As we move into the final nine (9) weeks of the semester, this is a good time for students to take a close look at their progress. Some students are currently earning a D or F for a variety of reasons, including missing work, low assessment scores, or difficulty applying concepts to new situations.
The good news: there is still meaningful time to improve! We have two unit assessments remaining in Q2, and Q1 + Q2 combined will account for 80% of the semester grade. There is plenty of opportunity ahead, but now is the time to use it.
As science becomes more complex, students are being asked to apply concepts, interpret evidence, and explain their reasoning, not simply recall information. This was especially evident on our Unit 2 assessment.
Students generally did well on Free-Response Question (FRQ) #1, which asked them to connect mass, force, and changes in motion. FRQ #2 was more challenging because students had to apply those same concepts to velocity data, recognize that objects in a collision experience equal-strength forces, and use the amount of velocity change to infer mass.
Please see my individual feedback for each student's FRQ in PowerSchool.
Note: FRQ #2 is most similar to the types of questions students encounter on AzSCI and ACT assessments. Moving forward, we will continue practicing these deeper applications in class. These are the skills that will increasingly drive success in high school and college science.
For our recent project, students earned one (1) point for each completed day of work in both Futura and their Science Journal, for a maximum of six (6) points.
Students who did not earn full credit should review the grade comments in PowerSchool for feedback on incomplete work and what needs to be corrected.
REDO OPPORTUNITY: Students may redo eligible project work for up to 100% credit until the START of class on Friday, October 16. Only one (1) redo attempt is permitted, so students should carefully review the requirements and feedback before resubmitting.
PowerSchool is an important resource for understanding not only a student's current grade, but also how that grade was earned and what opportunities may be available for improvement.
I encourage families to review individual assignments regularly. By selecting an assignment in PowerSchool, you can review available information, including:
Assignment requirements: What students were expected to complete and demonstrate.
Teacher feedback: Comments explaining incomplete work, missing components, or areas needing improvement.
Redo/retake opportunities: Whether an assignment or assessment is eligible for another attempt, along with any deadlines and conditions.
Please pay particular attention to assignment comments, as they often contain important information beyond the numerical grade.
All lesson materials, including our instructional slides, are available to students for review. Because they contain copyrighted curriculum content, access is limited to BFCS students.
Simply re-reading notes is not enough for deep learning. Instead, encourage your student to use retrieval practice: CLOSE the notes/computer and try to recall, explain, draw, or apply the information before looking at the answer.
Three great questions to practice are:
Can I explain why?
Can I use the data as evidence?
Can I apply this concept to a new situation?
Even a few minutes of this kind of active practice each day can make a meaningful difference.
Per Science Department policy, homework cannot be accepted after the due date unless the student or parent/guardian contacts me BEFORE the deadline to make an arrangement.
Email is a simple and effective way to communicate with me in advance. If a student knows they will have difficulty meeting a deadline, please encourage them to reach out before the assignment is due. Parents/guardians are also welcome to contact me on their behalf.
We have many opportunities remaining. Consistent attendance, completing work on time, reviewing feedback, and practicing application rather than memorization will put students in the strongest position to finish the semester successfully.
Thank you for your continued support! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mrs. Scheidt
As the culminating experience for our Force and Motion unit, students will apply what they’ve learned about forces, collisions, mass, velocity, and impact to a real-world engineering challenge: designing an emergency supply pod that could safely deliver humanitarian aid to people in disaster-stricken areas.
Working as engineers, students will design, test, analyze data, revise, and defend their solutions while balancing important constraints such as protecting the cargo, surviving impact, and controlling cost.
And we need CLIENTS!
We’d love to invite parents to serve as the engineering “client” during their student’s class period. You’ll get a front-row seat to applied science in action as students explain their thinking, respond to questions and feedback, and demonstrate how science can be used to solve real problems.
Interested in joining us as a client? Please contact Miss Bianca in the front office for volunteer requirements and details.
No engineering experience required ... just bring your questions and get ready to put our young engineers to work! ⚙️📦
OPENINGS: Tuesday 09/22 - Friday 09/25
Students have the opportunity to complete quiz corrections using their notes to strengthen their understanding and prepare for our upcoming Unit Exam. Please encourage your student to use this opportunity not simply to change answers, but to review the concepts they need to know for the Unit Exam.
