doing it for three years with great success.
1. Prior to offering physics in ninth grade, all of our freshmen took
Introductory Physical Science (IPS). When we decided to implement the PCB
sequence, we simply dissolved our eighth grade integrated science class
and moved IPS down one grade--with the appropriate adjustments, of course.
Because we already required chemistry in tenth grade and biology in
eleventh, it was rather seamless. Girls Preparatory school in Chattanooga
made the change much earlier than us and had to maneuver the biology
shift. You might want to give the a call if you don't hear something
online. They presented on this exact topic at a Tennessee Association of
Independent Schools conference several years ago.
2. We still offer physics to students in grades 11/12. Lots of our kids
have an interest in engineering, so they can choose from a trigonometry
based physics course or Physics C--Mechanics. We are phasing out Physics
B this year.
3. Nope.
4. This worked out fine. We were growing at the time. Our eighth grade
science teacher began teaching upper school physics and math courses the
next year. She simply moved up, and we found a teacher for conceptual
physics.
Have fun with it!
JP
A forum for independent school educators <ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> writes:
>Good Morning,
>
>We are investigating a slight shift in our curriculum to offer Physics as
>an
>introductory course in grade 9 and change Biology to grade 11. We
>currently
>require Biology, Chemistry and Physics for graduation. Most of our
>students
>take 4+ years of science which may include more than one AP course.
>
>We are curious if any other schools have made the transition to
>*Conceptual
>Physics *for grade 9 and could speak to a few questions that we have.
>
> 1. What, if any, were the scheduling concerns/problems that you faced?
> 2. Did you offer Physics to grade 11/12 as you were phasing in a grade
> 9 program?
> 3. If you had previously offered Bio at the grade 9 level, did you
> notice any changes in the grade 8 to 9 transition?
> 4. Were there any staffing issues that needed to be resolved?
>
>Any other issues/ideas that might contribute to our decision-making
>process
>would be appreciated.
>
>Many thanks for your input!
>Pam Stewart
>
>--
>*Pam Stewart
>Grade 8 Team Leader, Science
>Manlius Pebble Hill School
>5300 Jamesville Road
>DeWitt, New York 13214
>315.446.2452 *
>
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[ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons, attribution, non-commercial, share-alike license.
