Step into the spirit of the great scientific societies of 18th and 19th century London—like the Royal Society of Science —where curious minds gathered to observe the world, ask bold questions, and share their discoveries. In this class, students become natural philosophers or citizen scientists, following in the footsteps of early naturalists who explored the world not through textbooks alone, but through careful observation, experimentation, and wonder.

Throughout the course, students will be inspired by “guest speakers” from the past. These include pioneers such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Kate Sessions, Jeanne Villepreux-Power, Benjamin Franklin, and Theodore Roosevelt and more. Students will “meet” these figures and learn how their curiosity, persistence, and careful study led to meaningful discoveries.

Like these early thinkers, students will investigate the natural world by collecting specimens, recording observations in field journals, conducting simple experiments, and presenting their findings to their peers. Whether examining plants, studying motion, exploring weather patterns, or asking “why” about everyday phenomena, students will learn that science begins with curiosity and grows through thoughtful investigation.

To guide their thinking, students will use the seven cross-cutting concepts as tools to analyze the world around them: patterns; cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems and system models; energy and matter; structure and function; and stability and change. These concepts will help students make connections across different areas of science and deepen their understanding of how the world works.

By the end of the course, students will not only gain foundational scientific knowledge, but also develop confidence as thinkers and discoverers—ready to see the world as a place full of questions waiting to be explored.

TUITION: $225 per semester