Science
The
Middle School science programme aims to introduce students to
the scientific method and to the way in which scientists view
the world.
The
lessons and assessments are designed to help students learn through
experiment and logical reasoning. The material is studied using
a combination of textbooks, notes, experiments, projects, videos
and worksheets.
Students are encouraged to read about science at home and to pursue
their own scientific interests.
Our
students are exposed to a wide range of topics across all of the
scientific disciplines and a selection of these topics is studied
in detail each year.
Every effort is made to coordinate our curriculum with the Italian
science programme. Where possible, the two programmes are complementary,
reinforce each other and try to ensure that students can elaborate
scientific concepts comfortably in either language.
Assessment
In a given semester, students will typically complete two or three
separate units. Each unit is assessed along the way using a variety
of formative assessments and then by a summative assessment at
the end of the unit. Not surprisingly, formative assessments in
science will be dominated by lab reports but they may also include
homework, worksheets, research projects and literature reports.
The summative assessment requires written responses and will sometimes
include an oral component.
Here
is a list of the topics covered, by grade level:
Grade
6
Unit 1 Nature of Science
Unit 2 The Cell
Unit 3 Viruses, Bacteria, Protists & Fungi
Unit 4 Plants
Unit 5 Animals
Grade
7
Unit 1 Human Body-nervous system,immune system
Unit 2 Chemistry-Matter, elements
Unit 3 Mechanics-Forces, simple machines
Unit 4 Reproductive Strategies in Evolution
Unit 5 Natural Disasters
Grade
8
Unit 1 The Solar System
Unit 2 The Universe
Unit 3 Electricity & Magnetism
Unit 4 Light & Sound
Unit 5 Classical Genetics
Unit 6 Modern Genetics
Unit 7 Evolution
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