Welcome to a fantastic new school year! I am very excited to meet all my new 7th grade students and their parents! On the following pages, you will find my syllabus, helpful science fair websites, awesome science websites for interactive learning and a homework page. I can be contacted directly through this website for your convenience.

McKinley Junior High students are enrolled in a rigorous science curriculum. I will utilize differentiated instruction that focuses on inquiry based, hands-on activities that allows your student to use his or her critical thinking skills. We will learn through investigations, collaborative group activities, projects, demonstrations, student designed experiments, and self-driven research. Reading assignments from texts and outside sources, lectures, class discussions, presentations, and Internet research will also be used to guide student learning. Homework, which includes reading and writing assignments, will be assigned regularly.

Our curriculum focuses on inquiry and the development of critical thinking skills. Throughout the year, we will explore and use science-processing skills to study science concepts. Students will employ and sharpen their inquiry and questioning abilities by performing investigations. Most importantly, students will learn how these topics relate to each other and apply this knowledge to the world outside of school.Students are asked to type lab reports, conduct research, complete various projects, and keep a science notebook that will serve as their source of class notes. Their science notebook is necessary to keep their weekly Do Now and other various informational documents in order.

Please feel free to email or call me with any questions or concerns. Thank you for all your hard work with your students!

Ms. Deanna Staley