Science

Science affects just about every part of a student’s life from cell phones to the food they eat.  In our science class, students learn to recognize and confront preconceptions about concepts. Students are engaged through a blend of inquiry, hands-on/minds-on, and group activities. These processes provide students with the opportunities to develop deeper understanding of content as well as the application of that content. Students  make observations, interpret those observations and analyze the data, formulate conclusions, and communicate their conclusions. Many tools are utilized to help students understand both content and application. Some of the tools and techniques utilized include labs, research, individual, and group activities.

Technology is infused throughout the curriculum to address student learning styles and to incorporate the latest content. Methods of incorporating technology include virtual experiments, simulations, virtual field trips, and review games. The use of virtual experiments and simulations provide students with the opportunities to conduct experiments that are unable to be done in the science classroom because they are either too dangerous and/or too expensive. Virtual field trips provide students with the opportunity to see scientists at work, often, posing questions to them.

Grade 7 LIFE SCIENCE

All seventh graders take a year long course in Life Science.  This is a non-leveled course.

Our seventh grade life science course provides students with an introduction to life science and the scientific method.  Students study living things and scientific processes.  The curriculum includes the study of cell structure and function, genetics, classification of living organisms, animal behavior, vertebrates, invertebrates, and human body systems.  Making cookies of plant/animal cells, demonstrating osmosis in the laboratory using gummy bears, creating Punnett squares, researching human body systems and creating a PowerPoint presentation are just a few of the activities completed.  Also, during the fourth quarter, seventh grade students study a basic dissection.

8th Grade PHYSICAL SCIENCE

All eighth grade students take a year-long course in Physical Science.  This is non-leveled course.

Our eighth grade physical science course engages students through a blend of inquiry, hands-on/minds-on and group activities that provide students a foundation in both physics and chemistry. Students study scientific processes, Newton’s Laws of Motion, gravity, work, power, simple machines, matter, atoms, the periodic table, chemical bonding and reactions, as well as chemical compounds.  The metric-based laboratory work begun in seventh grade is continued and expanded.  Students will complete a special project to be displayed in the Annual Science Fair.