The Science Department at Ballenger Creek Middle School uses a variety of

instructional resources and technology, reasoning and critical thinking skills during the course
of study to advance scientific literacy. In addition, the mastery of oral and written
communication skills is the expected outcome to prepare the students for future coursework.
Course content varies by grade level as outlined below.

Sixth Grade

Seventh Grade

Eighth Grade

Our Extreme Planet

Human Impact On Earth

Biotic Diversity

Water

Earths Processes

Motions

Ecosystems

Flow of Energy

Interactions in the Solar

System

A Balanced Body

Chemistry & Matter

Inheritance

Textbook: There is no county-approved text that is assigned to students in Middle School. The
students will be required to keep an organized science binder that will contain all assignments
and reference papers for each unit.
Grading Policy: Student grades in science are determined using the three weighted categories
listed below:
50%

Assessment Summatives and Projects

45%

Classwork covers the following sub-categories:

Data
Analysis
(DA)

Experimental
Design (ED)

Technical
Writing
(TW)

Processes
& Skills
(PS)

Students will be informed of the specific category or categories used to assess a

specific assignment.
5%

Homework

Letter grades are assigned based on the percentage grade earned and are based on Frederick
County Public Schools grading scale. Ballenger Creek Middle encourages parents to regularly
check their student's grades on HAC. The following list of codes is provided to help parents
better understand the Home Access Center (HAC) grading program.
An E is issued to excuse work. (This neither hurts nor helps a students grade.)
A Z is used by teachers to let parents know that an assignment has never been turned
in. (The Z counts as a zero in the students grade in order to give an accurate reflection
of what the grade will be if the assignment is never turned in.)
An actual 0 in a grade book signifies that a student earned a zero on the assignment.

Late Work: Partial credit will be given for late class/project work depending on the assignment
and the tardiness of the assignment.
Homework: Homework is expected to be completed by the due date before the end of class.
8th grade: Full credit will be given when the assignment is completed by the start of class
on the assigned due date.
6th and 7th grade: Full credit will be given when the assignment is completed by the start
of class on the assigned date. 50% credit will be given for homework turned in by the
start of class one day after the due date. No credit for homework that is more than one
day late.
Make-up Work: The teacher will provide the student with assignments and information about
work that is missed due to absence. It is the students responsibility to make every effort to
complete the work. In most cases, make-up work will be completed outside regular classroom
times.
6th Grade Contacts

7th Grade Contacts

8th Grade Contacts

Karen Driggers-Graber
karen.driggers@fcps.org
240-236-5790

Larry OHara
lawrence.ohara@fcps.org
240-236-5787

Elizabeth Paul
elizabeth.paul@fcps.org
240-236-5784

Jan Martin
jan.martin@fcps.org
240-236-5789

Brittany Werbell
brittany.werbell@fcps.org
240-236-5786

Tom Leonard
thomas.leonard@fcps.org
240-236-5783