Syllabus: Course Expectations and Guidelines

Suggested Supplies:

  1. *3-ring binder to hold your interactive notebook (intNB), at least 2” - 2.5”.
  2. *Dividers or tabs to separate units in your interactive notebook
  3. *Set of colored pencils (24 set highly recommended) – these will be used often!
  4. Pencils, and ball-point pens for note-taking and lab use (navy blue or black ink)
  5. Red ink pen, multiple colored highlighters
  6. Scientific Calculator
  7. Ruler with metric measurement (cm.) on one side.
  8. Several Glue Sticks
  9. Calendar/Agenda for recording class assignments
  10. Index cards

Items marked with (*) are highly recommended.

Grading System:

Notice that your grades are weightedand are not based on a straight point-scale. Each point you earn in each category is multiplied by the percent weight for each category to determine your overall grade.

Categories: Class Assignments/intNB/Study Guides/Labs

Projects and Scientific Papers………………………………………40%

Quizzes, Exams……………………………………………………………. 40%

Final Exam …………………………………………………………………..20%

Grade Distribution:90% – 100% A

80% – 89%B

70% – 79%C

60% – 69%D

0 - 59%F

HOMEWORK:

Homework will be related to the curriculum and will be assigned to strengthen skills, reinforce concepts, and/or prepare for a lesson, unit, or activity. Students should expect some homework on a daily basis.

There are two general categories of homework:

1.Peer evaluated: In cooperative groups, students will evaluate work in Interactive Notebooks as either following or not following the guidelines. Students will also, on occasion, evaluate the quality of another student’s work.

2.Instructor evaluated: This includes online assessments, projects, concept-mastery worksheets,and lab conclusions.

Late Work Policy:

Science students will be responsible and will complete and turn in required assignments when they are due at the beginning of class. Late work, generally, is NOT accepted, with a few exceptions, to be determined on a case by case basis.

Absences: Make-up work is only allowed for excused absences that are cleared through the office.

1. If you are absent on the day an assignment is given:

  • You have the same number of days to make up the assignment as the number of days you are absent.
  • Please write “ABSENT” on the top of the assignment prior to handing it in.
  • If the assignment is in your intNB, present this assignment to your teacher during FIRE for grading.

2. If you are absent on a day a project is due:

  • You do NOT get additional days to make-up major projects, unless you are severely ill, as the due dates are set ahead of time.

3. If you are absent on a day anquiz or exam is given:

  • You must make-up exams and quizzes within 1- week of the absence. It is YOUR responsibility to schedule a make-up exam with your teacher.
  1. If you are absent on a day of alab:
  • On most occasions, labs cannot be made up, due to availability of supplies and equipment.
  • However, you will need to get data from a reliable classmate and complete the lab write-up based on this data. You are still responsible for the material presented in the lab, despite your absence.

Classroom Rules:

  1. Allow yourself and others to learn and allow your teacher to teach.
  2. Behave responsibly and safely at all times, especially during labs.
  3. Follow the lab rules.
  4. Be respectful at all times, including respecting personal space and personal property. Be kind to others and treat everybody with dignity.
  5. Communicate responsibly. Never argue. Watch your tone of voice and body language.
  6. No drinks, food, or gum.

Discipline:

1st Offense:phone call home or verbal warning during class.

2nd Offense:“detention,” community-service duty, and parent notification.

3rd Offense:conduct referral to the office, and parent notification.

Copying, Cheating, Plagiarism:

If you copy work from another student or cheat during an exam, both you and the other student will receive zero credit for the work, without the ability to make-up that work. Know the difference between “copying” each other’s work and working on an assignment together. It is acceptable for students to work in groups, discuss answers, and come to the same conclusion. But each student must present his/her own work in his/her own words. Any direct copying will produce a zero for you and your friend.

Plagiarism is very serious. Plagiarism means to take credit for someone else’s research by copying the writing and thinking done by another author. If a paper is turned in and was written by an encyclopedia, professor, Internet author, etc., you will be given no credit for that assignment. Copying word – for – word is only acceptable when you are citing a direct quote. A direct quote should not be more than a sentence or two, for which you will cite the author or the source and provide a works-cited list. Copying and pasting from internet sources will not be tolerated! Of course, a paper should NOT be made up entirely of direct quotes. (yes, this has happened before)

All cheating, copying, and plagiarism offenses will be dealt with seriously and a permanent record of the offense will be placed in your permanent file.

Lab Donations:

This is a lab intensive class. There is, however, little money in the budget to cover the costs for lab supplies and specimens needed for a well-rounded experience. Although not required, we are asking for a lab donation of $10 from every student whose families are able to monetarily contribute, to help offset the costs for these specimens and supplies. Please understand that the lab and dissection experiences can be limited due to limited funds.