Sciences

Sciences is one of the eight subject groups of the IB Middle Years Programme. Milwee students learn science by doing it: asking questions, designing investigations, collecting and analyzing data, and explaining what they find. Each year builds on the one before, so the ideas students meet in 6th grade grow deeper and more connected by 8th grade.

Every course is Advanced

Every Milwee student takes Sciences at the Advanced level, with the option of Environmental Science Honors in 8th grade. This approach has been used successfully in schools across the country, and research supports it as a way to improve learning for all students. We believe it gives every student the best chance to grow.

Science is a natural fit for this approach. Because our courses build from year to year, every student gets the same depth of content and the same foundation for the next grade. Teachers provide the support each student needs to reach the same learning goals, including help with scientific reading, vocabulary, and the math used to analyze data. And because real science is done in teams, lab groups that bring together students with different strengths and ways of thinking lead to better questions, better investigations, and richer discussions.

Courses

6th Grade: Comprehensive Science 1 Advanced

Students investigate atoms and molecules, how living things are classified, ecosystems, plate tectonics, Earth's land and ice, and our solar system. Hands-on labs, experiments, and collaborative projects are at the center of the course, and every 6th grader completes a Science Fair project as part of the curriculum.

Grade 6 | Year | Science Fair project | Course code 2002050

7th Grade: Comprehensive Science 2 Advanced

Building on 6th grade, students explore cell structure and function, how cells maintain balance, heredity, weathering and erosion, Earth's water and atmosphere, and stars and galaxies. Students continue to design and carry out investigations and connect science to other subjects and to the world around them.

Grade 7 | Year | Course code 2002080

8th Grade: Comprehensive Science 3 Advanced

The final course in the sequence ties together ideas from all three years. Students study motion and rates of change, the science behind technology and travel, how Earth's systems interact, evolution, how living things are organized, and how the human body maintains balance. The course also prepares students for Florida's Statewide Science Assessment, which covers 6th through 8th grade science.

Grade 8 | Year | Course code 2002110

8th Grade: Environmental Science Honors (High School Credit)

Environmental Science Honors is a full-year high school course open to any 8th grader who wants it. Students study how living things interact with each other and their environment, and how human choices about energy, natural resources, and land use affect the planet. Lab and field investigations are a major part of the course, and students learn to collect, analyze, and draw conclusions from real environmental data. As a high school honors course, it moves at a faster pace and asks more independent work of students than a middle school course, so it's best suited to students who are ready for that challenge. Students in this course are regularly assessed on the Statewide Science Assessment content and receive additional instruction as needed to ensure they are prepared for success on the SSA.

Grade 8 | Year | Open enrollment | 1.0 high school credit | Course code 2001341

Science Fair

Every 6th grader completes a Science Fair project as part of Comprehensive Science 1 Advanced. Students choose a question, design and carry out an experiment, analyze their results, and present what they learned. 7th and 8th graders who want to take on another project can compete in Science Fair with support from their science teacher. Top projects will go on to compete at the SCPS Regional Science Fair with the potential to advance to state and national competitions.

Statewide Science Assessment

All 8th graders take Florida's Statewide Science Assessment (SSA) in the spring. The SSA measures what students have learned across all three years of middle school science, from the 6th grade units on atoms, ecosystems, and plate tectonics through the 8th grade units on motion, evolution, and the human body. Because our courses build on each other year to year, every Milwee science class helps prepare students for the SSA, and 8th grade teachers review earlier content throughout the year so students go into the assessment ready.

Common questions

Why isn't there a standard-level option?

We believe every student benefits from Advanced coursework when they have the right support. Teachers scaffold lessons so every student can reach the learning goals, and mixed lab teams bring more perspectives to every investigation.

What if my student needs extra help?

Teachers provide support within every class, including help with scientific reading, vocabulary, and math skills. If you have concerns about your student's progress, start by contacting their science teacher or school counselor.

Should my 8th grader take Environmental Science Honors?

Environmental Science Honors is open to every 8th grader. It earns a full high school credit, and the final grade becomes part of your student's high school transcript. Students in Environmental Science Honors still take the 8th grade Statewide Science Assessment. Their teacher regularly checks their progress on the SSA content and provides additional instruction as needed. Talk with your student's science teacher or school counselor about which course is the best fit. 

Does my 7th or 8th grader have to do Science Fair?

No. Science Fair is part of the 6th grade course. In 7th and 8th grade, it's optional for students who want to compete.