1. 8th Grade Physical Science
Sarah Twedt
Please be sure to sign in!
This is the ONLY class for 8th grade sign in documentation.

2. Sign in sheet and weekly email?
Please be sure to sign in. We just need
STUDENT NAME
PARENT NAME
HOWEVER----
IF you are not receiving my weekly and you would like to be, OR if you have a change, please provide me with your current address....

3. Technology Consent

4. Looks like this….
Must complete for EVERY child in OCPS. There are drop downs you need to select on pages 3, 4, and 5 in addition to filling out this 1st page.

5. TIPS for 8th Grade
BRIGHT green….. PLEASE be sure to take one.

6. I talk a lot….
IF I get cut off and do not finish my presentation, please go to to view the entire slide show. I will post it on my HOME page.
Feel free to with questions!

7. Curriculum Philosophy
My philosophy that every curriculum be supplemented, complemented, and extended. The textbook is only a resource in the Windy Ridge Science Department!

8. Concepts/Content
*Please note that since I teach both HIGH SCHOOL and MIDDLE SCHOOL CREDIT courses AND because both classes take SSA (old FCAT), our unique setting allows me to combine topics. I focus where I see it is needed, and strive to make my students as successful as possible.

9. Since I have you here….  HELP!
Seeing HUGE deficits in measurement. Anything you can have your kids measure so that they have a greater number sense would be SO helpful.
Cooking (recipes = measurement)
Finding lengths…give them a ruler and say go!
Calculate volume (how much space does something take up).
ALSO seeing deficits in graph interpretation. When you see a graph, online or in the newspaper, ask your student to tell you what it means!

10. www.Mrs-Twedt.com Study guides and study games
Master Table of Contents (for organization, lost pages, answers)
Classwork links, webquests, videos
SSA (old FCAT-Statewide Science Assessment) and EOC/CFE study tools Pertinent information and resources
Links to ProgressBook, OCPS, Windy Ridge, and my
Texts, cK12—GREAT informational online textbook for FL standards. Downloadable lab sheets (and answers), notes, powerpoints, etc.

11. Testing
ALL 8th grade students will be taking the SSA (Statewide Science Assessment- Old FCAT 2.0) this year. This is a comprehensive exam covering 6th-8th grade material.
This means, HONORS students will be responsible for all middle school benchmarks 6-8 AND the high school physical science benchmarks.
The benchmarks implemented in the Honors class come from the High School curriculum.

12. Honors Course High School Credit
Final Grade for YEAR determines HS credit.
Will affect your high school G.P.A.
If after the first grading period, you have not maintained an 80%, you will be reassigned as a Middle School Credit Physical Science Student, and no High School credits will be earned.
End of course exam (May) covers 34 benchmarks for this particular honors course!!!! This is a HUGE difference between this course and 7th Grade E/S Honors. …..and it is IN ADDITION to SSA.
Minimum of 20 minutes per night of review (in addition to other assignments) is REQUIRED.

13. SSA (Statewide Science Assessment)
Composition Notebook *Kept organized JUST like our current unit section.
Review plan (starting after the holidays) will consist of:
Vocabulary (5th Grade and 8th Grade lists)
Benchmark tutorials
Mini-Assessments, and Weekly quizzes
FCAT Stations
3-4 days reviewing with Mrs. Fidelo (Life Sci), Mrs. Tateishi (Earth/Space Sci), and me  (Physical Sci).
See homepage of for tips, tools, and resources

14. High School Credit Honors
Science Grade
Middle School Credit
High School Credit Honors
Interactive Science Notebook
(Journal) = 10%
(Journal) = 5%
Homework = 10%
Homework = 10%
Classwork
*Includes Participation, Effort, Labs, Activities, and Projects
= 30%
= 25%
Quizzes and Tests = 50%
Quizzes and Tests = 60%
Total = 100%

15. Science Journal
Single most important grade determinant. Everything hinges on this!
Contains all assignments, quizzes and tests, labs, and accomplishments
IT IS YOUR Textbook as well as your study guides for tests *Study Guide is designed based on this!
MUST stay up to date and organized
Journal quizzes = No Notice!!!
Master TOC on as well as in the classroom.
Downloadable pages on

16. Classwork/Homework/ Teamwork/Participation
Hands-on activities throughout the year
Labs and activities sometimes collected as homework and graded for accuracy; sometimes as classwork for completion
Group labs/activities will sometimes include a group evaluation and a self evaluation (Teamwork/Participation grade).
THOROUGH ANSWERS ALWAYS

17. Tests and Quizzes
True understanding is what I am aiming for, not memorization. You cannot memorize your way to an A!
First TEST is FRIDAY!!! They were given a study plan that they should have STARTED reviewing last week (and every night there has been a task to complete for review).
I only had 3 students at my lunch help session!

18. HUGE THANK YOU!!!
To those who donated to our classroom!! I haven’t seen many of you in person, and I wanted to thank you SO very much for sending in money and supplies!

19. Any Questions?