 education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as a national priority. The National Academy of Sciences report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm (2007), calls for the strengthening of math and science education and for an urgent change in STEM education. The U.S. Department of Education’sReport of the Academic Competitiveness Council lists several K-12 STEM Education goals. Foremost is a goal to prepare all students with science, technology, engineering, and math skills needed to succeed in the 21st century technological economy.Increased performance in STEM fields requires STEM literacy. To become truly literate, students must have better understanding of the fields individually, and more importantly, they must understand how the fields are interrelated and interdependent. Clearly, formative experiences in STEM during their K-12 school years will allow for a deeper STEM literacy and better prepare them for university and beyond. In order to properly prepare our students, they must have a broad exposure to and a knowledge base in the STEM fields as part of their K-12 education.The goal of STEM education at LCPS is to deepen students’ knowledge, skills, and habits of mind that characterize science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Loudoun County Public Schools has many exemplary programs designed to answer the call for STEM education. The Academies of Loudoun, ACL, specialized programs, the Academy of Engineering and Technology, AET, the Academy of Science, AOS, and Monroe Advanced Technical Academy, that meet these goals. Additionally, LCPS offers students a variety of STEM courses and opportunities that are rigorous, demanding, and help students develop skills required for the 21st century.Based on the success of these programs, we are building capacity to provide integrated STEM education to all LCPS students. Integrated STEM in LCPS is defined as experiences that develop student understanding within one STEM area while also learning or applying knowledge and/or skills from at least one other STEM area.Within this framework of integrated STEM, LCPS science courses will develop student’s science understanding necessary to be scientifically literate; which includes science content, habits of mind, science process skills, and relevant application of scientific knowledge. Through integrated STEM science instruction students will develop an understanding of the connections with other STEM disciplines. Additionally, science instruction at LCPS is intended to generate a large pool of students prepared to pursue STEM areas in college or through further on-the-job training in the workplace.LCPS STEM experiences will:- Capitalize on student interest- Build on what students already know
- Engage students in the practices of STEM
- Engage students with inquiry learning
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Aerospace Educator