Science Education

Designed to align with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and the Next Generation Science Standards, our science classes draw on the incredible biodiversity and unique geologic and hydrologic qualities of our forests, ponds, meadows, and farm to engage students in meaningful and relevant scientific inquiry.

Current science class offerings include:

Forest Ecology

Students explore ecology from the ground up, using the woods at Camp Burgess as an interactive classroom. Starting with microscopic decomposers and ending with some of the most common local flora and fauna, students learn about the many factors that come together to create stable cycles of energy and matter in an ecosystem.

Pond Study

From forming hypotheses to sharing results, students will practice looking at the world with a scientist’s eye to address real-world questions such as the repercussions of human activity on an aquatic ecosystem. Through macroinvertebrate study, students will assess the quality of Camp Burgess’s own Spectacle Pond, a 90-acre freshwater kettle pond.

Coastal Ecology

Students head to the Sandwich boardwalk beach to explore the extreme abiotic factors and diverse biotic factors that make up a coastal ecosystem. From the tidal marshes to the windswept dunes, students investigate the forces that shape this unique habitat and address humans’ role in using (and conserving) this delicate space. School-provided transportation required.

Sustainable Farming

Students will learn about the secret ingredient to sustainable farming: healthy, biodiverse soil! By exploring several strategies in place at Burgess Farm, students will learn how our farmers draw inspiration from natural systems to utilize animals, plants and humans to help cultivate and preserve nutrient-rich soil.