Mr. Borysewicz Middle School Social Studies and Science
Classroom Mission - I pledge to do my part to make our school truly Holy Family Academy. Holy, in that throughout everyday in every classroom, Jesus is constantly with us, as is his message of salvation for all. Family, in that every student knows that they are in an environment where the are cared for loved as a family member would be. Academy, in high academic standards that produce graduates that are academically second to none.

Social Studies Curriculum:

Sixth Grade Social Studies will center on the establishment and development of the ancient civilization of northern Africa, southern Europe and western, southern and eastern Asia. Culture and geographical concepts will be emphasized.

Seventh Grade Social Studies is the story of how the United States of America came to be. We begin with how North America became populated to how European interests came to dominate giant sections of the continent. From there we will examine how government of the people, for the people, and by the people eventually became a reality. Political and geographical concepts will be emphasized.

Eighth Grade Social Studies will center on our country's intense struggle to keep government of the people for the people and by the people alive. We will examine the reasons behind the great fracture of our country and how at such tremendous cost it was able to be kept together and then grow and thrive to become the country that inspires such pride in so many of us. Political concepts will certainly dominate the class. Cultural and geographical concepts will also be emphasized.

Science Curriculum:

Sixth Grade Science will first be dedicated to classifications and characteristics of animal life from the simplest to the most complex. This will be followed by study of the physical sciences with examinations of the structure of the atom and how elements react and combine with other elements. We conclude the year with ecological studies, specifically on how resources can be managed.

Seventh Grade Science is an Earth Science class. We begin with what substances actually make up the Earth and the internal forces that affect the distributions of that make-up. We then move on to the forces that affect the Earth's surface and geography.

Eighth Grade Science is a return to the biological sciences concentrating on the functions and processes of the human body. The first part of the year will be concerned with studying processes on a cellular level to be followed by a study of the actual systems of the human body.

Strategy- Day to day classroom strategy will center on oral reading of the text with extensive teacher led discussion. This group reading will be reinforced with individual written responses to questions that are completed as homework in their notebooks. Student responses are reviewed and discussed orally with as many students as possible contributing to this review. I strongly urge every student to make contributions. Science learning will be supplemented with lab work that will be carried on throughout the the year. Social Studies learning will be supplemented by a series theme papers, dramatic reenactments, and artistic representations.

Grading- Grades will be determined by averaging together the full grades earned by students throughout the marking period. There will be 2-3 chapter tests in each marking period and each will count as a full grade. There will be 2-3 notebook quizzes during the marking period, and these will each count as half a grade. Notebook quizzes are designed to measure the thoroughness of homework and degree of participation in homework review. A strong effort on homework will result in high notebook quiz grades. Science labs will be weighted according to their complexity, with the most complex labs being counted as a full grade. Social Studies activities will also be weighted according to complexity with the most complex activities counting as a full grade.