SCIENCE

Science — Grade 6

Essential questions guide the students in Grade 6 science as they apply scientific principles to build their skills of investigating and questioning using a project-based approach. While studying ecology and population, students are tasked to answer, “How does water quality affect the ecology of a community?” Application of fundamental physics is demonstrated when answering, “How is Energy obtained, transformed, and moved from one place to another?” The question, “How is scientific knowledge created and communicated?” uses the young reader’s book, BOMB, to provide context of the building of the atom bomb. Students conduct experiments and engage in collaborative activities in order to make claims, produce evidence to support claims, and report their findings. Student claims evolve and change as new evidence is observed or concepts are learned. Teachers work collaboratively to support students in tapping into their creativity, research, and presentation skills in all aspects of the course.

Science — Grade 7

Project-Based Inquiry Science (PBIS) inspires the Grade 7 science curriculum. In Grade 7, science students will learn the way scientists learn, investigate, experiment, gather evidence, and form explanations. Grade 7 science is designed to nurture the creation of meaning through knowledge as opposed to rote memorization. Prevention of disease spread is explored as students answer the question, “How can you prevent good friends from getting sick?” Students will investigate communicable diseases, think like epidemiologists, understand the body systems and how they respond to bacteria and viruses, and explore the organization of cells. Students will synthesize and apply the knowledge gained in this unit to develop a specific disease, then formulate recommendations in ways of preventing the spread of that disease. Students will also investigate how traits in organisms are passed on. They will study Mendel’s experiments to gain an understanding of dominant and recessive traits. They will learn that these strands of genetic material are chromosomes that contain genes that have more than one form. “How are traits passed down from generation to generation?” becomes a critical question in the discovery of body systems and the cellular process. Students bring together their scientific learning and experiences to develop a proposal on how genetics can help feed the world. Throughout the year, students engage in scientific practices as they experience and investigate these scientific phenomena, critical concepts, and connect the curriculum to themselves and their world. Project-based learning allows students to bring prior knowledge and experiences from a variety of backgrounds to enhance the learning environment.

Science — Grade 8

The grade 8 course is about doing science; experimenting, thinking, discussing, and discovering evidence to support an idea along with the development of skills such as measurement, graphing, equipment usage, model design, and engineering practices. Sharpening their ability to think critically, problem-solve independently, run experiments, and collect and analyze data, students work individually and with their peers in order to develop solid scientific conclusions that will relate to observations throughout their life.

Students search for evidence to support scientific principles allowing them to better understand their world. They perform laboratory activities to reinforce basic chemistry principles, characteristics of gasses, and air mass movements while investigating how these concepts relate to changes in air quality around the world and in their own community.

In an effort to explore engineering practices, students are tasked with designing and building a vehicle that will go straight, far, and fast. Through their design changes and testing, students derive and develop an understanding of Newton’s laws of motion, with specific emphasis on the relationships between force, mass, and acceleration.

Math

Middle School is a time for students to build their academic skills as well as their skills for learning, both equally important, to prepare them for vigorous academic and competitive work environments. We expect and understand that each child has particular areas of strength and growth during their middle years and we work hard to place them in a course each year that will challenge and inspire them as well as promote their success. Therefore, placement in Middle School math courses is determined by a number of important developmental criteria instead of by grade level alone. Teaching teams work together to make recommendations for placement in math based on the following criteria, each considered equally:

• Academic readiness

• Past mastery within the content area

• Executive functioning skills as observed by their teacher

• Consistency of homework completion

• Ability to work independently

• Ability to self-monitor

• A demonstrated interest and motivation

A profile is created for each student using the criteria above to determine the most appropriate placement in a math course. The same criteria is used in subsequent years throughout Middle School to confirm the appropriate placement for your child. The following courses comprise the Middle School math offerings.

