Science, Grades 5-8
Rod Allen, with Da Vinci since 2002
Contact
Phone: 847-841-7532 ext 237, Email: rallen@dvacademy.org
Education
Bachelor's degree in geology, Beloit College
Master's degree in geology, Queen's University (Ontario,
Canada)
State-certified for teaching science at the middle school and
high-school levels, and practicing geology
About Me
I have been the middle school science teacher since 2002.
Prior to teaching science at Da Vinci, I worked for nearly twenty
years as a professional scientist and project manager, working on a
broad variety of geological, environmental, engineering and natural
resource projects for the benefit of corporations, community
organizations and government agencies. I have
pre-professional experience as a surveyor's helper, carpenter,
welder, sculptor, and draughtsman. In my spare
time, I enjoy traveling, cooking, photography, music, movies,
reading, and rock hounding. I enjoy working with the Da
Vinci Students because of their typically high level of interest
and knowledge of science, and their willingness to share it with
the fellow students. Please enjoy some pictures from my classroom and some of our
activities.
What To Expect in Science
I approach science in an adventuresome manner, raising
questions as the basis for lab activities, readings, and group
discussions. Lab activities are generally frequent and
encourage cooperation and collaboration by being small
group-oriented for the activity, but often require each student to
provide a written report or summary of the results. I
assess students' learning using a variety of methods, such as
projects, collections, reports, presentations, journals, as well as
using more conventional quizzes and tests.
Primary Resources
in Science
Expectations and How To Succeed
My goals are to provide a solid science program that prepares the
students for rigorous high school science programs, but also to
allow students to enjoy the process and to discover the fascinating
world around them. I strive to find "the science" in every
student.
The middle school science
curriculum emphasizes the following:
- Life science and ecology in fifth grade
- Motion, forces, sound and electricity in sixth grade
- Matter and chemistry in seventh grade
- Earth science in eighth grade