| Name of Course: |
Science 8 |
| Course #: |
M27811 |
| Course Length: |
Yearlong |
Course Description:
| Science 8 is a yearlong course built around the Next Generation Science Standards. Questions to be addressed throughout the year include what are the effects of an asteroid collision and how can we prevent a future one; what forces keep the parts of our solar system together and how can we use this knowledge to plot a telescope route through space; how do species change over time and should we intervene; and how are humans harming Earth, plants, and animals, and what can we do about it. All the units of study are project-based, include Instructionally embedded assessments, align to the 5E instructional model (i.e., engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate), are phenomena-based, and provide students with opportunities to generate their own questions to motivate sense-making and/or problem solving. |
Standards:
- MS-PS2-2. Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
- MS-PS2-1. Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects.
- MS-ESS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.
- MS-PS2-4. Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.
- MS-LS4-2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
- MS-LS4-5. Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.
- MS-ESS3-4. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
- MS-PS4-2. Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
|
Text/Materials/Resources:
Instructional Practices & Support:
| Instructional practices will be aligned to the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) Framework.
Teachers will maximize classroom time to provide instructional opportunities that are targeted and tailored to student needs. Students will experience high-quality instruction which includes:
- A classroom culture that adheres to productive classroom norms and relationships
- High quality tasks that lend to authentic engagement
- Productive discussions where students make sense, justify and generalize
|
Classroom Management Procedures:
Classroom management procedures will be aligned to the multi-tiered system of support framework, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) to build an emotionally safe, positive and engaging environment. Teachers will understand, support and implement orchestration of the elements in the classroom:
- Establish positive ongoing teacher-student relationships
- Establish, post, and teach rules and procedures regularly
- Implement proactive strategies and interventions
- Use of acknowledgment system with specific immediate praise, and feedback
- Manage student behavior with a continuum of corrective strategies
|
Assessment Plan:
- Students will be given multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency following additional instruction and ongoing assessment,
- Multiple data points will be used to determine the reported grade (formative and/or summative)
- Ongoing assessments may be given in a format different than the original and re-assessment will be given when students demonstrate new learning
- The time frame of ongoing assessments will be determined by the team and individual teachers based on student progress.
- Late work will be accepted without penalty within the unit of study.
- Extra credit will not be factored into grading.
|
