Fifth Grade Programs
| Program | Description | Correlation |
| Ecosystems | Students use quadrats and transects to sample and collect data about various mini ecosystems and their resident organisms within the habitat, and how limiting factors within them affect the environment. | IBPYP Standards ALCOS Life Science (9) Describe the relationship of populations within a habitat to various communities and ecosystems ALCOS Earth Science (10) Identify spheres of Earth incuding the geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere |
| Microworlds | Students collect water from various sources within the habitat and return to the center to examine and catalog the organisms they find within their samples using individual and video microscopes. Students also learn the proper use and care of hand lenses, microcopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes | IBPYP Standards ALCOS Life Science (9)Describe the relationship of populations within a habitat to various communities and ecosystems |
| Variables | Students experiment with dependent and independent variables and gain experience in designing experiments to determine valid outcomes using organisms living at the center. | IBPYP Standards ALCOS Life Science (9)Describe the relationship of populations within a habitat to various communities and ecosystems |
| Solar Energy | Students examine the basics of solar energy including using the center's solar array and solar buggy. Using these concepts students design, build, and test a solar home using materials provided as well as materials they can gather outdoors. Students are given a certain amount of play money to purchase materials so that they get an additional lesson in economics | IBPYP ALCOS Physical Science |
| Oceans | Students conduct experiments in physical oceanography and marine life science by experimenting with live marine invertebrates and invertebrates, designing plankton to race, comparing and contrasting beach sands, etc | IBPYP Standards ALCOS Life Science (9) Describe the relationship of populations within a habitat to various communities and ecosystems ALCOS Earth Science (10) Identify spheres of Earth incuding the geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere |