Science

Welcome to Ron's Middle School Science page.  This year I will lead the students in explorations of ecology, chemistry, human health and emergency medicine, and farm science.  Louise will add several other units to the middle school mix.  We are in for a great year of discovery!  Below is my syllabus for the Health and First Aid unit: Please see Science Homework and Handouts to see what we are doing each week.

Syllabus: Middle School Health and First Aid

 Time Frame: January 2- February 17, March 7-April 20 (Each middle school student will be in one of these sessions).

Course Overview: In this course, students will explore human health. They will examine their background knowledge of human anatomy and physiology through drawing what they know of the human body and its systems before working alone or with a partner to research one of the twelve systems or a specific subsystem such as vision, the brain, or hearing (sexuality, reproduction, cells, and DNA will be covered in Louise’ session, which all students will take during the six weeks that they are not with me).  Students will present an overview of their system as well as an in-depth focus within the system to the entire class.  Overview will include a visual (poster or power point, song, skit, etc.) as well as at least three to five specific facts for the rest of the class to learn.  Their in-depth study will include construction of a model of a major organ of their assigned body system or subsystem. All students will share their research and models with the class for further questions as well note-taking; this will include a small quiz or other device that they develop and give to their peers to see if they have effectively taught the essentials of their system or subsystem.  There will be a comprehensive test of all the human body systems and subsystems at the conclusion of their presentations.

We will cover first aid through an American Red Cross curriculum.  Students will receive multimedia instruction in the basics of first aid, from scene safety to assessment of needs to delivery of first aid.  There will be both written and practical exams which all students must pass with a minimum score of 80%.  The practical exam will be delivered after all students have been through multiple scenarios in which they will need to assess scene safety and medical needs before performing appropriate bandaging, splinting, et cetera.

While a date has yet to be confirmed, I hope to have the first group present their research and models to students at the Westminster Center School in a museum format.  This was a successful activity performed two years ago by our middle school students which was of great service to Center School while also serving as a powerful teaching/learning device for our presenters.

All middle school students will also be taught the Lifelines curriculum, a youth suicide prevention course developed in Maine.  I have been working with The Health and Learning Center of Brattleboro since November of 2009 in learning and teaching about youth suicide prevention.  Faculty have worked together in learning to recognize the warning signs as well as specific steps to take if we suspect that someone is at risk of suicide.  Thankfully, we are very fortunate here at Compass in having students extremely engaged in caring for one another in so many ways, including suicide prevention.  The four-lesson youth suicide prevention curriculum called Lifelines has been presented to all Compass high school students and was taught to all middle school students in the spring of 2010.  I will convene a parent meeting in January to give more background about youth suicide prevention and the Lifelines curriculum. 

                                                Learning Outcomes by Realms:

Knowledge:
Human Anatomy and Physiology (body systems, major organs and their functions)
First Aid
Suicide Prevention awareness and training in how to help those in need

Thinking and Reasoning:
Research and synthesis of information on body system or subsystem for presentation to class
Development of model for individual body system or organ 
Creation of quiz or other assessment for their body system or subsystem

Personal Development:
Artistic – Human body drawings with organs
Individual or partners do more in depth drawings of one system and its organs
Confidence and competence as first aid providers

Communication:
Reading – Textbook photocopies of human body systems, pamphlets on various aspects of health
Writing – Text for posters or power points on human body systems, synopses of health pamphlets, quizzes on body systems or subsystems, note-taking during others’ class presentations

Community Involvement:
Practical skills of first aid as maturing members of society
Presentations to whole class
Westminster Center School presentations (first group)

Weekly Flow:

Weekly flow for second group:

After the Health and First Aid Unit, we will spend three weeks studying local farms.



Syllabus: Middle School Chemistry

Time Frame: October 10-November 11; November 14- December 16

Course Overview: In this unit, students will discover some of the basics of chemistry: classification of matter, periodic table of elements, subatomic particles, chemical bonds, reactions, acids and bases.  They will be required to construct a magazine of this basic knowledge and will take several short written exams prior to the unit Final.

                                                            Learning Outcomes by Realms:

Knowledge: defining the three major subatomic particles, memorization of 20 elements’ symbols, famous formulas, naming two types of chemical bonds, comprehending symbols for simple chemical reactions

Thinking and Reasoning: constuctivist activity on ionic and covalent bonding using manipulatives

Personal Development:

Artistic – Draw an atom and molecule of choice

Decorate their chemistry pamphlet

Communication:

Reading – short essay on the existence of other subatomic particles

Writing – Construct a table of mass, charge, and location of the three major subatomic particles

            text for chemical pamphlet

Community Involvement: baking together, salt lab, alkalinity lab

 Weekly Flow:

Syllabus:  Middle School Ecology

Time Frame: September 7-October 6

Course Overview: Our overall theme will be to develop a stronger understanding of our local environment.  During this unit, we will explore our natural surroundings, beginning with improving our understanding of the plants in the local area. We will explore the Bald Hill Reserve and learn to identify trees as well as wild edibles (which will be featured at a family potluck on September 15!).  Students will study ecology, the relationships between organisms. We will finish by researching and creating our own accordion books on native and invasive species.  

                                                            Learning Outcomes by Realms:

Knowledge:

Plant identification (trees, wild edibles) – Ecological relationships – Native and invasive species

Thinking and Reasoning:

Use of dichotomous key for tree identification

Transect techniques and data collection - Map reading

Personal Development:

Self confidence in identifying wild edibles

Artistic – posters of wild edibles, native vs. invasives book creation

Communication:

Reading –Tree identification keys and books, In class challenges (tree ID, adaptations, avoiding plagiarism)

Writing – Creation of accordion books on native and invasive species, in class challenge writings

Community Involvement:

Utilization of Bald Hill Reserve

Teamwork in performing forest transect

Food preparation and service, inviting families to potluck

Weekly Flow: