Welcome, 6th Grade Scientists and Engineers!

Course Overview

This year, Science 6 will be using the OpenSciEd curriculum for the first time. We are excited to launch this phenomenon-based curriculum, which incorporates a lot of student questions, hands-on investigations, and discussions! 

Each unit will begin with a phenomenon - something we can observe and ask questions about, but can't completely explain yet. We will develop questions about the phenomenon, and then use those to guide investigations to learn more. Over time, what we learn will lead us to new understandings, but also to new questions!

Tips for parents from OpenSciEd

Helping your child make sense of their learning:

• There is no pre-teaching vocabulary because words often have multiple meanings, and are often easier to remember once students have some experience with it; therefore, ask your child to recall evidence or experiences to help elaborate on what their ideas and explanations are.

• Encourage your child to connect how their models or drawings help explain their ideas about the one-way mirror phenomenon.

• Ask your child how different structures or parts interact with other structures within their models.

• Ask your child what question(s) they are working on currently, and how the class has made progress so far.

• If your child sees the phenomenon or a similar phenomenon outside of school, encourage your child to record it and share with the class, or explain to you what they think is happening.

Having conversations about science:

• Encourage your child’s curiosity through talking about their own noticings and wonderings.

• Hold off on providing answers right away for your child; we want students to make progress on their own (& others) questions and to think of ways to make sense of what’s around them.

A LOOK INTO OUR CLASSROOM

Check back here for updates, photos, & more!

OUR MISSION

As CHMS Science Teachers, we seek to:

• Develop students’ curiosity about natural & physical phenomena;

• Build students’ skill & independence in using experimentation & scientific reasoning to answer questions and explore new ideas;

• Deepen students’ understanding of key concepts & facts in the natural and physical sciences, as well as the connections between the sciences and other fields;

• Develop students’ understanding of the applications of science, and to prepare them to participate actively in a society where scientific literacy is increasingly important in decision making;

• Promote equity in access to and interest in science and engineering, with special attention to the needs of groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM