Science Team uses standards-based scoring

Hello 6th grade science families:
This is just a short reminder that your child's grade in science will be standards-based, rather than the + check - system of Portland Public elementary schools or the traditional A-F system that many middle school and high school teachers use.

This means you will see different scores ("grades") for science.  They cannot be equated to letter grades.  They are based on how well your child is progressing toward proficiency in meeting the standards for the course.  A "PR" or "Proficient" is proficient UP TO AND INCLUDING 100% proficiency.

Here is a link to Mr. Bacon's October 11 letter about the standards-based system.  The letter was sent to all Hosford families: http://bit.ly/ZGtcLj

Grading/ scoring; Parent/ Teacher conferences; finish ecology; begin "Body Works"

Parent-teacher conferences are for ALL families, and I encourage parents to bring their children.  I understand that some parents don't want to and respect that choice.  Our new science curriculum is rigorous and the expectations for earning a "3" are high - it's built into the curriculum.  It's also important to remember that most of us aren't proficient at new skills until we've practiced a while.  The types of skills required to master this curriculum, or to become proficient, are new for all of our students, so I encourage parents to be patient with their children while the students learn how to "think like a scientist."  

Also, for those not familiar with the Hosford grading system - your child earns an academic grade and an effort grade in each class.  Effort grades are:  CN consistently demonstrates effort; OF often demonstrates effort; SM sometimes demonstrates effort; and SL seldom demonstrates effort.  Students who earn no SM or SL marks, only one OF mark and all of the rest CN are on the Principal's List for the grading period/ quarter.  Students who earn a combination of CN and OF are on Honor Roll.  This is to reinforce our staff belief that academic success is tied at least in part to effort.

Since my last post, we've been exploring the effect of reduced resources or increased competition on the population of a species.  Yesterday and today we are playing a game called, "Oh Deer!" to illustrate the connections between resources and population size.  Then we're making data tables and graphing the data.  Afterward, there are analysis questions to answer.  This is Activity 84.

The next unit we'll study is called "Body Works", about the human body.