Students enrolled in Accelerated Physical Science are subject-accelerated, meaning they are taking a high school-level course while in 8th grade. A Written Acceleration Plan will be provided at the beginning of the year for parent/guardian review and signature.
There is a 9-week transition period during which students may move to regular 8th Grade Science.
Academic support is available during Academy and by teacher request.
Students receive regular feedback through lab reports and homework assignments.
Tests are administered every 3–5 weeks and cover several standards.
Students cannot retake Physical Science in high school.
This course is as rigorous as high school Physical Science, possibly more so:
Students will cover all 8th Grade Science standards (life, earth, and physical sciences) in addition to all high school Physical Science standards (chemistry and physics).
Students must keep pace with a fast-moving curriculum and engage deeply with both lab work and written assignments.
Students will take the 8th Grade Science Ohio State Test in the spring, as there is no separate test for high school Physical Science.
Final grades will count toward the student’s middle school GPA and appear on their high school transcript (but will not affect their high school GPA).
Students are expected to continue with a science course every year in high school.
Homework: Homework will be assigned on an as-needed basis. There is no set amount of homework that will be assigned each week. Additionally, homework may or may not be taken for a grade on any given day. This is up to my discretion.
Lab Activities: Students will regularly participate in inquiry-based activities that will count as a grade. If working in groups, each group members’ lab sheet will be graded SEPARATELY. Therefore, each student is responsible for their own recordings, observations, and conclusions. Not all group members may earn the same grade.
Bell Work: Each day there will be a question that should be answered on a separate sheet of paper as soon as the students gets to class. Within the first 5 minutes of class, we will go over the question as a class. This questions review previous material or help transition into new material.
Tests/Quizzes: The majority of your grade will be made up of tests and/or quizzes. Students will take tests and quizzes that are focused on one or two units of content. Tests and quizzes will be given approximately once or twice each topic. During the year students will be required to take "team tests". Team tests do NOT have to have the same questions, but WILL cover the same concepts. This allows students to discuss general concepts without sharing answers. Students will be responsible for looking at my website and google classroom for topics that will be covered on the tests/quizzes. Dates for these tests/quizzes will be announced at least 5-7 days in advance.
A - 89.5-100%
B - 79.5-89.4%
C - 69.5-79.4%
D - 59.5-69.4%
F - Below 59.4%
Tentative weekly schedule, due dates and upcoming test/quiz info.
Monday: First Day of School
Bellwork
School Intro
Population Study Pt I
Goals
Process
Data Collection
Tuesday:
Bellwork
School Intro
Population Study Pt II
Homework
Population Study Pt II (graphs, data, questions) - Thursday @ 3:00 on Google Classroom
Supplies Check - Friday
Wednesday:
Bellwork
School Intro
Population Study Pt II
Characterisitcs of Life Video
Homework
Population Study Pt II (graphs, data, questions) - Thursday @ 3:00 on Google Classroom
Supplies Check - Friday
Thursday:
Bellwork - Make sure you population study is turned in
Characterisitcs of Life Notes
Asexual and Sexual Reproduction Notes
Start Reproduction Strategies Activity
Homework
Population Study Pt II (graphs, data, questions) - Today @ 3:00 on Google Classroom
Supplies Check - Friday
Friday:
Bellwork
Check Supplies
Finish Reproduction Strategies Activity
Monday:
Bellwork - Salmon Life Cycle w/s
DNA, Chromosomes, and Gene Video/Notes
Tuesday:
Bellwork - Bacteria vs Fly vs Bunny
Finish Notes
Chromosome Count
Mitosis (if time)
Wednesday: No School!!
Thursday: No School!!
Friday: No School!!
Monday: Labor Day - No School!
