Science
Science News
Dear Parents & Guardians,
We hope this message finds you well. We wanted to share some important information about our approach to grading in our science class.
In our classroom, we place a high value on the scientific process and aim to nurture our students' ability to think like scientists. To encourage a genuine commitment to all aspects of learning, we have chosen not to disclose which specific parts of their science activities are being graded. We believe that this approach allows students to engage fully in their scientific exploration without focusing solely on achieving a particular grade.
Each assignment will be evaluated on a 1-4 scale, emphasizing their progress and effort rather than just right or wrong answers. We want our students to understand that learning is a journey, and their ability to think critically, ask questions, experiment, and draw meaningful conclusions is what truly matters.
In the event of a student's absence, we want to assure you that they can access the assignments on our 6th-grade website and through Lab-Aids on Clever. Additionally, we accept late work within the quarter, recognizing that sometimes more time is needed for a deeper understanding of the scientific concepts.
We appreciate your support as we work together to instill a love for science and the scientific process in our students. Our aim is to prepare them not only with knowledge but with the skills and mindset to explore and understand the world around them.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. We look forward to a fantastic year of scientific discovery with your children.
Warm regards,
Mr. Caleb Visser & Ms. Rachel Boruff
Student Work Plans
Essential Standards
Essential Standard 1
Use evidence to support energy transfer & changes in kinetic energy
Essential Standard 2
Describe the cycling of weather through Earth’s system by energy from the sun and gravity
Essential Standard 3
Identify plant & animal cell part; Explain the function of plant and animal cell parts
Essential Standard 4
Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.
Policies
Science Grading Policy: 100% of the grade will be from assignments and assessments. All grades will be scored on a 1-4 scale and weighted equally.
Homework Policy: There will be no homework unless students do not complete assignments in class.
Year at a Glance
Energy
How can people manipulate energy transfer and transformation to use energy more efficiently?
Anchoring phenomenon: Some energy transfers and transformations are more efficient than others. When a device uses energy, some of the energy is changed into a form that is not useful. This “wasted” energy reduces the efficiency of the device.
Examples: Some appliances (such as refrigerators) and devices (such as certain lightbulbs) use less energy than others; some devices transform energy from the sun. Students generate and answer questions such as: Why are some devices more efficient than others? What can people do to reduce energy use? How can people manipulate energy transfer and transformation to use energy more efficiently?
This unit builds towards and assesses PEs PS3-3, PS3-4, PS3-5, MS-ETS1-4.
Weather & Climate
How does the weather affect people and how do people affect the climate?
Anchoring phenomenon: Weather and climate change over time and vary from place to place. For example, some years are warmer than others or have more severe weather events, such as droughts, floods, and storms. There are also long-term trends in climate, such as rising average global temperatures.
Students generate and answer questions such as: What causes weather events? What causes climate to vary from place to place? Have local severe weather events changed over the past 50 years? In what ways is the climate changing? What might be causing climate change?
This unit builds towards and assesses PEs ESS2-5, ESS2-6, ESS3-5, ETS1-3, ETS1-4
Land, Water & Human Interactions
Which areas of Boomtown are the best choice for construction?
Anchoring phenomenon: The landscape is constantly changing due to natural processes and human activity.
Examples include formation and destruction of beaches and impacts of homes on cliff erosion. Students generate and answer questions such as: How do earth processes, like wind and flowing water, change Earth’s surface? How do human activities change Earth’s surface?
This unit builds towards and assesses PEs ESS2-2, ESS2-4, ESS3-3, ETS1-1, ETS1-2.
From Cells to Organisms
How should we prevent the spread of an infectious disease?
Anchoring phenomenon: When you look through a microscope, organisms as different as humans, plants, and many microorganisms that make people sick are all made of cells.
Examples include cells from various animal tissues like blood cells, plant cells, protozoa, and bacteria, including specific microorganisms that cause certain infectious diseases. Students generate and answer questions such as: How are the cells of various organisms alike? How are they different? How do these similarities and differences relate to the functions of these cells?
This unit builds towards and assesses PEs LS1-1, LS1-2, LS1-6, LS1-7 and builds toward LS1-3.
Body Systems
How do we know if a medicine is safe and effective?
Anchoring phenomenon: The human body is composed of body systems. Although each system has certain functions, the systems all interact in a healthy body.
An example is the interaction of the circulatory and respiratory systems during exercise. Students generate and answer questions such as: How do systems in the human body function? How do they interact? How can a problem in one system affect another system or systems?
This unit builds towards and assesses PEs LS1-3 and LS1-8.
+ FROG DISSECTION :)
Contact Info
Please use Remind or email us at:
Rachel Boruff- rboruff@ephrataschools.org
Caleb Visser- cvisser@ephrataschools.org