In Mrs. Perrill's science classroom, students will be assessed on their skill levels in a series of skills listed below. All skills are taken and adapted from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
Click here for a translation of a score (seen in JupiterGrades) into a letter grade.
Skills to be developed and mastered in Advanced Biology
Skills to be developed and mastered in Kinesiology (Exercise Science only)
Justification of this method for students and parents:
Students will be assessed on their skill levels at various times during the semester. They will be practicing all of the above skills throughout the semester. It is important to note that students are not expected to master a skill on their first try. Students will need to practice their skills often (homework and class work) in order to work towards mastery. When students improve, their previous lower grades for a particular skill will not be averaged in to their overall skill level and will "disappear" from their grade calculation. Students' overall grades in Advanced Biology will be calculated using an average of the skill levels across all 9 skills listed above. For an understanding of the scale being used, please see the document linked below.
Click here for a translation of a score (seen in JupiterGrades) into a letter grade.
Skills to be developed and mastered in Advanced Biology
- Arguing from Evidence (NGSS- Science and Engineering Practices)
- Close Observation and Analysis (NGSS - Science and Engineering Practices)
- Analytical Reading (Annotation) (CCSS and NGSS)
- Attention to Modeling (NGSS - Science and Engineering Practices)
- Graphing and Data Analysis (NGSS - Science and Engineering Practices)
- Interdependence of Organisms (Life Science - NGSS) - 1st semester
- Cycling of Matter and Energy (Life Science - NGSS) - 1st semester
- Biodiversity and Humans (Life Science - NGSS) - 1st semester
- Molecules to Organisms (Life Science - NGSS) - 1st semester
- Patterns of Genetic Inheritance (Life Science – NGSS) – 2nd semester
- Evidence for Common Ancestry and Evolution (Life Science – NGSS) – 2nd semester
- Mechanisms for Evolution (Life Science – NGSS) – 2nd semester
- Biodiversity and Humans (Life Science – NGSS) – 2nd semester
Skills to be developed and mastered in Kinesiology (Exercise Science only)
- Arguing from Evidence (NGSS- Science and Engineering Practices)
- Lab Skills/Experimental Design (NGSS - Science and Engineering Practices)
- Effective Use of Technology (CCSS)
- Academic Engagement (CCSS and NGSS)
- Practice (Notebook completion)
- Bones - Structure and function (NGSS)
- Muscles - Structure and Function (NGSS)
- Injuries - anatomy and structural failure (NGSS)
- Biomechanics - Physics of movement (NGSS)
Justification of this method for students and parents:
Students will be assessed on their skill levels at various times during the semester. They will be practicing all of the above skills throughout the semester. It is important to note that students are not expected to master a skill on their first try. Students will need to practice their skills often (homework and class work) in order to work towards mastery. When students improve, their previous lower grades for a particular skill will not be averaged in to their overall skill level and will "disappear" from their grade calculation. Students' overall grades in Advanced Biology will be calculated using an average of the skill levels across all 9 skills listed above. For an understanding of the scale being used, please see the document linked below.