Math / Science Course Outline
Ms. Bryant, Room B-6
Welcome to your 7th grade math and science classes! New school, new friends, new clothes—it’s a lot to take in at once! This class is no exception. You’re about to experience a big transition in here, and I’m going to try to make it go smoothly by giving you all the details on this very valuable piece of paper you’re holding right now. We will read this paper together and you should also read this paper with your parents, and then store it in your Math/Science Binder for therest of your life—or at least until the end of this school year.
Class Rules
Work Hard. Be Kind. Respect Yourself and Others.
We are a team in this room. We help each other. Enough said.
Homework
You will have Math homework almost every weeknight and sometimes on the weekend. You can expect Science homework one to three nights per week.Homework is due at the beginning of the class period after the day it was assigned. You will also have C-STEM related class projects that might require you to finish them at home.
I do not accept late work!* Please be sure your homework is completed before class.If you chronically fail to complete your work, other consequences include parent/guardian contact, lunch detention and more, but if you complete your work, you’ll earn higher grades! Yay!
*I will accept humongous projects and lab reports late… for reduced credit. There is a 10% penalty for each day it is late.
Materials & Supplies for Class
There are a few items that you must have with you in class EVERY DAY.
- Student Planner
- Binder paper. Lots and lots of paper(college ruled is best)!
- At least TWO pencils, an eraser, and a sharpener (mechanical pencils with extra lead are fine)
- Colored correcting pens. Any colors except for blue or black. (Yes, gel/flair pens are okay for this, as long as the colors are easy to read).
- Highlighters
- Dry erase markers. At least two. Any color.
- Calculator (TI-30 recommended)
- A 1½ inch, heavy duty (D ring is best) binder with 6 section dividers - I will provide you with a detailed handout on how exactly you should setup and organize this binder.
Supplies for Home
- Colored pencils, pens, highlighters, crayons and/or markers
- Scissors
- Ruler (with both metric and standard markings)
- Calculator
Assignments and Standards
- Three-hole, lined, binder paper is to be used for all assignments, except when otherwise noted.
- Sloppy or incomplete work will not receive full credit. Work done in gel/flair pen is NOT accepted (unless it is correcting work).
- Original work is done in PENCIL, unless otherwise indicated. Original work in ink will not receive full credit (Oh no!). Corrections must be made in ink with yourcorrecting pens.
- Late work will not be accepted for credit unless you were absent. Write ABSENT on the assignment.
- If you are absent, it is up to you to make arrangements to copy notes from a friend and get any handouts from me, but I make it very easy—go to my website and download any handouts you need:
Grades
20% Progress Activities MATH: quizzes, homework, class work, reviews, and other assignments
SCIENCE: quizzes, homework, class work, reviews, and other assignments
80% Assessments MATH: chapter exams, unit projects, portfolios
SCIENCE: chapter/unit exams, unit projects, lab reports
In terms of point values, here’s a sample of what can be earned on various tasks:
Assignments 2-5 pts ------> The score is dependent on effort, not correctness.
Quizzes 15-20 pts ------> Inexpensive information about what you know. About once a week.
Tests/Projects/Other Assessments 50-100 pts ------> Very expensive information about what you know.
*Assessments make up most of your grade. We’ll talk a lot about how to prepare!
Extra Credit
There really isn’t a lot of extra credit in my classes. You will receive a few opportunities, worth a small amount of points, during each semester. DO NOT depend on extra credit tohide poor choices.
Extra Help
You can get extra help from me before or after school in B-6. Sometimes I have meetings and supervision so I will not always be available. You can always talk to me about getting extra help and we will find a time to work together—as long as you give me enough advance notice. Waiting until the day before a test or quiz is NOT enough notice!
Tip: Plan ahead. The moment you don’t understand something is the moment you should ask a question or plan to get help outside of class. One or two days before tests, there are usually lots of people in my room looking for help. If you are one of many, you may not get all the help you need.
Our MATH studies this year will include the following topics (and others!):- Statistics and Probability
- Operations with integers, rational numbers and percents
- Intro to algebra and equation solving
- Geometry and spatial visualization
- Proportions, ratios, and percents
- Applications of number sense and inequalities
- Patterns, functions, and graphing
- Ch programming
- Measurement, the Scientific Method & Lab Safety
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
- Viruses & Bacteria
- Evolution and Ecology
- Earth & Life History
- Structure and Function of Living Systems
- Physical Principles in Living Systems
- Investigation and Experimentation
Hang in there! This will be an exciting year together. You’ll do great! ~ Ms. B