8th Grade Physical Science Questions and Answers
8th Grade Physical Science Questions and Answers
8th Grade Physical Science Questions and Answers
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
MBMS & OCMS<br />
2012-13
Oconee County will offer a high school<br />
physical science course to 8 th grade students<br />
in the 2012-13 school year. The course will<br />
count as a high school credit if the parents<br />
<strong>and</strong> student decides to take the course for<br />
high school credit.<br />
The new course will be just like high school<br />
physical science which is a general level<br />
science course which counts as a physical<br />
science credit toward high school graduation.
Because the course is a high school course<br />
<strong>and</strong> technically the high school will award<br />
the credit (not the middle school), specific<br />
criteria will be reviewed for students prior to<br />
the students’ participation in the course.<br />
Having pre-requisite skills in both science<br />
<strong>and</strong> mathematics ensure success in the<br />
course. Those students that do not have the<br />
pre-requisite skills will receive their<br />
instruction with the 8 th grade physical<br />
science st<strong>and</strong>ards.
A group of secondary science <strong>and</strong> math<br />
educators reviewed various criteria to<br />
determine what would be essential for<br />
success of the course for the middle grades<br />
learner. The criteria identified are as<br />
follows:<br />
• High Achievement on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills<br />
in Mathematics <strong>and</strong> <strong>Science</strong><br />
• High Achievement on the Georgia Criterion<br />
Referenced Competency Test in Mathematics <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Science</strong><br />
• Test Averages in both <strong>Science</strong> <strong>and</strong> Mathematics<br />
• A student’s study habits/qualities
Based on the current Georgia requirements<br />
for a high school diploma, students are<br />
required to have 4 science credits to<br />
graduate from high school. Those<br />
requirements must be in life science,<br />
physical science, chemistry, <strong>and</strong> an<br />
additional lab science course. If a student<br />
takes physical science in the 8 th grade for<br />
high school credit, he/she will meet the<br />
physical science diploma requirement for<br />
high school.
8 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
• <strong>Physical</strong> <strong>Science</strong><br />
• 1 credit meeting physical science diploma requirement<br />
9 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
• Biology (Honors)<br />
• 1 credit meeting life science diploma requirement<br />
10 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
• Chemistry (Honors)<br />
• 1 credit meeting chemistry diploma requirement<br />
11 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
• <strong>Physical</strong> (Honors)<br />
• 1 credit meeting 4 th science diploma requirement<br />
12 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
• AP <strong>Science</strong><br />
• 1 credit meeting local academic elective diploma requirement
8 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
•8 th <strong>Grade</strong> <strong>Physical</strong> <strong>Science</strong><br />
•No high school credit<br />
9 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
•Biology or Biology Honors<br />
•1 credit meeting life science diploma requirement<br />
10 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
•<strong>Physical</strong> <strong>Science</strong> or Chemistry Honors<br />
•1 credit meeting either physical science or chemistry diploma requirement<br />
11 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
•Chemistry or Physics Honors<br />
•1 credit meeting either physical science or chemistry diploma requirement<br />
12 th <strong>Grade</strong><br />
•4 th <strong>Science</strong> credit which could be AP <strong>Science</strong><br />
•1 credit meeting 4 th science diploma requirement
As can be seen from the previous page, a<br />
student can take the same number of science<br />
courses <strong>and</strong> Advanced Placement courses<br />
regardless of his/her taking physical science<br />
in the 8 th grade.
The 8 th grade physical science course will<br />
have honors level weighting. This means<br />
that the grade earned in the course will<br />
appear exactly as assigned by the instructor.<br />
However, on the student’s transcript, the<br />
overall GPA will have an additional 5% weight<br />
added to the grade earned in the 8 th grade<br />
physical science course.
Middle grades learners are growing <strong>and</strong> learning<br />
in multiple ways. They are more socially aware<br />
of themselves <strong>and</strong> their peers. They are growing<br />
emotionally as well as physically. The social,<br />
emotional, <strong>and</strong> physical changes can impact the<br />
intellectual growth of a learner. If a student has<br />
the pre-requisite skills <strong>and</strong> h<strong>and</strong>les academic<br />
rigor well, this may be a course to consider. If a<br />
student is still working to adjust to the changes<br />
they are experiencing <strong>and</strong> struggle at times with<br />
the academic pressure of school, he/she is will<br />
be challenged taking 8 th grade physical science.
A letter will be sent to students that meet<br />
the criteria set for the course. The letter<br />
will have a place for both the parent <strong>and</strong><br />
student to sign indicating that you either<br />
would like to take the course or would not<br />
like to take the course.
If you have additional questions regarding<br />
the physical science being offered in the 8 th<br />
grade for high school credit, please contact<br />
the principal.<br />
• Judy Marable, Principal – OCMS – 706-769-3575<br />
• Amy Perry, Principal – MBMS – 706-310-1992
Change language