Science Labs

RVUSD recognizes the importance of providing an engaging and well-rounded science curriculum in our fast paced, inquiry based world. Each school has a dedicated Science Lab equipped with materials to explore concepts in greater depth. Classes have scheduled times in the Science Lab for California State Science Standards based lessons involving hands-on activities that reinforce the classroom instruction. The lab activities are unique to each grade level and combine scientific investigation with other areas of curriculum, such as math and art. Some sample Science Lab lessons include the following:

• excavating toy dinosaur skeletons and determining their eating habits from the bones (2nd);
• observing the intricate ecosystems in ponds (4th);
• growing plants and studying their importance to the living things on our planet (K);
• learning about metamorphosis using caterpillars (1st);
• exploring the creation of and connections between rocks and minerals (4th);
• making a working model telescope (3rd); using scale diagrams in a mock crime scene (6th); and
• making 3-D atomic models of the periodic chart (5th).
Students in most grades can participate in an annual Science Fair, and fifth grade students take part in a STAR Science Review modeled on a lab practical exam in the spring.

RVUSD partners with the Rincon Valley Education Foundation to provide a science facilitator for each school lab. The science facilitator collaborates with teachers regarding scheduling and lab lesson content, handles the logistics of set up and provisioning the lab, and assists with execution of the lessons. Working together, RVUSD and RVEF endeavor to provide the best possible science experience for our students.