Required Materials:
Pens/Pencils, notebook paper, 3 ring binder, spiral notebook, highlighters, and two pocket folder
**Each student is required to bring his/her own materials to class each day.
Each student must also have his/her planner in class EVERYDAY!
Classwork/Homework:
Students will be required to take notes throughout science class. Homework and classwork have to be turned in on time for full credit! Homework is due at the beginning of class. Students will receive a check (10 points) for a completed assignment, a minus (5 points) for incomplete work, or a zero for no work. In the case of absences, it is the student’s responsibility to get any make-up work. A folder with all assignments will be available to find missed assignments.
Spiral Notebook – Question of the Day (QOTD):
Each student will need a spiral notebook for science class. This notebook will be kept in the classroom at ALL TIMES and used for the QOTD’s. We will do one question per day. At the end of two weeks, or ten questions, the notebooks will be graded. Each question is worth 10 points, two for writing the question and eight points for having the correct answer (spelling and grammar count). Students may use their science book and notes to assist them in finding the answer. The QOTD’s will be accepted up to three days late, but the student will lose 10 points for every day that it is late. Students are required to make-up the questions missed when they are absent.
Quizzes and Tests:
There will be tests and quizzes periodically throughout science class, generally at the end of every chapter. Quizzes and tests are worth 200 points each. Students will be given the option to do quiz corrections* to bring up the second quiz grade that is averaged in. For example, if a student takes a quiz and scores a 50%, they have two options: one, the 50% counts twice into their grade, or two, they can do corrections and, if they answer all of the questions correctly, the second time, I will average in a 50% and a 100%. Students must write the entire question and answer, on a separate sheet of paper, to receive credit. Students may use their science book and notes to help them on the quiz corrections. Quiz corrections are NOT accepted late! This applies only to quizzes, not chapter tests!
*The opportunity to complete quiz corrections will not be offered to students in my advanced class.
Problem of the Week Folder:
Students will be completing FCAT-style, extended response questions once a week. Each Problem of the Week will be worth 20 points. Every five weeks, the folders will be collected and graded. The questions will be graded for effort, thoroughness, and correctness of answer. The Problem of the Week folder will be accepted up to three days late, but the student will lose 10 points for every day that it is late. Students are required to make-up questions missed when they are absent.
Planner:
Daily objectives and homework assignments will be on the board and all students are required to copy this information into their planner EVERYDAY! The planner will be used as a communication link between me, the student, and parents. It is important to look in your child’s planner on a daily or weekly basis. Students will also be required to write the dates of upcoming quizzes, tests, or projects.
