M/J Comprehensive Science 3, Advanced (#2002110)

Promotion Requirement:

In order for a student to be promoted to high school from the middle grades, they must successfully complete the following courses:

• Three middle grades or higher* courses in English language arts.
• Three middle grades or higher* courses in mathematics.
• Three middle grades or higher* courses in science.
• Three middle grades or higher* courses in social studies.
  • One of these social studies courses must be Civics. There is a statewide, standardized end-of-course exam for Civics that must be taken and factored in as 30% of a student’s course grade.

Assessment:

Students enrolled in this course will take the Gr 8 State FSSA (Science FCAT)

Placement Consideration:

This is the third course in the MS science course porgression.  All students who have successfully completed Gr 7 M/J Comp Sci 2 or M/J Comp Sci 2 Adv are elgible. Teacher input and student interest should be considered.

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of Gr 7 M/J Comp Sci 2 or M/J Comp Sci 2 Adv

Next Course in Progression:
HS - Physical Science Honors, HS - Earth & Space Science Honors, HS - Biology Honors

Other Information:

Advanced science courses include additional Next Generation Sunshine State High School Science Standards (NGSSS).

Advanced science courses will include the requirement for students to complete a scientific research project.

Approved Resources:

Access the Instructional Materials page to see approved instructional resources for this course.

Course Description:

Advanced science courses include additional Next Generation Sunshine State High School Science Standards (NGSSS).

Advanced science courses will include the requirement for students to complete a scientific research project.

Comprehensive Science 3 is the last class of the M/J Comprehensive Series. The course introduces new information and reviews some basics of science to prepare students for high school science coursework. Topics covered in this course include: The Nature of Science, Earth and Space Science, Properties of Matter, Changes in Matter, Matter and Energy, and Energy flow in the living world. 

Laboratory investigations that include the use of scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, laboratory apparatus and technologies, experimental procedures, and safety procedures are an integral part of this course. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommends that at the middle school level, all students should have multiple opportunities every week to explore science laboratory investigations (labs). School laboratory investigations are defined by the National Research Council (NRC) as an experience in the laboratory, classroom, or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques, and models (NRC, 2006, p. 3). Laboratory investigations in the middle school classroom should help all students develop a growing understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills to calibrate and troubleshoot equipment used to make observations. Learners should understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data (NRC 2006, p. 77; NSTA, 2007).