Ninth+Grade+Options

**Ninth Grade Course Options**
I'm trying to gather some input without meeting face-to-face (yet). As you all know the Iowa Core Curriculum in mandated by 2012. I have attached the core curriculum document for you. [|Core Curriculum.doc]

We are getting more and more inconsistent throughout the district, especially with our 9th grade options. It's time to reopen that conversation again after almost two years of experience with multiple offerings and student choice. How are we going to ensure that all students receive instruction in all parts of the Iowa Core Curriculum? We can infuse aspects of the Core in various classes to partially adress that. But what is the best option(s) for freshmen to ensure they have an opportunity to study the entire Core in their HS careers. I have outlined some options below. PLEASE WEIGH IN! You'll need to be a member of the wiki to do so. Once you are a member (email me if you're not) click on the "Edit this Page" link, position your cursor where you'd like to type and start typing. Keep your comments succinct, germain to the topic, and put your name/school behind them. Anonymous comments will be erased. If you think of other options, feel free to add to this list. This is meant to be a discussion... Thank you for your input!

Leave your name/school by all comments. || **Cons ** Leave your name/school by all comments. || || This class was never meant to be for all freshmen, it was meant to be a choice – CC Not all freshmen have the math skills and will fail a year of science - Annette Bierkamp East(AB) Nice option, but need certain math skills. - Greg Wildman Hoover GW Those going into a STEM career will most likely need to take a second Physics class in high school. Voogd, Lincoln. Physics 9 is definitely not for all 9th graders. -Chai Physics 9 has a math pre-req at Lincoln South and all students don't meet this requirement. -Lally || They will need it either as bright 8th graders or as 9th graders - AB Good OPTION! GW Most students take Earth Science as a back-up - Voogd All students are exposed to it, because they probably won't take ES later in high school. -Chai || No choices - CC Ditto -Chai Bright students will suffer - they should be allowed to advance as needed - AB I taught Earth Science at Roosevelt for five years. I don't see how learning about ES makes anyone "suffer." As a high school student and undergraduate I had way too //little// ES preparation, and I suffered for __not__ having learned it in those years when I could have been incorporating ES concepts with everything else I was learning at the time. Now I'm raising two very bright daughters and they certainly //will// take ES //because it's good stuff to know//. Also, if a student is "advanced" and takes ES as a freshmen, they can //still// take Chemistry, Biology and Physics and more before graduating. ES is not typically taught in a very math-intensive way (though it certainly could be); placing ES in the 9th grade helps ensure that more students are better prepared for the more the "more mathematical" science courses as sophomores and beyond, because they have completed an additional year of math (whatever level that may be). I'm not saying that ES is //the// course that all freshmen must take (though I believe that idea has merit), but I feel that some of the reasons I've heard over the years for skipping ES should be challenged. - Pat Byrnes at Hiatt (PB) Most students will probably take Earth Science, but some are capable of changing paths so they are not pidgeonholed into one type of science. GW Not counted towards a "Lab" course for ISU and Iowa - Voogd || Take as bright 9th graders or as 10th graders - AB Good OPTION! GW || No choices – CC ditto -(AB) Ditto -Chai Same as above. GW Some classes make dissection manadtory, not all students can handle it. - Voogd || It would be nice to have an intro to chemistry and physics - AB I like this for the basic 9th grade class __with Earth Science and Biology for Advanced students.__ Keep Physics for math-ready students. Sandy Wilson(SW) Ditto -Chai  Good OPTION. GW || No choices, seems like a step “backward” – CC I don't like the all or nothing approach - AB Same as above. GW Too expensive to change paths at this point. - Voogd Do we have available textbooks? - Chai || Offers more options GW ||  Why limit to 2 options? GW || Offers more options GW ||  Why limit to 2 options? GW Too similar for choice. - Voogd They could both be taught in 1 class, but it would be "mile wide inch deep." -Chai || Best two option solution - Voogd Agree - Lally || Offers more options-GW Ahh. Haven't we been here before??? - Voogd Physics can challenge students, they don't have that opportunity. -Chai ||  ||   ||  Why limit to 2 options? GW || Offers more options GW ||  Why limit to 2 options? GW Most students will never be exposed to Earth Science in depth, which is part of the core curriculum. -Chai || Offers more options GW Both are traditional 9th grade classes. -Chai ||  Why limit to 2 options? GW Most students will never be exposed to Earth Science in depth, which is part of the core curriculum. -Chai || I would not recommend doing it like the old "interactive science" class but an overall general science with health emphasis. They don't get health that much in our district other than here and there. - Kevin Lauridsen, Lincoln Who's certified in health? - Voogd ||
 * **Option ** || **Pros **
 * One class for all freshmen – Conceptual Physics || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Great way to access physical science part of core without taking physics A. – Crista Carlile (CC)
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">One class for all freshmen – Earth Science || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Essential part of Iowa Core – CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">One class for all freshmen – Biology || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Essential part of Iowa Core – CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">One class for all freshmen – Physical Science || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Great way to access physical science part of core without taking physics; could use current conceptual physics materials – CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Two options for freshmen – Earth Science & Conceptual Physics || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Maintains some choice - CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Two options for freshmen – Earth Science & Physical Science || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Maintains some choice - CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Two options for freshmen – Biology & Earth Science || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Maintains some choice - CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Two options for freshmen – Biology and Conceptual Physics || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Maintains some choice - CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Two options for freshmen – Biology & Physical Science || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">Maintains some choice - CC
 * <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);"> General science one semester and health the other semester || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);"> Everyone needs health education and why not get the students started with an option that introduces them to all the science options for them. || <span style="font-family: Times New (W1);">
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