Welcome to Science! Our 7th graders take Life Science, taught by Douglas Humes, and 8th graders either take Earth Science or Accelerated Science 8, taught by Jeff Kohoutek. Classes are a combination of activities, labs, demonstrations, discussions, projects, internet research, and using videos to enhance our understanding of the science world around us. It is very important that students attend school every day, because it is hard to make up lab activities and videos. Students are expected to take notes every day in class and need to have a notebook and/or binder to keep their work in. Organization is very important for success in Jr. High, and the rest of your life. If you pay attention, participate in class, and do your homework, you will do well in science!
MR.KOHOUTEK
Course Description: Accelerated Science 8 Accelerated Science 8 is a year-long comprehensive earth and space science course which integrates basic high school physics and planetary motion concepts with an emphasis on astronomy and geology along with the history and nature of science. It introduces basic science concepts and skills through science inquiry, laboratory investigations, and scientific models. This course is designed for students with a strong interest in science, who desire a more in-depth science experience. Accelerated Science 8 prepares students for Accelerated Biology or Accelerated Chemistry. Students taking this course will receive one semester of high school science credit. Course Description: Earth Science 8 Earth Science 8 is a year-long introductory earth and space sciences course that introduces the basic earth science concepts through inquiry labs, models, and hand-on activities. The topics covered are: geology, meteorology and astronomy along with the history and nature of science. Students will develop skills of scientific inquiry and laboratory investigations. Earth Science 8 meets the earth and space science requirements for middle school and prepares students for 9th grade high school science courses.
Mr. Kohoutek can be reached by calling 651-293-8690, or by emailing him at jeffrey.kohoutek@spps.org.
MR. HUMES
Mr. Humes is enjoying his second year on the LMAP Junior High staff, and is in his 15th year of teaching. His mother and many family members are teachers, and he was also encouraged to become a teacher when visiting a friend's junior high class when he was trying to decide what to do next with his life. This classroom visit turned out to be "an exceptional experience, and I was hooked!" Mr. Humes is married with two children in college. He enjoys traveling, and just about anything that is outside. He likes to remodle, and is currently studying integrating technology in the classroom.
When asked what some of the highlights are in his class, Mr. Humes had this to say. "Experiments that get kids excited-anything we do with living things. For instance, mealworms, daphnia (tiny aquatic creatures), beetles, bacteria, plants, grasshopper, slime mold, and experiments that students design to answer their questions. We dissect a few things, (worms, crayfish, frogs) and for some reason kids think this is the most exciting thing! We use microscopes a few times, and students can bring in just about anything and observe it using the school equipment.
Students also study relationships between living things, disease, genetics and heredity, cells of all kinds, and the impact humans have on the environment.
Mr. Humes can be reached by calling 651-293-8690, or by emailing him at douglas.humes@spps.org.