Middle School Science Overview

Overview

This two-year course typically consists of mixed classes of 7th and 8th grade students.
 
There are three primary goals for this course:

I. Develop student interest and comfort in science.
Through this course students will realize that science can be fun, interesting and relevant. Any one of these is enough to engage each student. Interest and engagement drive student learning.

II. Develop substantial scientific knowledge and skills.
All students will develop scientific knowledge and a robust skill-set that will serve them well in their lives and future educational endeavors.

III. Use their minds well.
Every student has an incredible capacity to think. This class requires each student to use her or his mind well in a variety of capacities including creativity, analysis, synthesis, memorization, reflection, communication and interpretation.  All students will develop lifelong skills for learning, collaboration, understanding, decision-making and problem solving.

The Classroom

Our classroom will change as the nature of the subject changes. Sometimes it might feel like any other classroom, or a laboratory, research station or library. Occasionally our class might feel like a corporate boardroom or the chambers of Supreme Court as they discuss an important and controversial case that has been brought before them. Sometimes it might look like the workshop in a design-engineering firm or an art class. And sometimes it will be the night sky, a tide pool and the beach at sunset.

The Content

The content covered in this course are consistent with the guidelines outlined with the National Science Foundation and the Vermont Framework.  Physical Science and Life Science are integrated into this class.  Every student will be exposed to and develop working knowledge in the following areas of study:
    Tools for understanding Science and Scientists
    Properties of Matter
    Human Systems
    Energy and Light
    Machines and Motion
    Organisms – From Macro to Micro
    Earth in Space

The actual units may change from year to year based on student interests, world events, teacher expertise and creativity and the degree of integration and collaboration between 7/8 Humanities and 7/8 Science.