There are two science options for 8th-grade students, with open enrollment for both courses. Each course requires at least 10 enrolled students to run. The District recommends that all students enroll in Life Science: Biology in 8th grade. Life Science: Biology is a high school course required for graduation, and earning this credit in middle school will open up additional opportunities for students in high school science.
Life Science:
Life Science: Biology is a Regents-level course (previously named Living Environment) that includes, but is not limited to, the significant themes and elements of the NYS life science curriculum. Students will engage with authentic, hands-on scientific and engineering experiences, called lab investigations, that count towards the minimum 1200 minutes of laboratory experience and are necessary to take the Regents exam. This course will be taught in a differentiated way to challenge high-readiness students while also supporting students who may struggle. Upon successful completion of this course, students will earn one high school life science credit. A student’s final average in this course will appear on their official high school transcript. Students will take the Life Science: Biology Regents in June. Students are exempt from the NYS Science 8 exam.
Science 8
Science 8 offers an integrative approach to physical, Earth, and life sciences for eighth-grade students, aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the New York State Science Learning Standards. It aims to deepen students' understanding of scientific concepts through a curriculum that emphasizes scientific inquiry, engineering practices, and the relevance of science in the real world. The course content includes contact forces, sound waves, forces and distances, natural selection and ancestry, genetics, and a unit on the earth in space. All Science 8 students will take the Science 8 exam. All Science 8 students will take Regents Life Science: Biology in high school.
