Mrs. Cleary—Teacher Grades 7 & 8
Goals:
- To understand important scientific concepts and relate them to everyday life
- To use and promote inquiry-based learning
- To promote higher level thinking skills
- To solve problems collaboratively & individually applying scientific principles
- To communicate ideas and thoughts through a variety of media
- To integrate technology with science curriculum
- To commit to environmental protection issues
The AIMS of MYP sciences are to encourage and enable students to:
• understand and appreciate science and its implications
• consider science as a human endeavor with benefits and limitations
• cultivate analytical, inquiring and flexible minds that pose questions, solve problems, construct
explanations and judge arguments
• develop skills to design and perform investigations, evaluate evidence and reach conclusions
• build an awareness of the need to effectively collaborate and communicate
• apply language skills and knowledge in a variety of real-life contexts
• develop sensitivity towards the living and non-living environments
• reflect on learning experiences and make informed choices.
Units: See the Curriculum Map for details on the units. By providing inquiry opportunities throughout the program, students can enhance their understanding of scientific concepts by participating in discovery.
Class Expectations: Each child is expected to follow the IB Essential Agreements, which means they will actively participate in class labs and discussions. Each student is expected to maintain a journal which should contain class notes written using their provided note sheets. Lab data, lab write-ups, class handouts, assignments and projects will be included in the journal. The material in the journal should be organized chronologically (unless otherwise noted in class) and used as a study and review source for assessments. Although we will spend class time organizing our work, it would benefit your child if you encourage him to review, summarize, and update the journal while using it at home. The journal needs to be with your child in class daily.
Homework: Assignments given for homework are to be completed following the guidelines given in class and generally will be assigned through Google Classroom. Homework will be listed on the respective grade level website HOMEWORK page and updated daily. Unless otherwise noted, homework is to be completed for the next day’s class and kept in the journal. Time-lines for larger project will be announced in class.
Grading will consist of lab activities, class notes, assignments, reports, projects, discussions, journal organization, and both performance and written assessments. Details on final point values will be provided in class and are often given in rubric form. Please ask your child to show you some of the rubrics we are currently using in science.
Supplies: Textbooks are mainly used for procedural directions during class activities. The textbook will be kept in the science lab. An online version of the textbook is available at ilearn.CarolineScienceOnline.com using your child’s login information. Supplementary textbooks may be provided to students to enhance unit lessons. Supplies needed in the classroom are a composition notebook (graph version is ideal, but lined version okay) to be used as a journal, graph paper, a ruler or protractor, pens, pencils, correcting pens, colored pencils, glue stick and a scientific calculator. On occasion, I may ask that students bring in simple household items.