Dear Parent/Guardian s28

Instructor:
Mrs. Jennifer Boyd
E-mail:
Room: 43E / AP Environmental Science / Voicemail: (805) 497-6711 ext. 4305
Class Website: http://www.conejousd.org/whs/Academics/Departments/Science/Boyd.aspx

Dear Student and Parents,

My name is Jennifer Boyd. This is my twelfth year at WHS and I am excited to be teaching AP Environmental Science, Honors Environmental Field Science, and working as Science Department Chair. I graduated from UCSB with a B.S. in Biology and minor in Japanese. I also graduated from the Teacher Education Program at UCSB, through which I earned my teaching credential in Biology and a Masters in Education.

I had the opportunity to visit Costa Rica through the ECO classroom program provided by the Northrop Grumman Foundation and Conservation International. This program gave 16 science teachers from across the nation an opportunity to live at a research station in a rainforest for two weeks. We learned research techniques used by scientists and had the opportunity to meet the locals and observe the variety of animal and plant life in a rainforest. After experiencing the biodiversity of the rainforest, I decided to have my students grow a butterfly garden behind building 4. This outdoor space has become an extension of my indoor classroom as students record and collect biodiversity data from the garden. The money to buy the plants was raised by the students through the collection and recycling of bottles and cans on campus. Instead of just learning about what biodiversity is, my students had a part in increasing the biodiversity on campus. They were amazed at the quick transformation of the area behind the building from a dirt hill to a beautiful garden with salamanders, frogs, lizards, birds, insects, and of course, butterflies! This feeling of accomplishment and awe for the garden translates into a greater feeling of awe for the planet and a desire to take care of it. Four years ago, I was awarded the Community Enhancement Grant from the city of Thousand Oaks to plant a native garden next to the butterfly garden We were also able to purchase recycling equipment to help us further our efforts to reduce waste going to landfills.

With the help of the PTSA, my classes transformed the planters outside of the school office to drought tolerant plants. Students commented on how they felt good about saving water and making their campus more beautiful. Last year, a group of my honors students decided that they wanted to share what they had learned in my class with the Special Education department. They created a garden for students with special needs to plant and tend to. Having my students working along side them, provided them with a unique opportunity to share their gardening experience as well as science knowledge.

The AP Environmental Science course is exciting and fun to teach because of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject matter. It draws on elements from the different fields of science and also touches on such diverse topics as ethics, economics, and social science. It requires students to learn, think, and question as they delve deeply into a scientific study of the interconnections between all living things (including themselves) to the environment. APES is the prerequisite for a second year course called Honors Environmental Field Science. The Honors course will build on material learned in the previous year and give students an opportunity to complete a community action project to tackle a local environmental problem of their choice. By passing a unit test on water in the honors course, students can earn 3 units of transferable college credit from Ventura College. For students taking APES as a junior, there is an optional semester course available titled Solar Technology. The Solar Technology class is worth 3 units of college credit and is a duel enrollment class through Moorpark College which is offered on our campus.

My goal as an educator is to provide a caring classroom with positive experiences for each student. Over the years, I have realized that true learning does not come from the memorization of facts. Learning should be relevant, meaningful, and inspire critical thinking. Learning should also be an active process which requires practice. As the state has adopted the new California Science test, our department has aligned our curriculum with the Next Generation Science Standards. These standards emphasize the importance of Science and Engineering practices (SEP’s). These 8 practices will be done and assessed through various activities such as going outside to collect data, labs, simulations, webquests, service projects, reading articles, and participating in class discussions. Student performance will be tested in these 8 areas:

• 1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

• 2. Developing and using models

• 3. Planning and carrying out investigations

• 4. Analyzing and interpreting data

• 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

• 6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

• 7. Engaging in argument from evidence

• 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

To support the mastery of these 8 practices the following grading system is in place:

Science and Engineering Practices (SEP’s)

• 15% of overall grade

• All 8 SEP’s are assessed each semester

• Each SEP is evaluated with a rubric, scale of 1-5

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Not Attempted / Not Yet Meeting Expectations / Approaches Expectations / Meets Expectations / Exceeds Expectations

• Students begin each semester with a 1 in all 8 categories

• This will appear as “not graded” and not calculated in Zangle/Q until the teacher has evaluated the student’s SEP performance

• Students can improve their score in any category over the course of the semester by providing evidence of growth through various class activities

To increase the amount of time in class for activities, I am using a “flipped classroom” approach. This means that I will record a lecture and post it on my website (through YouTube) for the student to watch as homework. Students will watch the lecture and take notes at home. The following class we will have a Pop Quiz or Q/A session as well as time to review the main ideas. The class period will have guided practice based on the material and an activity. The videos will allow students who are absent to have access to the lectures. Students can also control the speed of the lecture and have the opportunity to re-watch any difficult topics. In addition to this, students will complete 1 service project during the second semester related to the class. This activity must have prior approval and a second service project can be done for extra credit. Students will also read Ishmael: An Adventure of Mind and Spirit, by Daniel Quinn. Themes from this book will be discussed throughout the year.

Communication will be an important part of working with you. Please look over the class syllabus and feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions or concerns (email is the preferred method of communication). Grades will be updated frequently on Zangle/Q so you can monitor your progress. Please obtain your Zangle/Q password as soon as possible. Safety Contract and Classroom Procedures are posted on my website. In addition to my classroom policies, all school policies will be enforced.

Respectfully,

Mrs. Boyd

Type of Assessment / Percent value for each Assessment / Grading Scale:
Engage and Explore:
· Classwork/Homework
· Participation
· Composition book entries
· Lab activities
· Following directions / 15% / 90-100% A
80-89.99% B
70-79.99% C
60-69.99 D
0-59.99% F
Core Ideas Assessment
· Lab assessments
· Tests
· Quizzes
· Projects / 70% / Zangle/Q Key
· Zero = test/quiz needs to be made up.
· “No names” and missing assignments are also recorded as a zero.
Science and Engineering Practices
· Lab assessments
· Lab activities
· Projects
· Class discussions / 15%

Grades will be posted on Zangle/Q and homework and lecture videos will be posted on my school website.

Homework is collected at the beginning of class. Don’t forget to turn it in or it is late. Late work is marked down! Work turned in a day late can earn half credit.

Additional weekly participation points turn into extra credit points. (max. of 5 participation pts per week)

I do not round up grades!

Please be aware that changing levels/classes depends on space availability in other classes across the curriculum and may require switching the order and teachers of your classes.

Academic Honesty (Bd. Pol. 5131.9)

Definition: Academic Dishonesty is a deliberate attempt to disrupt the learning process by misrepresenting another’s work as one’s own. Dishonesty during tests or classwork includes unauthorized communicating; copying materials or allowing another student to copy; using prohibited notes or devices; obtaining prior knowledge of test content; and/or removing or distributing all or part of any test. Copying another person’s assignment; providing homework/classwork for another student to replicate; plagiarizing or submitting a paper or project which is not one’s own work; and submitting falsified information for grading purposes are also examples of dishonesty.

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I ask that you and your son/daughter sign in the spaces provided, thus acknowledging that you have read and understand the information on the classroom procedure/safety contract and syllabus found on my website under “Class Information.”