Baldwin Union Free School District’s K-5 science program is based on the New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS). Through a “hands on” approach to learning, the elementary science program emphasizes students’ understanding of important science ideas in the context of the world around them. Our science curriculum is entirely unique to Baldwin UFSD and was designed by a real-life scientist.

Students develop inquiry and thinking skills as they explore problem and phenomenon-based learning, sort and classify, create models, generalize, design experiments, record and interpret data, manipulate materials, measure, observe and predict. Literacy is embedded into the science work through journal entries as well as guided reading, read a-louds and non-fiction science texts.

Science topics are integrated into an environmentally rich curriculum designed to take advantage of our schoolyards, gardens and local environmental issues on Long Island through our partnerships with:

• Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE)
• Seatuck Environmental Association
• Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center

Thematic units offer a science narrative through the years to help students synthesize the world around them. These include:

Example of a fun, hands-on integrated science and social studies curriculum lesson: 

STEAM at Baldwin UFSD 

Baldwin UFSD’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Program is entirely unique to Baldwin schools! 

In Baldwin Union Free School District (UFSD), STEAM is an interdisciplinary approach to the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics with an emphasis on the design process in engineering. This enrichment course offering, which is commonly referred to as STEM in other school systems, is available to all students, grades 3–5, throughout the year. Each of the STEAM projects is integrated with science units of study. 

Example of a STEAM lesson: