Welcome to Room A216, Simmons College, and the 2024-2025 school year!

My name is Mrs. Peterson, and I am excited to be your child's science teacher for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. This will be my sixth year at WGLA, and I'm particularly looking forward to welcoming our incoming 6th graders while supporting our 8th graders as they embark on their final year.

My teaching philosophy centers around hands-on learning and making science relevant to students' everyday lives. I believe that by exploring scientific concepts through experiments and real-world applications, students develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the world around them.

To stay informed about middle school happenings, important dates, and classroom activities, I encourage you to use Class Dojo Messenger.

This year, we will explore the following science topics:

6th Grade: Rocks, Minerals, and Soil; Matter and Motion; Cellular to Multicellular (Modern Cell Theory) 7th Grade: Properties of matter; Energy transfer and transformations; The water cycle, ocean currents, and Earth’s atmosphere; Weather and climate; The Earth-Moon-Sun system; Earth’s biomes and ecosystems 8th Grade: Forces and motion; Earth’s interior, tectonic plates, and geologic processes; Erosion, deposition and geologic change over time; Evolution; Reproduction and heredity

To facilitate learning, our science class will incorporate:

• Daily bell work
• Science notebooks for recording observations and reflections
• Weekly vocabulary development
• Hands-on laboratory investigations
• Quizzes and tests

I am excited to partner with you to create a successful and engaging science experience for your child. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Let's make this an incredible year of scientific discovery!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Peterson, 6th-8th Grade Science Teacher