Our science curriculum was presented at the KACT conference last fall. We are a 3A school with limited to 12 sections of science offered per semester. We moved physical science to the 8th grade. The rules we have applied to our counselor are: Freshmen take Biology Sophomores take Chemistry Juniors and seniors may choose from the following year long and semester classes to complete their 3rd science credit: Human Anatomy and Physiology (year long course) Physics (year long course) Biology II (zoology), Biology II (ecology), Biology II (environmental science), Biology II (genetics and microbiology) (semester courses taught the same hour of the day, first two fall, second two spring) The exception to the rule is that students that are identified as behind in math or science in the middle school can take Biology A as freshmen and Biology B as sophomores. These two courses equal the content of Biology spread out over two years. This approach was modeled after our math department's attempt to deal with the struggling student while preparing most of our students for the content found on the state assessment given to sophomores. I hope this gives you some options of how to adjust your offerings Duane Knoll Halstead High School -----Original Message----- From: kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 1:10 AM To: kact digest users Subject: kact Digest V3 #9 Your KACT ListServ settings are in the digest mode, meaning you will receive one email per day with all postings. If replying to this digest, please change the subject line to match the original messages subject line rather than it appearing as the "digest" subject line. Replying to this message will send it to the entire group--use individual email addresses to respond to an individual member. To post to the mailing list, send email to kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, change your settings (change the settings from digest mode) or to search the archives, visit //www.freelists.org/list/kact *************************************************************** ------------------------------------ kact Digest Tue, 27 Feb 2007 Volume: 03 Issue: 009 In This Issue: [KACT] Course revamp questions [KACT] Re: Course revamp questions ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:28:48 -0600 From: "Kelly Deters" <kellymdeters@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [KACT] Course revamp questions Our school is consolidating next year and may revamp the science curriculum both to meet the new Regents requirements and just to make it more significant for our students. We now require physical science for our freshman but Regents will not accept it. As we will be either a large 3A or small 4A school we cannot get too broad in our courses. I would like to know what other schools, esp smaller ones, are doing with their curriculum? Especially needed are 1) what do you require freshmen to take -- is it a general required course, like Phys Sci, or are there frosh options; 2) do you let sophs take chem (as it will now be required by Regents requirements) or do you wait til they are juniors like we currently do; 3) what junior+ courses do you offer, esp to the lower "track" students. We would like to offer earth science but are limited/prohibited by certification (good old Kansas: why can't we get/keep science teachers but let's keep specializing certification!). I'd appreciate any input from you all. -- Terry J. Tinich Chemistry/Physics Instructor Pomona High School Pomona, KS 66067 ------------------------------ From: "Bruce Palmer" <bpalmer14@xxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [KACT] Re: Course revamp questions Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:57:01 +0000 We have been kicking around the idea of reversing the "normal" order for our higher track students: 9th - physics (discovery/exploratory with no more thanalgebra I math) then chemistry then biology (or biology then chemistry just for the KS state assessments). Cognitive devlopment makes sense - you can roll balls, pull rope or push springs and get the (sorry) feel for the science rather than labelling bits of cells and determining genetics which is more abstract. Currently our lower track students can take earth science, biology, then usually zoology/botany. We have thought of some sort of health science and/or some sort of environmental/technolgy science for the vocational jobs that are in high demand. Upper track is biology, chemistry, physics then AP something. Bruce Palmer Leavenworth High School ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Kelly Deters" <kellymdeters@xxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To: KACT <kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [KACT] Course revamp questions Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:28:48 -0600 Our school is consolidating next year and may revamp the science curriculum both to meet the new Regents requirements and just to make it more significant for our students. We now require physical science for our freshman but Regents will not accept it. As we will be either a large 3A or small 4A school we cannot get too broad in our courses. I would like to know what other schools, esp smaller ones, are doing with their curriculum? Especially needed are 1) what do you require freshmen to take -- is it a general required course, like Phys Sci, or are there frosh options; 2) do you let sophs take chem (as it will now be required by Regents requirements) or do you wait til they are juniors like we currently do; 3) what junior+ courses do you offer, esp to the lower "track" students. We would like to offer earth science but are limited/prohibited by certification (good old Kansas: why can't we get/keep science teachers but let's keep specializing certification!). I'd appreciate any input from you all. -- Terry J. Tinich Chemistry/Physics Instructor Pomona High School Pomona, KS 66067 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- With tax season right around the corner, make sure to follow these few simpletips.[1] --- Links --- 1 http://g.msn.com/8HMBENUS/2734??PS=47575 ------------------------------ End of kact Digest V3 #9 ************************ Your KACT ListServ settings are in the digest mode, meaning you will receive one email per day with all postings. If replying to this digest, please change the subject line to match the original messages subject line rather than it appearing as the "digest" subject line. To post to the mailing list, send email to kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, change your settings (change the settings from digest mode) or to search the archives, visit //www.freelists.org/list/kact *************************************************** Replying to this email will send it to the entire group--use individual email addresses if you wish to direct a response to individual members. To post to the mailing list, send email to kact@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, change your settings or to search the archives, visit //www.freelists.org/list/kact