Science
A Quick Look At The Year
Kindergarten studies plant & animal needs, forces & motion, weather, and the impact of living things on their environments.
1st Grade studies plant life cycles, animal structures & functions, light & shadows, and astronomy.
2nd grade studies landforms & models, material properties, geological change, and habitats.
3rd grade studies motion, animal & plant life cycles, survival & extinction, and meteorology.
4th grade studies motion & energy, electricity and energy resources, geology, earthquake engineering, and animal senses.
5th grade studies physical & chemical changes, ecosystems, hydrology, and astronomy.
STEAM Home Challenges are an opportunity for students and their families to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math at home. Students that choose to participate will earn a small prize!
STEAM Puppet Challenge Parade-1/31/2025
Grade K-2: Your puppet must have at least one moving part.
Grade 3-5: Your puppet must have at least three moving part.
Hello, my name is Mr. Ratzloff and it is my privilege to teach science at Jie Ming. I am passionate about helping students build skills and concepts to explore what they are curious about. My goal is for every day in science to be interesting, fun, and challenging. I love getting to know students across their elementary school journey from Kindergarten to Fifth Grade.
I have taught science in Saint Paul Public Schools for six years and this is my first year at Jie Ming. I hold a B.A. in Writing and History from Hunter College, City University of New York and an M.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Saint Thomas. Prior to teaching, I worked as a data analyst and project manager. In my free time I enjoy cooking, playing and designing board games, and spending time with my wife, family, and pets.
In the world of science education, Minnesota recently adopted new standards based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). I teach from an excellent elementary curriculum called TWIG, developed by University College London. One thing I love about this curriculum is that it embeds hands-on activities to explore and express learning at every grade level.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me: peter.ratzloff@spps.org