Environmental Science Syllabus

Teacher: Ms. A. Teare

Email:

School Year: 2011-2012

Course Description: Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that draws from all sciences, as well as the social sciences and humanities, to help us better understand the relationship between humans and the world in which we live. This class will include performance, lab, and field-based activities, utilizing scientific methodologies to explore the many facets of environmental science.

Course Goals – Georgia Performance Standards

  • SEV1. Students will investigate the flow of energy and cycling of matter within an ecosystem and relate these phenomena to human society.
  • SEV2. Students will demonstrate an understanding that the Earth is one interconnected system.
  • SEV3. Students will describe stability and change in ecosystems.
  • SEV4. Students will understand and describe availability, allocation and conservation of energy and other resources
  • SEV5. Students will recognize that human beings are part of the global ecosystem and will evaluate the effects of human activities and technology on ecosystems.

Grades

Points earned on class assignments, homework, projects, quizzes, and tests will be averaged to determine grades as follows:

90% -100% = A

80% - 89% = B

70% - 79% = C

69% or below students will not pass this course.

Grading Percentages: a student’s grade* will be weighted according to the following breakdown:

Homework:10%

Classwork & Quizzes:15%

Labs/ Lab reports:25%

Tests:50%

*At the end of the semester, the grade in this class accounts for 80% of thefinal grade. The other 20% of the final grade will come from the State End of Course Test (EOCT) score.

Grade Notifications

Infinite campus is the grading system that our school uses and allows you to retrieve student’s grades at any time throughout the course by means of an online parent portal. The link to this portal can be found on the school’s website:

General Classroom Rules

  1. Be respectful. Respect your teacher, your peers, your school, and yourself.
  2. Do your job… Be a student! - Listen to the teacher, take notes, do assigned work, and study!
  3. Be responsible and prepared.

Discipline Policy*

1.First infraction: Verbal warning and reminder of expected behavior

2.Second infraction: Parent/ Guardian contact (phone call)

3.Third infraction: Silent Lunch

4.Referral to administration

*Note: Consequences do not necessary go in this order. The severity and/or repetition of violations may result in immediate parent and/or administrative involvement as deemed necessary by the teacher.Refer to the Student Handbook for more information.

Policies and Procedures

  • Homework: Any unfinished classwork and homework is expected to be completed daily (Monday through Friday), and returned to class the following school day.
  • Late Work: Late work will be accepted, but will be penalized by the subtraction of 2% of the assignment’s value from the grade per day (including weekends).
  • Make-Up Work & AbsencePolicy: After an excused absence, students have 3 days to initiate contact with a teacher after they return to school. Upon initiating contact, the teacher and student will develop a reasonable time line for missed work to be completed and submitted. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate contact and to determine what assignments need to be submitted!
  • Missed Tests: Missed tests must be made up within 2 weeks of the original test date and will be an alternate version of the original test.

Class Information

I will postlecture notes, activities, announcements, and more to my webpage. Go to and then click on the Teachers tab. Click on my name in the teacher directory to go to my website.

Materials needed for class

  1. 3-ring binder
  2. Loose-leaf notebook paper
  3. Dividers (optional, but recommended)
  4. Calculator
  5. Pens and Pencils
  6. Field shoes (preferably boots): on days where we go outside, students will need to wear appropriate shoes & clothing. Students will not be excused from the activity because of wearing inappropriate shoes (heels, sandals, etc). I will give at least 24 hours notice before outdoor activities.

If you have any questions regarding this information or throughout the school year, please contact me through e-mail at or through the school phone, 912-728-7511.

Dear Student and Parent or Guardian,

The first homework assignment in this class is for both students and parents/guardians to read the attached course syllabus and complete the student information sheet below.

Environmental Science Student Information Sheet

Student’s Name: ______

Home Phone Number (not student’s cell phone): ______

PARENT/GAURDIAN CONTACT INFORMATION

Name ______Relationship ______

Work # ______Cell # ______E-mail ______

Preferred method of contact ______

Name ______Relationship ______

Work # ______Cell # ______E-mail ______

Preferred method of contact ______

Special ConsiderationsMs. Teare should know:

______

______

______

Student’s Extracurricular Activities (including job, school activities, etc.): ______

Our signatures below show that we have read the course syllabus and agree to follow the rules and policies of Ms. Teare’s classroom throughout the school year.

Student Signature ______

Parent/Guardian Signature______

Animal Agreement

I, ______, give______permission to handle classroom animals. If you wish your child not to do this, just do not sign this part.