Students received a paper copy of the quiz corrections in class.
Corrections are open notes.
Completed corrections are due at the START of class on Monday, 9/21, before we begin the Unit Exam.
A digital copy is available here in case the paper copy is misplaced: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s6O4YlmFuxbmYxJiwv5WxGJrCrZm2QnXfj23SuZ5Nrw/edit?usp=sharing
During our block class this week (Wednesday or Thursday, depending on class period), students will participate in a hands-on investigation of collisions, forces, and changes in motion. Students will be working with a dense rubber ball and a golf ball and will wear safety goggles during the investigation. Because the balls may bounce or roll unexpectedly throughout the classroom, students should wear:
👟 Closed-toe AND closed-heel shoes (i.e. sneakers).
This footwear requirement helps protect students' feet and reduces the risk of slips or falls during the investigation.
Students who arrive without appropriate footwear will still be included in the learning as observers from a designated safe area, but they will not be able to participate directly in the investigation. Thank you for helping us keep hands-on science both engaging and safe!
Individual feedback on your student’s exam will be included in the PowerSchool comments. As a reminder, unit summative assessment grades are final and are not curved or eligible for corrections/redos. Assessment scores reflect applicable accommodations and modifications for students with individual academic plans, in accordance with their documented educational requirements.
Overall Class Average: 75.6%
Grade Distribution: A – 25% -- B – 21% -- C – 18% -- D – 14% -- F – 22%
Nearly two-thirds of students (64%) earned a C or higher, including 46% who earned an A or B.
Overall, the exam gave us some valuable information about where students are doing well and where we need continued practice as we move into Unit 2.
Students generally showed a good understanding of the big ideas of the unit and were able to identify concepts related to energy, systems, and generators. Many students could determine what was happening in a system and select relevant scientific ideas and evidence.
1) The biggest challenge was scientific writing and explanation. Students were often able to give the correct answer or identify appropriate evidence, but had difficulty explaining why the evidence supported their answer using precise scientific vocabulary and fully explaining their scientific reasoning. We will continue practicing our scientific writing structure: ANSWER → VOCABULARY → EVIDENCE → EXPLAIN WHY
2) Another important takeaway was the value of complete, organized notes. Students who maintained complete notes throughout the unit had a stronger resource available for studying and reviewing key concepts.
These are skills we will continue developing throughout the year. Eighth-grade science requires students to move beyond simply identifying the correct answer and toward explaining and defending their scientific thinking.
As we begin Unit 2: Force & Motion, we will continue working on strong note-taking, scientific vocabulary, evidence-based reasoning, and complete written explanations.
Hello Science Families!
I’m sending home a short homework assignment connected to our Amplify science simulation. We worked through the simulation together in class as a demonstration, and I wanted students to have the opportunity to create and explore their own simulations as well.
If your student is unable to complete the assignment due to internet access, a late practice/game, lack of access to a computer, or another circumstance, that is completely okay. Please simply write the reason on the homework page and include a parent/guardian signature. I will excuse the assignment for them.
Thank you for your support, and please feel free to reach out with any questions!
- Mrs. Scheidt (vscheidt@bfcsaz.com)
Dear Charger Families! 💙💛
We had a fantastic first week of school! Students began our Science Foundations unit by learning what it means to THINK and Investigate like scientists. Throughout the week, we explored how scientists ask questions, evaluate trustworthy evidence, follow safe laboratory procedures, design fair investigations, and use evidence to support scientific explanations. Students also participated in our Hot vs. Cold Lab, where they practiced making observations, identifying variables, collecting data, and discussing evidence like real scientists.
Our focus this week was on building the habits of scientific thinking rather than simply memorizing facts.
Next week we officially launch Amplify Science Unit 1: Harnessing Human Energy! Students will begin investigating how the body uses energy and will continue developing their skills in observation, questioning, modeling, and evidence-based reasoning.
Beginning next week, students should expect 10–15 minutes of homework most evenings. I encourage students to complete this work during Conference period.
Thank you for your support during a wonderful first week! I am excited to continue building a classroom where students learn to think, question, and reason like scientists. Have a wonderful weekend! 🩷 Mrs. Scheidt