The Galvin Middle School Science, Technology, and Engineering curricula are designed with the notion that active engagement of middle school students with science and engineering practices is critical. Students engage in learning opportunities to experience the dynamic, interdisciplinary nature of science and technology/engineering.
Sixth through eighth grade science classes employ OpenSciEd’s curriculum.OpenSciEd is a comprehensive NGSS and Massachusetts Science, Technology, and Engineering standards aligned middle school science curriculum. It empowers students to ask questions, design investigations, and solutions, and figure out the interesting and puzzling world. OpenSciEd empowers students to be the knowers and doers of science and develops a classroom in which the ideas we hear from our peers help to move our thinking forward as we develop our abilities to think, read, write and argue as scientists and engineers.
Phenomenon Based - Centered around exploring phenomena or solving problems
Driven by Student Questions - Storyline based on students’ questions and ideas
Grounded in Evidence - Incremental building and revision of ideas based on evidence
Collaborative - WE, the class and the teacher, figure out ideas together
Equitable - Builds a classroom culture that values ideas and learning of all
The OpenSciEd Instructional model uses a storyline approach in which students are presented with puzzling phenomena that elicit a variety of questions that motivate the learning in the unit. In OpenSciEd units, phenomena are carefully selected to anchor a storyline and inspire the development of target disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices. These anchoring phenomena draw students into the storyline by presenting the natural challenge of explaining something or solving a problem. Other phenomena may be introduced at key points in a storyline to maintain interest or push students to delve more deeply.
Sixth grade OpenSciEd scope and sequence follows six different units that incorporate disciplinary core ideas from the physical, earth, space, & life science domains.
Seventh grade OpenSciEd scope and sequence follows six different units that incorporate disciplinary core ideas from the physical, earth, space, & life science domains.
Eighth grade OpenSciEd scope and sequence follows six different units that incorporate disciplinary core ideas from the physical, earth, space, & life science domains.
The GMS Technology and Engineering curriculum is built with a focus of developing conceptual understanding and real-world problem solving skills through a broad variety of hands-on projects and activities.
Using the Engineering Design Process through a project based learning approach, students engage in relevant and rigorous learning experiences. Technology/engineering grades sixth through eighth students explore, engage and learn Computer Aided Design, Robotics, Transportation, Manufacturing and Communication Technologies.
Beginning in sixth grade with a rigorous design and modeling course, Project Lead the Way provides hands-on opportunities for our students to solve real world problems while working through the Engineering Design Process and to learn skills to promote confidence and curiosity. Learning that we can solve problems for others encourages empathy in all we do. With a strong foundation of the design process our students move onto more complex technology systems in seventh grade.
Seventh grade students use their logical thinking and problem solving skills to form a deeper understanding of the world around them by exploring communication and transportation systems and technologies. We explore the history and evolution of technology as a way to share ideas, knowledge and materials with others while also focusing on logical problem solving and reasoning.
By completion of eighth grade, students will demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the Engineering Design Process and necessary skills by participating in our Innovation Summit. Students will explore the world around them and improve or redesign solutions to share with the local community. Students complete 8th grade as competent problem solvers with a sound knowledge of technology, tools and programs and how they relate to and improve their world.