Class Updates
Mrs. Levin
Living Systems: We are starting our genetics unit, Decoding Your Future. Students are virtually extracting DNA and translating genetic codes into proteins to determine the function
IPC: Students are studying oil spills and how the chemical structure of different devices aids in the clean up of these man made disasters.
Earth Systems: Students are researching what types of natural hazards cities are vulnerable to, in order to make a presentation to the UN requesting funding for their city
Mrs. Fox
6th grade students are starting a new unit at the beginning of quarter 3 on Motion! Students will analyze models, apply their math skills and dive into Newton's Laws of Motion.
7th grade is finishing up Chemical Reactions in quarter 3 and then jumping into a unit called "Awaken the Force" (which focuses on magnetic and gravitational forces). Students will analyze a proposed Mag-Lev train that transports passengers from New York to Washington, D.C. in less than 2 hours! They will also get to manipulate an online game and knock the pin to win!
8th grade students are starting a new unit on Genetics. They will investigate genetic variation through generations and explore how humans and the environment affect traits. It is really fun to think about how these traits show up in plants and animals!
Mrs. Horgan
6th Grade Science: Science students will start a new unit which focuses on Newton’s Laws of Motion. Students begin by learning what motion is and how we know if something is in motion. Students investigate the concepts of motion and velocity by collecting and analyzing data. Students investigate balanced and unbalanced forces in a system as they learn about Newton’s First Law and its impact on the motion of objects. Next, students learn about Newton’s Second Law by investigating the mathematical relationship between force, mass and acceleration. Finally, students engage in a number of investigations to explore the physics of collisions and Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
For the Culminating Event, students engage in a performance-based project that assesses their understanding of how to predict an object’s continued motion, changes in motion, or its stability. Students create and evaluate design solutions based on what they have learned about Newton’s Law of motion.
Earth Systems: Students will focus on how scientists develop models and predict the effects of human activities on Earth’s climate. Throughout this unit, students should recognize that accumulated human knowledge and scientific research can help people learn more about challenges and guide their responses.
The unit begins with students investigating evidence of historical climate change and how these changes have produced feedback in other Earth's systems. Students investigate the carbon cycle and human impacts on the carbon cycle. Students learn that the impacts of climate change are uneven and might affect some regions, species, or human populations more severely than others. Students recognize uncertainties that predictions, particularly long-term predictions, have, often due to behavioral, economic, and political factors. Finally, students develop an understanding that information, from models and other scientific and engineering efforts, will continue to be essential to planning and developing climate change solutions.
For the Culminating Event, students design or refine a technological solution to reduce their school campus’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Living Systems: The third unit in the Living Systems course is Decoding Your Future. Throughout this unit, students develop an understanding of genetics. Throughout the unit students examine the structure and function of genes, they explore the relationships between DNA, chromosomes, and the passing of traits from parents to offspring. Students investigate how meiosis, errors during replication, and mutations from environmental factors can lead to inheritable genetic variation.
This unit is the third unit in the Living Systems course. Students will have prior knowledge of body systems and homeostasis as well as diet and nutrition. Throughout this unit, students develop an understanding of genetics. The unit is framed by the question, "What do your genes have in store for you?" Throughout the unit students examine the structure and function of genes, they explore the relationships between DNA, chromosomes, and the passing of traits from parents to offspring. Students investigate how meiosis, errors during replication, and mutations from environmental factors can lead to inheritable genetic variation.
For the Culminating Event students focus on inheritable traits in a family friend. Students write a letter to inform a family friend about how the structure of DNA directs the formation of proteins which carry out cellular functions, how meiosis and environmental factors lead to genetic variation, how meiosis and fertilization can result in a trait not expressed in both parents being expressed in their offspring, the pros and cons of genetic testing, and questions that the family friend can ask their doctor to help better understand how genetic variation occurs and is inherited and/or how traits are inherited.