5th – 8th Grade Science

Gail Neukum

Welcome to science at BACS!  5th graders have a 45-minute science class twice a week and 6th – 8th graders have science three times a week.  The General Church Education Science Curriculum is followed as closely as time allows. The classes at all levels are largely hands-on and use various activities, labs and experiments to help enforce concepts and skills with lectures used mainly to introduce new material in a unit. Through the doing of science, it is hoped that students will gain a comfort and confidence in the science lab as they experience how the world works.

“The purpose of the New Church science curriculum is to help students love and understand the Lord and His natural kingdom, develop scientific reasoning and apply it to the uses of life.”  
General Church Statement of Purpose and Vision 2018

 

Contact Information:

BACS school email primarily for parents:        Gail.neukum@bacs.org

Science class gmail primarily for students:      Gail.neukum@bacs.school

 (215) 947-4086 ext. 219

 

Schedule:

Science 5-8 Schedule 2023-2024

 

Curriculum:

5th Grade & 6th Grade:  Weather, Microscopes, Simple Machines, Skeletal System, Muscular System    Plants, Electricity and Magnetism, Classification, Ecology, Endangered Species

7th Grade & 8th Grade:  Intro to Scientific Method, Intro to Human Body, Cell Structure and Processes, Circulatory System, Respiratory System, Nervous System, Digestive System, Excretory System, Metric System and Measurement, Astronomy, Rocks & Minerals, Chemistry

 

Homework:

Homework is generally assigned on the first day of the week in which the class meets and is due on the last day they have science:

                        5th and 6th grades assigned Tuesday and due Friday

                        7th and 8th grades assigned Monday and due Thursday

7th and 8th graders also have a science Google Classroom where all assignments and due dates are posted as well as what they will need to complete the assignment (videos, power points, worksheets, websites…)

 

Textbook and Supplies:

The Prentice Hall series of middle school science textbooks are used in grades 5 – 8. The textbooks change with the topic covered and are issued in class to the students.

 
Science Olympics:

Created in 1983 by two doctors to increase interest in science and improve skills they saw lacking in students, the “events” are designed to work on a wide variety of skills.  Some require knowledge of scientific facts and concepts while others rely on the science process, skills and application.  Teamwork, group planning and cooperation are hallmarks of a successful team. All teams have the same amount of time, the same materials and the same challenge to complete.  A Science Olympics day is always a highlight and interjected at appropriate times throughout the year in all 4 grades. Most Science Olympic challenges can be completed in one class.  In 7th grade there is an extended SO event where teams compete to build the balsa wood tower that holds the most weight (in sand) before it fails. In 8th grade the extended SO event has students building a water rocket that will travel the farthest when launched outside on the soccer field.

 

Extra Credit:

Extra credit opportunities are available throughout the year and are designed to enhance the current topic being studied. Example: during the astronomy unit students are offered EC if they go out and do any of the following: look at the night sky and do some constellation hopping, or download the ISS app and watch the International Space Station go overhead one night, or go out and observe the current moon…

 

Extra Help:

Since students have limited time in class, getting extra help when they need it is a bit tricky. Extra help is available during my lunch periods when I don’t have a lunch duty or a meeting, as well as after school when I don’t have a duty or a meeting. Students just need to let me know that they would like to meet and we will schedule it for the next available time.

 

Interesting Middle School Science and Nature Websites

 

 

Interesting free apps

 

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