May the force be with you!

On our first topic this year, we are looking at forces. The idea that forces cause motion (or movement). 

Before we start the year it is important that we are always safe. If we are safe, then our lab partners and all members of our class are also safe. Let's look at risks and how to make them smaller. 

Being safe is important if we are to be productive. Diaries should be with you every lesson and that can help us move through our work. 

Our rules are simple yet powerful, 

• BE SAFE
• ONLY 1 PERSON AT A TIME. Sometimes we learn best by listening.

Assessing risks and managing them is an important lesson to learn, as risks are with us every day, at school and at home. 

We also need to spend a bit of time looking at what is science and how it grows and changes over time. 

Forces can transfer due to contact or as part of an invisible field. But it's all about how the force will affect matter and make it change or move.

Our practical work will be about forces and measurements, but we will use the scientific method as our guide throughout. Skills in planning, gathering and recording data will be developed during the topic.

How can I learn more or where can I simply get help?

What is my Role in my Learning?

It's pretty easy really, like everything we do, you must decide how much to do. You should be able to decide how much effort and commitment you make to anything you do. If you take charge and do not enter the "blame game" when things don't go well, then you are moving towards becoming an independent learner. 

Try to adopt some or all of these behaviours inside (and outside) of the classroom.

Science Lab

The Science lab is a place to learn more about science. You can ask questions about what you are learning in class or simply ask about something you find interesting. You don't need an invitation to attend, simply turn up during the sessions

Mr. Manu is in charge and he will guide you through your interest or needs. 

Extended Learning

Twice each week there is a session that is included in your schedules. Extended learning gives you time to visit teachers to seek help or simply complete homework and tasks. At the start of each lesson, I will remind you where and when you can find me.

Formative or Summative is there a difference?

There are lots of new terms and things to learn this year so I thought we could look at two terms that will appear and be said in class - formative or summative.

A formative task is designed to introduce and practice the skills and understandings that will be assessed and reported upon. If you like they are practice sessions where you can learn, make mistakes, and then reflect upon how to fix those mistakes. 

A summative task is like the final of the Olympics. You have practised and readied yourself and now it's time to show all of your skills and understandings. This is where we see and assess what we have learned.

It is always best practice to try your best in all tasks both formative and summative. Just like when learning an instrument, a sport or any other type of skill - practice makes perfect!

A great start to a new year

Welcome to year 7 Science!

The start of the year will be all new to most of us. We will be learning science but also learning about a new way of presenting our findings. I hope we are all really comfortable about the Middle Years Program by midyear and know what things are needed for the different tasks we will do. 

Stay curious, seek advice and help and never be frightened to ask questions. Science is about finding out about our surroundings and trying to make sense of it. It is about accumulating and banking it so our knowledge base gets bigger, and we have more ideas and facts to help us describe and explain our observations.

I will be asking you to provide information in many different ways and we will try to keep a bit of a record of our journey. Sometimes I will ask you to write a few things down about how your learning journey is. 

This year we will learn about being a scientist. Lots of new skills and concepts to learn about. We will also see the what you learn in subjects can be joined to solve a bigger problem. 

One of the biggest "hints" I can give you is to ask questions. It can be during class or after class or at break or during Extended Learning sessions. But, the most important thing is that you do this! 

Each week I will try to post an update for your and your parents about where we are and where we will be heading in the coming week.