Middle School Sciences

Science in my classes cover Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Sciences. I utilize many different methods, but try to allow students to discover and learn for themselves, using field studies, experiments, and student-guided inquiry.

The seventh grade curriculum includes the weather and our atmosphere, motion and forces, anatomy and physiology, and heredity and genetics.

As we start a new quarter, the 7th grade begins their unit on Weather. We will be discussing clouds, precipitation, and the atmosphere. We will also delve into instruments used to forecast the weather and the cultural impacts of climate on a population. Our AOI is Environments. Our guiding question is being identified later.

As the 7th grade studies motion and forces, we are learning about projectile motion. Our guiding question is "How do machines make my life easier?"
Our AOI is Human Ingenuity.

Here are the documents as well as instructions to help you build your trebuchet!

• To print on paper
• To print on cardstock
• Instructions
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5

You can also find some of the math behind the launching of a trebuchet here.

Our 8th graders study the hydrosphere, chemistry, cell theory, microbiology, and evolution.

Now that the 8th grade is through with chemistry, we will be applying that knowledge to our unit on the hydrosphere. We are concentrating on the underlying effects of water chemistry on the environment. Tools utilized and skills learned will be water treatment and testing, identification of limiting and nonlimiting nutrients, and the impact these characteristics have on a broad ecological scale. Our AOI is Environments. Our Guiding question has not been identified yet.

The eighth grade class is studying chemistry now. We are focusing on the organization of elements in the periodic table, as well as identifying elements' properties based on their positions. We are addressing chemical bonding as well as balancing chemical equations. This unit's guiding question is "How does chemistry change the world around us?"
Our AOI is Human Ingenuity.
The eighth grade is also working to develop a project to help the school. Last year, Stephanie took it upon herself to lead the school toward energy efficiency, with a goal of saving $7000. This year, Emily will be undertaking a similar charge, to establish the campus as a National Wildlife Foundation Certified Wildlife Habitat. She will also be undertaking a related projcect to benefit the school which will be announced at a later date.

Middle school students have access to many different educational software packages and opportunities to incorporate technology into their education as well as into their every day lives. They will be proficient using Inspiration, Type To Learn, word processing, presentations, and spreadsheets. Blogging, videoconferencing, web applications, wikis, and web development are also Tech possibilities. All eighth grade students, prior to their graduation, will have completed the North Carolina Computer Competency Exam.

Apply here to be a team member.

Teachers can update their websites by going to this page:www.hickoryday.org/classpage.html
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