Mrs. Cunningham

 8th Grade Science

Welcome to all students and parents,

I am really pleased with all the new knowledge my students have gained this year.  They have learned much about our hydrosphere and chemistry.  I want to encourage them to use the flash cards I have developed (found at the bottom of this page) to review over the next few months so they can score a four on the EOG!

Syllabus for 3rd Quarter

Week 1:  We will be examining the different definitions of "technology".  Students will have an assignment to interview three different people about technology over the next two weeks.

Week 2:  Students will be researching in the library.  All of our 8th grade teachers will be participating in an intergrated unit on the Civil War.  Our job will be to research the technologies of the Civil War and how those technologies' impacted the Civil War.  Everyone will also research a disease that was prevelant during the Civil War.  If some students finish early they will have the opportunity to learn about Black inventors and scientists. 

Week 3:  Our focus will be pulling our research together to make some product that the student has choosen to produce.  They will have options of making a scrapebook, developing an informative cereal box or developing some other visual display of their learning.  If students need help at home with any of their pieces, please encourage them to be creative.

Week 4, 5 and 6:  Our studies will now take us back in time even more (way back!).  Students will be focused on how the earth's geological and biological history is measured and recorded, and the impact geologic evolution has had on the global world. 

Week 7, 8 and 9:  Students will examine the Cell Theory.  Again students will be learning about structures they cannot see.  (Remeber Chemistry?  We could not see those atoms either!)  They will be developing an understanding of just how essential cells are to the structure of a living system. 

In the 4th Quarter students will begin a study of Microbes.  We will recall some of our research done about the Civil War, and evaluate how much progress has been made in this last century. 

Please be aware that students can now read their science textbook on line.  To view the Student On line Editions students must go to the website nc8.msscience.com and log in.  User Name:  NCGR805

           Password:  2p8xuswu

Go try out some of the great resources they have to offer.

Parents, if you have any concerns about your child please call the school and set up a conference with the Catawba  Team teachers.  We have time between 2 and 3 p.m. to see our parents on most days.  If you have not received report cards for 1st and 2nd quarter, please call us soon. Together we can accomplish great things.

Betsy Cunningham