St. Wendel Catholic School

TEACHER BIOGRAPHY

Jessica Johnson

Continued Learning for the H1N1 Virus

Grade 8

Standard 1 — The Nature of Science and Technology

It is the union of science and technology that forms the scientific endeavor and that makes it so successful. Although each of these human enterprises has a character and history of its own, each is dependent on and reinforces the other. This first standard draws portraits of science and technology that emphasize their roles in the scientific endeavor and reveal some of the similarities and connections between them. In order for students to truly understand the nature of science and technology, they must model the process of scientific investigation through inquiries, fieldwork, lab work, etc. Through these experiences, students will practice designing investigations and experiments, making observations, and formulating theories based on evidence.

Standard 2 — Scientific Thinking

There are certain thinking skills associated with science, mathematics, and technology that young people need to develop during their school years. These are mostly, but not exclusively, mathematical and logical skills that are essential tools for both formal and informal learning and for a lifetime of participation in society as a whole. Good communication is also essential in order to both receive and disseminate information and to understand others’ ideas as well as have one’s own ideas understood. Writing, in the form of journals, essays, lab reports, procedural summaries, etc., should be an integral component of students’ experiences in science.

Standard 3 — The Physical Setting

One of the grand success stories of science is the unification of the physical universe. It turns out that all natural objects, events, and processes are connected to each other. This standard contains recommendations for basic knowledge about the overall structure of the universe and the physical principles on which it seems to run, with emphasis on Earth and the solar system. This standard focuses on two principle subjects: the structure of the universe and the major processes that have shaped planet Earth, and the concepts with which science describes the physical world in general – organized under the headings of Matter and Energy and Forces of Nature. In Grade 8, students refine their knowledge about the relationships between physical objects, events, and processes in the universe.

Standard 4 — The Living Environment

People have long been curious about living things – how many different species there are, what they are like, how they relate to each other, and how they behave. Living organisms are made of the same components as all other matter, involve the same kinds of transformations of energy, and move using the same basic kinds of forces. Thus, all of the physical principles discussed in Standard 3 – The Physical Setting, apply to life as well as to stars, raindrops, and television sets. This standard offers recommendations on basic knowledge about how living things function and how they interact with one another and their environment. In Grade 8, students trace the flow of matter and energy through ecosystems and recognize that the total amount of matter stays constant.

Standard 5 — The Mathematical World

Mathematics is essentially a process of thinking that involves building and applying abstract, logically connected networks of ideas. These ideas often arise from the need to solve problems in science, technology, and everyday life – problems ranging from how to model certain aspects of a complex scientific problem to how to balance a checkbook.

Standard 6 — Historical Perspectives

Examples of historical events provide a context for understanding how the scientific enterprise operates. By studying these events, one understands that new ideas are limited by the context in which they are conceived, are often rejected by the scientific establishment, sometimes spring from unexpected findings, and grow or transform slowly through the contributions of many different investigators. The historical events listed in Grade 8 are certainly not the only events that could be used to illustrate this standard, but they provide an array of examples. Through these examples, students will gain insight into chemistry, specifically that of nuclear chemistry.

Standard 7 — Common Themes

Some important themes pervade science, mathematics, and technology and appear over and over again, whether we are looking at ancient civilization, the human body, or a comet. These ideas transcend disciplinary boundaries and prove fruitful in explanation, in theory, in observation, and in design. A focus on Constancy and Change within this standard provides students opportunities to engage in long-term and on-going laboratory and fieldwork, and thus understand the role of change over time in studying The Physical Setting and The Living Environment.

Grade 7

Beginning with Grade 6,

’s academic standards for science contain seven standards, with the addition of Historical Perspectives. Each standard is described below. On the pages that follow, age-appropriate concepts are listed underneath each standard. These ideas build a foundation for understanding the intent of each standard.

Standard 1 — The Nature of Science and Technology

Standard 2 — Scientific Thinking                          

Standard 3 — The Physical Setting

Standard 4 — The Living Environment

Standard 5 — The Mathematical World

Standard 6 — Historical Perspectives

Standard 7 — Common Themes

Grade 6

Beginning with Grade 6,

’s academic standards for science contain seven standards, with the addition of Historical Perspectives. Each standard is described below. On the pages that follow, age-appropriate concepts are listed underneath each standard. These ideas build a foundation for understanding the intent of each standard.

Standard 1 — The Nature of Science and Technology

Standard 2 — Scientific Thinking                          

Standard 3 — The Physical Setting

Standard 4 — The Living Environment

Standard 5 — The Mathematical World

Standard 6 — Historical Perspectives

Standard 7 — Common Themes

Grade 5

Beginning with Grade 6,

’s academic standards for science contain seven standards, with the addition of Historical Perspectives. Each standard is described below. On the pages that follow, age-appropriate concepts are listed underneath each standard. These ideas build a foundation for understanding the intent of each standard.

Standard 1 — The Nature of Science and Technology

Standard 2 — Scientific Thinking                          

Standard 3 — The Physical Setting

Standard 4 — The Living Environment

Standard 5 — The Mathematical World

Standard 6 — Historical Perspectives

Standard 7 — Common Themes