“Chemistry helps understand the world around us. It empowers middle schoolers when they 
could read the words on a food label knowing that they could write formulae of some of those ingredients. BASIS Independent 7th graders can tell their parents what that diamond shaped sign with four colors and different numbers at the pool house means. We teach scientific method and critical thinking skills through chemistry and reinforce what the students are learning in physics and biology." ~Dr. Bozidarevic
“I love teaching at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley because of the students and the curriculum. The students are extremely enthusiastic about science and are always interested in learning something new. In fact, several of the sixth graders this year have asked me the most in depth and detailed questions about the Quantum Model of the Atom. I don’t know of any other school where I would be answering questions from 11 year olds about orbitals, electrons, and the Quantum Model of the Atom. Here at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley the students begin taking Chemistry in 6th grade and continue taking it in 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade. Each year we expand on the topics that are covered, which culminates with AP Chemistry in high school. This gives the students the opportunity to add to their understanding of chemistry each year. This is different than other schools because science is not typically broken up into Chemistry, Biology, and Physics until high school. In most high schools, students are only required to take one year each of Earth Science, Chemistry, and Biology. This means that our curriculum at BISV is significantly more rigorous than the Chemistry curriculum at other schools.” - Dr. Neff
“I love teaching middle school because my students are genuinely excited about everything in chemistry (worksheets included :)). We also laugh a lot in my class, 7th graders are way funnier than college students. I sometimes give these extra credit projects that involve making or drawing something chemistry-related and I am always amazed with the creativity and craftsmanship that my students demonstrate.” ~Dr. Brown
“I love teaching AP Chemistry at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley because the students are so smart and they already know a ton of chemistry thanks to their earlier science classes in our school. They get so excited when we do labs and they see chemicals changing color, giving off gases, precipitating, etc. At BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, middle school 6-8th grade students take physics, chemistry and biology simultaneously each year, which adds up to nine 50-minute science classes per week. This early exposure to all 3 sciences provides a very strong base for upper school honors and AP science classes.” ~Dr. Davies
“I love teaching all 8th grade chemistry because you can expect the craziest things to happen in your class. One day I started a quiz and everybody was working silently when one student started crawling on the ground under the lab bench. “I need to get my calculator out of my backpack!” I find myself suppressing laughter a lot and sighing: “Only in 8th grade!” 8th grade students have a way of making even chemistry a lot of fun.” ~Dr. Vervoort