Welcome to 7th grade life science at D.T. Howard Middle School. My name is Ms. Morgan, and I am super thrilled to have the opportunity to learn with you this school year. I attended Chatham University during its years as an 'all-female' institution and, most recently graduated from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania with a Masters in science education. This is my very first year as an educator and I am so happy to be a member of such a robust educational community.

Rooted in equity and fed by personal experiences, my philosophy of teaching surpasses more than content milestones. Fueled by the world around me and the multifaceted, multicultural individuals that encompass it, I desire to create a classroom that is not confined by its structural design. Project-based learning, at its core, is best practiced when students are able to actively engage with the world around them and acquire tactile pieces of evidence in which they have discovered themselves.

This year, you will be introduced to new instructional materials that assist in your achievement of proficiency and beyond, as it relates to the sciences. I will be providing you with platforms that enable you to utilize what you have and how you can apply your knowledge to change the world around you. My goal is to create a classroom learning environment that enables you to:

• Utilize creativity to birth innovations, think critically and solve real-world problems

• Develop and utilize a strong science vocabulary

• Familiarize oneself with scientific technology to be used toward overall understanding of scientific concepts

• Think freely and independently!

I am truly honored to serve as a catalyst for your scientific growth this year!