WEEK OF:  9/28 - 10/2

WELCOME TO 8th GRADE!

Teacher: Rhonda Clark

To all 8th grade students and their families, welcome to Selwyn 8th Grade Science! I have been a Selwyn educator since 2021 and have taught a variety of grade levels and subjects. Science is one of my favorite subjects to teach, and I am excited to explore the fascinating world of Physical Science with this year’s 8th graders.

Throughout the year, we will investigate some of the fundamental ideas that help us understand the world around us. We will begin with the properties of matter, then explore atoms, the periodic table, and the foundations of chemistry. From there, we will investigate Newton’s Laws of Motion, forces, and energy transfer, followed by the science of waves and how they transfer energy and information. We will also turn our eyes toward space, exploring the patterns, forces, and systems that shape our universe. Finally, we will examine the relationship between science, technology, culture, and ethics and consider how scientific knowledge and technological innovation influence the world we live in.

A typical day in our science class will include the following types of activities:

• Activities designed to build science/STEM skills

• Cornell note-taking and/or science journaling 

• Activities for the different phases of the 5E Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate):

  • Engage activities are pre-assessments

  • Explore activities are typically hands-on experiments or observational in nature

  • The Explain phase is the teacher-led portion of the unit.  A variety of books, lectures, videos, and other software usage increases the student's knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

  • The Elaborate phase is when the students must show what they have learned.  They may do additional experiments, create posters, give presentations, work on group projects, or showcase their knowledge in some other manner.

  • Evaluate activities are the final assessments for the unit of study (tests, written assignments, presentations, etc.)

Throughout the year, we will seek knowledge in many different ways. You will conduct investigations, analyze evidence, build models, solve problems, collaborate with others, and communicate your scientific ideas. You will also have opportunities to connect science to real-world problems and the decisions that scientists, engineers, and society face.

I believe science should challenge you, make you curious, and help you understand the world in new ways. This year, we will ask questions, test ideas, figure things out, and occasionally discover that the universe is far stranger than we expected!