Science
Middle School science is strongly inquiry-based, focusing on student learning through investigation and creation.
The science program at St. Michael’s affords students the opportunity to test theories and construct models to verify the information they are learning. They have one major project per unit and many smaller, supporting, hands-on activities to help them understand the material. The program is distinct in its incorporation of many different disciplines of engineering each year.
Middle School science students are given the opportunity to create passion projects each year, with 7th and 8th grade students completing at least four throughout the year. These projects involve writing their own proposals and creating timelines for completing projects related to the content from the most recent unit. Students have creative license; some have made stop-motion videos to explain chemical bonding, others have created interactive models, written short stories, and some have written children’s books. A particularly noteworthy activity that students participate in is the 7th grade Mitosis/ Meiosis creative writing project. Students are tasked with creating a written “ children’s book” that tells a narrative story, reflecting the process of Mitosis and Meiosis. This allows the opportunity for students to internalize the steps of the process and teach it in a creative, artistic way. Once completed, they present and read their stories to their younger buddies. The students are also tasked with creating a 3D model/ character to accompany their tale.
Our science program pushes students to approach unfamiliar situations with confidence; they can apply their previous knowledge to solve new problems. In part, this is accomplished by focusing on patterns and trends over specific facts.
Our science program also pushes students to tackle problems and concepts by breaking them down into smaller pieces. Instead of just breaking information down for students, teachers empower students to learn how to do it themselves. They are truly at the helm of their educational journey.
