STEMscope Packets
Home Connections and Other Resources
Announcements
3/23/2018 - Tests/grading for this scope:
  • The assessment will tentatively by given on April 26. The test will cover the material presented in both Human Footprint and Reducing the Human Footprint scopes. 
  • The packet collection is tentatively scheduled for 4/26.
  • A Scholars Speak assignment and Mission Briefing assignment will be completed in science class.
3/8/2018 - Tests/grading for this scope:
  • Test is scheduled for 3/23: 5 multiple choice questions and 3 short answer questions
  • Packet collection at the end of the scope
2/9/2018 - Tests/grading for this scope:
  • Earth’s Systems: CER and Multiple Choice- March 2nd
  • Earth’s Systems Interactions: Short Answer Questions- tentatively scheduled for March 12th​
2/9/2018 - Science grades for the open-ended questions and journal/packet check went home this week. We had a discussion about reading the questions carefully, answering all parts, and elaborating to support our answer. 
1/31/2018 - Our test covering Earth's Rotation will take place this Friday (2/2). The test will consist of 3 open-ended questions. There will also be a journal check and packet collection at this time. 
12/15/2017 - Since this is a short week (and, by now, students know the quality of work expected from them), Mrs. Henderson and I will attempt to implement STEMscopes in the form it was meant to be presented in as an online textbook. We will not print the assignments for students and combine them into a packet. Each day, students will be assigned activities in class through their STEMscopes account. As students complete the assignments in class, they will "turn in" the assignments through STEMscopes. We will see how this process works from both the students' perspectives and ours. Please let me know if you have any feedback from a parent's perspective. Thanks!

SCIENCE SUPPLIES NEEDED: If you have any old pennies lying around at home, please consider sending them to school with your child. We will be conducting an experiment on oxidation on Monday (12/18). The more pennies, the merrier! :)
12/1/2017 - Since we will only be giving short quizzes for each of the STEMscopes in Physical Science, quiz scores will not be sent home on a cover page. Your child can show you their score through their STEMscopes account online. 
11/26/2017 - During our investigation of matter, the students will focus on four short Scopes. We
will not have our regularly scheduled two week tests; instead, we will have a
short quiz after each scope.

Our Matter Scopes will cover the following material:
  • Matter is made up of particles that are too small to be seen.
  • Heating, cooling, or mixing substances does not cause the total weight to change.
  • Materials can be identified by observing and measuring them.
  • Mixing certain materials can sometimes create a new substance.

The Scopes are as follows:
  • Matter is Everywhere (11/27-12/1)
  • Matter Changing States (12/4-12/8)
  • Properties of Matter (12/11-12/15)
  • Mixtures (12/18-12/21)
11/7/2017 - Our assessments for Matter Cycles is tentatively scheduled for November 16th. The test will consist of the 5 multiple choice questions and 3 open-ended questions. There will also be a journal and packet check.
11/1/2017 - The quiz has been moved to Friday, November 3rd. 

10/26/2017 - We will not have a formal assessment for this STEMscope. Instead we will use the multiple-choice assessment as a quiz. The tentative date for the quiz is November 2nd. 
10/14/17 - Test and note check (packet and journal) for Food Webs is scheduled for 10/19.  The test is 5 multiple choice questions and 3 short answer questions in the form of a CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning).  You can use your packet handouts and notes to review. 
  • ​The best way for you to prepare is to think of the "Big Ideas" that we have talked about this Scope, and make sure that you can use learned vocabulary, and examples that we have read about and discussed.
  • The big idea includes: A food chain is the potential path that energy and nutrients follow as they move through an ecosystem. Every organism in an ecosystem is a member of many food chains. The composite of all of the food chains within an ecosystem is called a food web. ​
10/5/17 - We have begun our Food Webs STEMscope. The tentative date for the test is Thursday, October 19th. 
9/29/17 - Our Science test is on Wednesday. Start thinking about the "big idea" (Living things have basic needs that must be met in order for them to survive and thrive. Resources are taken in by organisms and then recycled back into the environment as organisms live, grow, and die. Matter in an organism’s environment is cycled among living and nonliving things. This cycling ensures that an environment’s occupants obtain what they need from the environment while contributing to its health and sustainability.)
​
9/21/17 - We will begin the Basic Needs STEMscope on Friday, September 22nd. The tentative date for the Basic Needs test is on Wednesday, October 4th.
9/21/17 - 
All students will bring home their first science test tomorrow (Friday, 9/22).  The test will be returned in a packet consisting of: a goldenrod rubric that outlines their multiple choice, short answer response, note-taking and STEMscope packet grades.
 
Journal/Packet Notes- The note-taking grade is based on a 3-2-1 rubric which is outlined on the goldenrod paper, and is also glued to the inside cover of each student’s science journal.
 
Multiple Choice Grade- The five multiple choice questions can be found online on the STEMscopes website.
 
Short Answer Grade- The three short answer responses are based on a 3-2-1 scale.  The expectation is that students draw on all of their science knowledge, and include vocabulary and scientific reasoning and principles in their answers.  
  • 3 (Meeting the Standard)- Student correctly answers the question and includes relevant academic vocabulary and scientific reasoning and principles in order to explain.
  • 2 (Nearly Meeting the Standard)- Student correctly answers the question and includes minimal vocabulary and/or scientific reasoning and principles.
  • 1 (Not Meeting the Standard)- Student incorrectly answers the question. OR Student does not use any scientific vocabulary, reasoning and/or principles to explain.
 
Our next Scope is Basic Needs.  Students will be given the next Scope Packet tomorrow, and our test is tentatively scheduled for October 4th.  

9/14/17 - Our first science test is quickly approaching (Next week Wednesday). The best way to prepare for this test is to think of the “Big Idea” that we have talked about during this scope: “Plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water,” and make sure you can explain this idea using learned vocabulary and examples that we have read about and discussed. Other useful study tools include your completed STEMscope packet and science journal notes.