Middle School Math

Students in Middle School Math build foundational skills, including a math vocabulary, that will prepare them to understand and solve complex problems in a scaled curriculum. As students work with fractions, whole numbers, decimals, and percents they begin to connect their learning to everyday life and develop a level of understanding that ultimately will lead to mastery of these skills. Building on those skills, students are introduced to algebra as they solve algebraic equations and work with, among other things, exponents, order of operations, and scientific notation. Additionally, the geometry unit explores different geometrical shapes, angles, triangles, and circles, including the geometric properties and formulas associated with them. Separate units focused on measurement (Customary and Metric) and graphs/data analysis are also explored. Vocabulary terms are heavily emphasized in the study of all mathematical topics in an effort to expose the students to the ‘language of Algebra’ and utilize that language in their everyday mathematical engagement.

Making connections between the math students learn in the classroom with math that is used in everyday life is an essential facet of the math curriculum. Students also develop their selfmonitoring skills in collaboration with their peers and the teacher. They are prompted to not only take their time to think and solve problems in a diligent manner, but to reflect on their steps and understand the process in order to truly absorb and grasp the material in order to transfer it to higher levels of problem solving.

Intro to Pre-Algebra

Intro to Pre-Algebra is designed as a hybrid class of foundational math and Pre-Algebra/ Algebra. Students work to master the basic skills associated with fractions, decimals, and percents as well as become exposed to basic algebra principles such as Order of Operations, Scientific Notation, Exponents, Integer Computation, Rational Numbers, One Step Equations, Ratios, and Proportions. Other subject matter includes exposure to Probability, Geometry, and Area/ Perimeter of complex shapes. Vocabulary terms are heavily emphasized in the study of all mathematical topics in an effort to expose the students to the ‘language of Algebra’ and utilize that language in their everyday mathematical engagement.

Making connections between the math students learn in the classroom with math that is used in everyday life is an essential facet of the math curriculum. Students also develop their selfmonitoring skills in collaboration with their peers and the teacher. They are prompted to not only take their time to think and solve problems in a diligent manner, but to reflect on their steps and understand the process in order to truly absorb and grasp the material in order to transfer it to higher levels of problem solving.

Pre-Algebra and Honors Pre-Algebra

Pre-Algebra is designed as a bridge between foundational math and algebra. Students work to strengthen their problem solving skills by building competencies in the following areas: principles of algebra, rational numbers, coordinate graphs and functions, exponents and roots, ratios, proportions and similarity, percent, geometry, perimeter and area of both regular and irregular polygons, probability, multi-step equations and inequalities, and solving one and two step equations. Students become familiar with the content necessary to support success in the follow-up course, which is Algebra. Vocabulary terms are heavily emphasized in the study of all mathematical topics in an effort to expose the students to the ‘language of Algebra’ and utilize that language in their everyday mathematical engagement.

Making connections between the math students learn in the classroom with math that is used in everyday life is an essential facet of the math curriculum. Students in Pre-Algebra also develop their self-monitoring skills in collaboration with their peers and the teacher. They are prompted to not only take their time to think and solve problems in a diligent manner, but to reflect on their steps and understand the process in order to truly absorb and grasp the material in order to transfer it to higher levels of problem solving.

Algebra 1 and Honors Algebra

Algebra I establishes the vocabulary and symbolism of algebra. It includes the study of evaluating expressions, properties of real numbers, rational and irrational numbers, square roots, function theory, solving and graphing linear equations, systems of equations and inequalities, exponential properties, simplifying polynomial expressions, solving polynomial equations, factoring, solving and graphing quadratic functions, exponential growth and decay. Students are required to solve traditional and application problems in all topics.

Honors Geometry and Data Analysis

Successful completion of Algebra I (minimum grade of “C”). This is a full-year course that employs a deductive approach to student learning and discovery in the development of logical reasoning. This geometry course requires mastery of the concepts of algebra including quadratics and radical expressions. Students explore both Euclidean and solid geometries with a particular emphasis on plane geometry. Topics of study include: introduction to logic and proofs, triangles, special quadrilaterals, polygons, perimeter and area of fi gures, surface area and volume of solids, similar shapes (ratio and proportion), circles, and trigonometry.

Data Analysis topics of study include: Classifying and visually representing data, descriptive statistics including measures of central tendency and measures of spread, and methods of sampling.

Applications of these topics are incorporated into the lessons and assignments.