INFORMATION
ABOUT THE SCIENCE TEAM’S STANDARDS-BASED GRADING SYSTEM
There have been
two major changes in Science at Hosford this year, changes that can be a lot
for parents to take in, especially those among you who are sending their first
sixth grader to us. We have a new
adoption (textbook and curriculum materials) in PPS and the Science team has
changed the grading system to a standards-based proficiency system. The new grading system aligns well with
the new adoption, and also with PPS and Common Core standards for Science.
Since the new
grading system is used in all three grades for Science, understanding it now
will also help parents as their children progress through 7th and 8th
grades. The scores that are
displayed in EdBox are grades, using the standards-based system; they have
meaning. As an example, if a
student earns a “PR” or “progressing” for an assignment, that child
demonstrates a good understanding of the material covered by the standard that
the assignment covers. The child
is working at 6th grade level and has the necessary 6th
grade background to succeed in high school Biology. A “PR” score is up to and including 100% proficiency.
Also, I’d like to
put in a word on behalf of students who may not be earning PR on a regular
basis at this time. The high
school graduation requirements for science and math are the same—three credits
or three years. However, very few students in PPS have a daily science time in
their classes in elementary school. Students study math daily from the time
they are in kindergarten. Unlike
math, if a child earns a PR on a 6th grade science assignment, s/he
is doing so with little background knowledge from school.
--> All of us know what it is like to begin learning a new skill. Understanding science, especially science in the inquiry format as it is now taught in PPS middle schools, is a challenge, especially at the beginning of the year. I ask you to think back to the last time you had to learn a new skill with little to no background to help you. Then I think you can appreciate what middle school science students are coping with. More proficiency will come as the school year goes on, though there will be new content every few weeks. The skills of thinking and working like a scientist can be applied to all content, though, so science should get easier for your child as the year progresses.
As always, please
feel free to email me at cpinegar@pps.net
with your questions and concerns.
