Welcome, HMS Class of 2019!
Welcome to Mrs. Schmitt's 8th grade science class! The purpose of this website is to help keep both students and parents informed on what is happening in our class. Using the tabs above, you will be able to see the daily assignments, have access to helpful websites and other teacher webpages, view the district calendar, and more. I will try to keep the assignments as up to date as possible, and they will be posted on the board daily for students to copy into their agenda books.
Meet the Teacher
Hello and welcome to 8th grade!
I'm Mrs. Schmitt, and I will be your science teacher this year. This is my third year teaching science, but my eleventh year teaching 8th grade here at HMS. During my first three years I taught a combination of math and language arts, then literature and language arts as a blocked class for the next two years, and just language arts the following three years. I have enjoyed teaching all four subjects, but I have to say that science is pretty fun and definitely the most interactive!
Our curriculum for Science has changed a lot over the past few years. The curriculum has moved from being solely life science, to a combination of physical and life, to this year mainly focusing on physical science. The change is mostly because we are shifting to the Next Generation Science Standards, which means you will have to apply the knowledge you learn in class in various ways, not just memorize definitions. This can make the class a little more difficult than what you may have been used to the past two years, and for some it will be challenging because of the amount of math skills involved. However, I am always here to help you and believe that everyone can succeed as long as they try!
Other random info... My husband and I have two beautiful girls at home, Carlee (5) and Camryn (2), which means we watch a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and are constantly on the go! I grew up in Springfield, Illinois and went to school in Chatham. After graduating high school, I received my Bachelor's degree from SIU in Carbondale. I completed my student teaching here at HMS with Mrs. McGowan and was lucky enough to be hired the very next school year. And although I didn't grow up here, most of my family is from Harrisburg. Moving to a small town was a big change, but the sense of community here is not something you can find in a big city. I feel blessed to be able to call this my home! My hobbies include traveling, shopping, reading, and watching the St. Louis Cardinals!
I'm Mrs. Schmitt, and I will be your science teacher this year. This is my third year teaching science, but my eleventh year teaching 8th grade here at HMS. During my first three years I taught a combination of math and language arts, then literature and language arts as a blocked class for the next two years, and just language arts the following three years. I have enjoyed teaching all four subjects, but I have to say that science is pretty fun and definitely the most interactive!
Our curriculum for Science has changed a lot over the past few years. The curriculum has moved from being solely life science, to a combination of physical and life, to this year mainly focusing on physical science. The change is mostly because we are shifting to the Next Generation Science Standards, which means you will have to apply the knowledge you learn in class in various ways, not just memorize definitions. This can make the class a little more difficult than what you may have been used to the past two years, and for some it will be challenging because of the amount of math skills involved. However, I am always here to help you and believe that everyone can succeed as long as they try!
Other random info... My husband and I have two beautiful girls at home, Carlee (5) and Camryn (2), which means we watch a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and are constantly on the go! I grew up in Springfield, Illinois and went to school in Chatham. After graduating high school, I received my Bachelor's degree from SIU in Carbondale. I completed my student teaching here at HMS with Mrs. McGowan and was lucky enough to be hired the very next school year. And although I didn't grow up here, most of my family is from Harrisburg. Moving to a small town was a big change, but the sense of community here is not something you can find in a big city. I feel blessed to be able to call this my home! My hobbies include traveling, shopping, reading, and watching the St. Louis Cardinals!
NO HOMEWORK?!
After attending an amazing conference on standards-based grading, I am trying something new this year: NO HOMEWORK (cue the cheering students and confused- or maybe thankful- parents). I want to see how students are progressing and working themselves, independent of help from parents or others. (After all, some students do not have help at home, and it will also deter those who may forget to complete homework from being tempted to copy from others at the last minute). Students will have assignments to complete in class to practice skills and lessons, which will be kept in their science binder after having been reviewed and graded.
However, this does not mean there will be less responsibility. Students will still need to study on their own outside of class for quizzes or tests by using their notes and other resources provided in class. If students are struggling, they will need to make sure to get a pass from me for extra help during first or tenth hour or before or after school. As noted in the class syllabus, the majority of the student’s grade will be from his or her tests since those are the most accurate assessment of knowledge gained throughout the chapter or unit.
This will not be a full standards-based grading class, but by moving in that direction, hopefully students will focus more on the learning process and reach goals in a manner that will allow them to maintain knowledge and think critically!
Want more info on Standards-Based Grading? Click here.
However, this does not mean there will be less responsibility. Students will still need to study on their own outside of class for quizzes or tests by using their notes and other resources provided in class. If students are struggling, they will need to make sure to get a pass from me for extra help during first or tenth hour or before or after school. As noted in the class syllabus, the majority of the student’s grade will be from his or her tests since those are the most accurate assessment of knowledge gained throughout the chapter or unit.
This will not be a full standards-based grading class, but by moving in that direction, hopefully students will focus more on the learning process and reach goals in a manner that will allow them to maintain knowledge and think critically!
Want more info on Standards-Based Grading? Click here.