Tuesday:
Bellwork
Review
Mitosis Notes
Start Meiosis Notes
Wednesday:
Bellwork
Finish Meiosis Notes
Mitosis and Meiosis - Real Videos
Mitosis vs Meiosis Exit Ticket
Homework
Heredity Vocab - Thursday
Thursday:
Bellwork - Cat Mitosis and Meiosis
Check Homework
Gene vs Allele Video
Homework
Who is Mendel Notes (if not done in class) - Friday
Life Science Pt I Test - Next Thursday
Friday:
Bellwork - Human Traits Survey
Check Homework
Mendel's Law Notes
Homework
Life Science Pt I Test - Thursday
Monday:
Bellwork
Smiley Baby Pt I
Flipping for alleles
Survey
Draw
Homework
Life Science Pt I Test - Thursday
Tuesday:
Bellwork
Smiley Baby Pt II (Theoretical vs Experimental)
50/50 flipping
Determine the percentage using Google Sheets
Mendelian/Complete Dominance Notes
Homework
Smiley Baby Pt II - Wednesday
Life Science Pt I Test - Thursday
Wednesday:
Bellwork - Heredity 1/2 Sheet
Turn in Homework
Punnett Square Practice
Review for Test
Homework
Life Science Pt I Test - Thursday
Thursday:
Life Science Pt I Test
Friday:
Punnett Square Practice
Monday:
Bellwork
Finish Incomplete and Co-Dominance Notes from Friday
Go over test
Incomplete and Co-Dominance Coloring w/s
Homework
Three types of Punnett Square w/s - Tuesday
Tuesday:
Bellwork - Compare the three types of Punnett squares
Check homework
Start Sex-Linked Punnett Square Notes
Wednesday:
Bellwork
Finish Sex-Linked Punnett Square Notes
Sex-Linked Punnett Square Practice w/s (2 sided)
Gurubop Sex-Linked Punnett Square w/s (if time)
Thursday:
Bellwork - Gurubop Sex-Linked Punnett Square w/s (if needed)
Gurubop pg 1 and 2
Homework
Gurubop pg 3 (questions 1-4) - Friday
Entire Gurubop Packet - Wednesday (9/30)
Friday: Interim Reports Out
Bellwork
Gurubop pg 4 and 5
Homework
Gurubop pg 3 (questions 5-8) - Monday
Entire Gurubop Packet - Wednesday (9/30)
Monday:
Bellwork
Make Gurubop
Pedigree Chart Notes
Homework
Gurubop pg 6 and 7 - Tuesday
Entire Gurubop Packet - Wednesday
Tuesday:
Bellwork
Time to work on Gurubop Packet
Simple Pedigree Charts w/s
Homework
Gurubop pg 8 - Tomorrow
Entire Gurubop Packet - Tomorrow
Wednesday:
Turn in Gurubop
Who's the Daddy Team Activity
Thursday:
Bellwork
Finish Simple Pedigree Chart w/s
Start Pedigree Packet
Homework
Family Pedigree Chart - Friday
Friday:
Bellwork
Collect Homework
Finish Pedigree Packet and Go Over
Challenge Pedigree Chart (if needed)
Monday:
Bellwork
Natural Selection and Speciation Notes
Homework
Darwin Notes - Tuesday
Tuesday:
Bellwork
Check Homework
Finish Natural Selection and Speciation Notes
Wednesday:
Bellwork - How does one species become two?
Inherited vs Acquired Traits Notes
Natural Selection and Fossils Notes
Thursday: Conferences (3-9pm)
Bellwork
Mutatation vs Adadaption w/s
Prep Lab
Study Guide
Homework
Life Science Pt II Test - Friday
Friday: NEOEA Day - No School for Students
Monday:
Bellwork
Natural Selection Lab
Homework
Life Science Pt II Test - Friday
Tuesday:
Bellwork
Natural Selection Lab
Homework
Life Science Pt II Test - Friday
Wednesday:
Bellwork
Time to work on Lab
Review for test
What is the scientific method?
Homework
Life Science Pt II Test - Friday
Natural Selection Lab (Data, Graphs, Questions) - Monday
Thursday:
Bellwork - metric vs our units
Finish the scientific method notes
Homework
Life Science Pt II Test - Friday
Natural Selection Lab (Data, Graphs, Questions) - Monday
Friday:
Life Science Pt II Test
Homework
Natural Selection Lab (Data, Graphs, Questions) - Monday
Monday:
Bellwork
Turn in Natural Selection Lab (Data, Graphs, Questions)
Metric System and Unit Cancelation Notes
Homework
Variables Practice - Tuesday
Tuesday:
Bellwork
Check homework
Unit cancelation practice
Wednesday:
Bellwork
Thursday:
Bellwork
Friday: End of Quarter 1
Bellwork
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Friday: Interim Reports Out
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Wednesday: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Thursday: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Friday: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Monday: Professional Development - No School for Students
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Friday: End of Quarter 2
Monday: Winter Break - No School
Tuesday: Winter Break - No School
Wednesday: Winter Break - No School
Thursday: Winter Break - No School
Friday: Winter Break - No School
Monday: Winter Break - No School
Tuesday: Winter Break - No School
Wednesday: Winter Break - No School
Thursday: Winter Break - No School
Friday: Winter Break - No School
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Monday: MLK Day - No School
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Thursday: Conferences (3-9pm)
Friday: Mid-Winter Break - No School
Monday: Mid-Winter Break - No School
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Wednesday: End of Quarter 3
Thursday: Professional Development - No School for Students
Friday: Spring Break - No School
Monday: Spring Break - No School
Tuesday: Spring Break - No School
Wednesday: Spring Break - No School
Thursday: Spring Break - No School
Friday: Spring Break - No School
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Monday: Memorial Day - No School
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Friday: End of Quarter 4