Comprehensive 6th Grade Science Quarter 1 - Teacher of The Year Instructor (Sections can be taken in any order)

I can write a paragraph summarizing how biotic and abiotic factors combine to affect the environment, including predators and prey.

I can design and build and then improve my own water filter that cleans water.

I can develop a model showing how nutrients are recycled through the environment.  My model must include carbon, nitrogen, and water. 

I can design and build a solution to help prevent soil erosion. 

I have a bachelors degree in earth science (geology, oceanography, astronomy).
I have a masters degree in biology.
I have a another masters degree in instructional design (building high quality courses)
I was teacher of the year in my school district.
I helped write the national science standards that are now adopted and used around the United States.  As well as contributed to the standards in several foreign nations.  
I used to own the largest online science for kids company in the world, which I sold back in 2013.  We had the highest trafficked websites for astronomy, biology, geology, geography, dinosaurs, and chemistry up until the time this company was folded into another and re-branded.  
I am well known in education and science circles, and a leader who has trained thousands of science teachers to be more engaging and fun.  

Each mastery badge includes two weeks of material that will take your student approximately 30 minutes a day (five days a week) to complete.  When we meet in person, I will go over instructions, and be available to discuss the various assignments as well as to walk students through how to complete the hands on labs.  

Lectures are provided via video, in order to allow your student to pause, rewind, and rewatch at their own pace.   

Let's be honest here.  Grades are stupid and meaningless.  They tell us almost nothing.  Too often, they are just a measurement of busy work, rather than a measurement of actual learning.  What is an A in one teacher's class may be a C in another.  
Given their arbitrary nature, I do not believe in letter grades.

In my classes, we will be focusing instead on mastery.  What we care about is strictly whether or not you master the content.  The way you master the content is be earning a Mastery Badge.  To earn each mastery badge, you must get a 3 or a 4 on the Mastery Badge Quiz.  A 3 means that you mastered the content, while a 4 means that you exceeded expectations.

If you get a 1 or a 2, it is no big deal.  It doesn't mean that you failed, it just means that you need more time to prepare.  A 1 means that you are just beginning your journey while a 2 means that you are almost there.  This is how learning works.  You don't fail learning unless you give up!  You will have as many tries as you want to pass each mastery badge quiz.  

45 minutes per week in class, and an estimated 4+ hours per week outside of class.

We will be using a number of outside website as we research these topics together.  These include Newsela, Nearpod, Kahoot, and many others.