Possible Interdiscipline Connections

We are currently doing aour unit on Water and the Social Studies teachers are doing a unit on Africa, and have studying about the Nile river and scarcity of water in Africa. Also we just did a lesson on converting the percent of Earths water into ml 1000 ml = 100%, which fits in perfectly to what the students are doing in Math right now.

Sequence of 6th Grade Units

I think the Water unit should go before the Weather unit in the future. They need a stronger foundation in the properties of water before discussing weeather.

Week of Review

I am not sure the week following each of the units intended to be a review is really beneficial for the students, as currently configured. By the time we get the results back the week of review is almost over. Any ideas?

7th Grade District Science Assessment Date

Hi all,

In the seventh grade, we give the 7th grade district assessment on scientific method this week. This is just a thought, but I believe that next year we should give the first assessment the week of October 1. My rationale behind this thought it is:
1. We have MAP testing at the beginning of the year.
2. We have hearing/sight screening at the beginning of the year (and they pick the science
classes at Kearney to take all the kids).
3. There is a lot of adding/dropping of students at the beginning of the year.
4. There is at least 1 assembly at the beginning of the year.
5. The first three days of school are assessment days and many students at Kearney
choose to skip these days - they should NOT be counted as teaching days.


Simply put, although I have been teaching scientific method, it feels as though there have been constant interruptions. Finally, the week that I am giving the first assessment, things appear to be calming down. Since scientific method makes up 60% of CSAP (probably more), I do not feel the early test benefits my students (especially my new students that just arrived last week). I feel that this is too important a subject to do a brief gloss over.

-Emily Klein

Welcome

This blog was created as a place that Middle School Science teachers in Adams Counnty School District 14 caqn share ideas, lesson plans. Hopefully we will be able to learn from each other as we articulate the Science curriculum between teachers at the same grade level as well as vertically. It is my thought that we can do a google document share or place documents (i.e. rubric and format for lab write-up, etc) directly on the blog and show changes in varoius colors of text. If someone has a better or different way to approach this let us know. I look forward to working through this curriculum this year and continually refine and revise it. I think at this time we will limit participation on the blog to middle school science teachers in the district, but if you all have different ideas on that let me know. If you are having problems posting to the blog let me know.