Litchfield Middle School
Grade 8 Physical Science:
Course Expectations
Teacher: Mr. Falzarano
Room: 17
E-mail: gfalzarano@litchfieldsd.org Phone Number: 424-2133
Course Description:
This course will provide an overall view of current theories and
practices in physical science. Learning will be hands-on and
relevant to student’s daily experiences. Major areas of
study include an introduction to Physical Science, States of Matter,
Elements, Motion, Forces, Work, Energy, Sound and The Electromagnetic
Spectrum.
Course Outline:
Qtr #1: Introduction to Physical Science
· The Metric System Review
· The Scientific Method
· States of Matter
· Motion
· Speed, Velocity and Acceleration
Qtr #2: Forces
· Friction
· Gravity
· Newton’s First and Second Laws
· Newton’s Third Law
· Forces in Fluids
Qtr #3: Energy and Work
· Potential and Kinetic Energy
· Thermal Energy
· Work and Power
· Simple Machines
Qtr #4: Sound and Light
· Characteristics of Waves
· Sound
· The Electromagnetic Spectrum
· Light
To see how our curriculum matches up with NH State Standards: http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/curriculum/Science/Science.htm
Text and Notebook:
Each student will be given 3 numbered text throughout the course.
It is expected that the student return the same textbook at the
conclusion of each section in the same condition. In addition to
the text, it is required that each student maintain a three-ring
notebook to be used for science only. There will be many handouts
that the student will be held responsible for keeping track of.
Notebooks will also be checked periodically throughout the year.
Grading:
The marking period grades in Physical Science will be measured by the
point system. The total points earned by the student will be
divided by the total number of points possible to determine his/her
grade. For example, if there is a total of 1000 possible points
at the end of the quarter and a student has acquired 850 points, his or
her grade will be an 85%. There will often be rubrics for labs,
projects, and other activities that will make it easy for the student
to know exactly what is expected. Listed below are some common
point values for assignments so that you can get a sense for what each
is worth.
Homework - 10 points
Quizzes - 50 points
Tests - 100 points
Labs and Projects- 50- 200 points
Homework:
Expect to have some sort of homework assignment for every class.
Assignments will be checked for completion at the beginning of each
class. Students may receive a maximum of 10 points for thorough
completion of assignment and 0 points for missing
assignments. Late homework assignments will receive a
maximum of 5 points if turned into me before the end of the unit.
No late assignments will be accepted after the final assessment for
that unit.
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