Science
Through Science, students strengthen Acera’s core capacities: systems thinking, creativity, perspective taking, emotional intelligence, collaboration, leadership, ethical decision making, and problem solving. They learn to see connections across disciplines, collaborate effectively, and persist through complex challenges. The result is a Science program that prepares students not just for advanced study, but for thoughtful engagement with an ever-changing world.
At Acera, Science is something students do, not just something they study. Across all ages, students engage directly with phenomena through observation, experimentation, and hands-on exploration. Rather than following prescribed lab recipes, they ask questions, test ideas, revise their thinking, and build understanding through experience. This approach cultivates curiosity and helps students develop a deep, lasting grasp of scientific concepts.
Scientific discovery at Acera begins in our earliest grades. Starting in K1, students engage in a comprehensive, two-year Science curriculum that spans Physical Science, Life Science, Earth Science, Space Science, and Engineering. Even our youngest students maintain lab notebooks, record observations through drawings and emerging writing, learn and use scientific vocabulary, and participate fully in hands-on investigations. Science enrichment extends into every Lower School classroom, while Upper School students build on this foundation through a rich and varied set of advanced electives that allow them to pursue scientific interests in depth.
Our Science and Engineering labs offer access to professional-level tools and opportunities. Students design experiments, iterate on protocols, analyze unexpected results, and connect their work to current research and global challenges. In the Upper School, electives such as Astrobiology, Genetics, Citizen Science, Astronomy, Engineering, Data Science, and Chemistry allow students to pursue scientific interests in depth while developing strong analytical and technical skills.
Acera also partners with industry leaders such as Arduino and LEGO Education, positioning the school as a true lab school where emerging technologies and pedagogical tools are tested in authentic learning environments. Students work with new hardware, software, and curricula before they are widely released, while teachers and students provide meaningful feedback directly to engineers, designers, and academic researchers. These collaborations allow industry partners to refine their tools and give students firsthand experience with science and engineering as evolving, real-world practices shaped by experimentation, iteration, and reflection.
Science at Acera emphasizes not only innovation, but ethical leadership. Students explore cutting-edge topics such as Biotechnology, Microbiology, and Gene Editing while also examining the societal, environmental, and ethical implications of scientific advancement. Through discussion, reflection, and debate, students learn to consider the broader impact of Science and Technology on individuals and communities.
Acera’s Science program extends well beyond scheduled class time through the Acera Science Alliance, a community of parents, caregivers, educators, and local scientists who support and enrich Science learning at the school. Through guest talks, hands-on workshops, stargazing events, lab demonstrations, and informal gatherings, the Acera Science Alliance connects students and teachers with real scientists and engineers working across disciplines. This community-driven approach helps students see Science as a vibrant, collaborative human endeavor and reinforces the idea that curiosity and learning do not stop at the classroom door.
Families and community members with experience in Science, Engineering, or Science Education are warmly invited to apply to join the Acera Science Alliance. Whether you are a professional scientist, an engineer, an enthusiastic hobbyist, or simply curious, the Acera Science Alliance welcomes a wide range of perspectives and ways to contribute.
