This Life Science course invites students to investigate the world of living things by reading, observing, and experimenting with aspects of life on earth. Students explore an amazing variety of organisms, the complex workings of the cell, the relationship between living things and their environments, and discoveries in the world of modern genetics. Practical, hands-on lesson activities help students discover how scientists investigate the living world.

The Summit Physical Science program introduces students to many aspects of the physical world, focusing first on chemistry and then on physics. The course provides an overview of the physical world and gives students tools and concepts to think clearly about matter, atoms, molecules, chemical reactions, motion, force, momentum, work and machines, energy, waves, electricity, light, and other aspects of chemistry and physics. Among other subjects, students study the structure of atoms; the elements and the Periodic Table; chemical reactions; forces, including gravitational, motion, acceleration, and mass; and energy, including light, thermal, electricity, and magnetism.

Students in History of the United States E1 explore United States history, geography, economics, and government. This is done by focusing on the influence of physical and cultural characteristics on national origins, growth, and development. Students study Indigenous cultures, European exploration, colonization, settlement, the American Revolution, the founding of the Republic, the early years of the United States, the Civil War, and the 20^th Century in the United States. Students learn about citizenship and the major components of the government as outlined in the United States Constitution. The course emphasizes critical thinking skills, including questioning, examining fact and opinion, analyzing and evaluating sources of information, contrasting and comparing using primary and secondary sources, and conducting research using a variety of resources. Additional social studies skills are integrated in the lessons including reading and analyzing maps, creating and interpreting charts and graphs, identifying relationships, engaging in debate, writing persuasively, and developing thinking and independent study skills.

This course requires the following household materials:

• composition book, notebook, or binder with loose-leaf paper to use as a History Journal
• crayons, markers, or colored pencils

This course introduces students to fundamental topics within the social studies discipline. These topics include family, home, community and culture, geography, chronology, early U.S. history, civics and the responsibilities of citizenship, and economics.

Students begin by locating themselves and their families within a community and culture. They learn about basic physical geography and how to read maps and globes. Students explore what history is and how they study the past. They learn about the first peoples of the Americas and the founding of the United States. Students identify symbols of and celebrations in the United States and investigate the lives of significant historical figures in the context of civic responsibility. They also explore citizenship and basic economics.

This course requires the following household materials:

• composition book, notebook, or loose-leaf paper to use as a Social Studies Notebook
• crayons, markers, or colored pencils