The Middle School science program provides a challenging learning environment which stimulates curiosity, discovery and critical thinking. In order to make connections and develop understanding of concepts, students’ questions are used to drive learning and identify misconceptions in each unit.
Students will engage in a variety of activities including open-ended investigations and engineering projects which support habits of learning with particular focus on the scientific method and engineering design cycle. Increasing students’ ability to use and interpret scientific data related to the natural world is key to improving scientific literacy. Embedded in each unit are opportunities for students to construct explanations or models using data and scientific knowledge; this helps deepen their understanding by making connections between concepts. Opportunities will be given to evaluate experimental results and design solutions by considering the validity and reliability of data sets as they reflect on their own work and that of others.
Assessment criteria are grouped into four strands: Knowledge and concepts, investigating practices, sensemaking practices and critiquing practices.
Units of Study:
Unit 1: Natural Born Killers?
Unit 2: Goldilocks Zone; Too hot, too cold, just right.
Unit 3: We are all made of stardust... explain?
Unit 4: Man vs Man-Made; drowning in plastic.
Unit 5: We are what we eat so what are we?
Unit 6: Can you die of a broken heart?
Unit 7: Baby to Baby Maker; Sharing the genetic code
Unit 8: We are all children of Africa... explain! The history of our genetic code.
Unit 9: CRISPR and clones; the future of our genetic code.
Unit 10: What is going on up there? Weather and Climate