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Columbia Junior High School

Ms Swenson

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Earth Science: Course requirements

An Inquiry approach will be used to develop investigative skills and initiate the process to acquire a fundamental knowledge in Earth Science.  A major emphasis will be on investigations through small group work involving active participation of all students to use the processes of science to solve problems. 

Purpose:  The content of this course is centered on fundamental concepts of Earth Science.

Goal: To foster interest, while gaining basic understanding of the physical world around us, and build a foundation for more in depth courses such as,

           physics and chemistry.

Grading

Grades in this class will be given as a percentage from the points earned.  Everything turned in will count towards a portion of the final grade.  Science is a hands-on subject thus attendance will be crucial in keeping up with the assigned work.  Effort and cooperation will also play a major role in determining your grade for the semester.

• Daily work, labs, and homework will be assigned a certain number of points, depending on the degree of difficulty and/or comprehensiveness.
• Grading break down
• 20% - Homework
• 40% - Lab work – lab work (answering questions, conclusions, write-ups, etc) are a fundamental part of scientific inquiry.  Missing work, incomplete work, or non-participation within this category can substantially bring down a student’s grade.
• 30% - Test
• 10% - Participation
• Letter grades will be based on the following percentages:

                   93 –100 A                        77-79  C+                        0-59 F

                   90-92    A-                       73-76  C

                   87-89    B+                      70-72  C-

                   83-86    B                         67-69  D+

                   80-82    B-                       60-66  D

• At the completion of each chapter all missing assignments turn to an automatic zero.
• Classroom information, assignment due dates, upcoming projects can be found on my website at http://fifeschools.com/cjh/staff/cswenson/AgendaandHomework.htm.
• Grades can be checked on grade checker at fifeschools.com

Attendance

• Excused absences
• Make up work is your responsibility.  You will be given an extension equivalent to the number of days missed in which to complete work.  To keep up with any missing work, ask a friend for the assignment, look on the “assignment board”, or check my website’s “agenda page” http://fifeschools.com/cjh/staff/cswenson/AgendaandHomework.htm.
• It is the students responsibility to get notes or handouts
• Students will take a missed test or quiz on the day of return to school, unless the absence was extended causing the student to miss some of the content covered.
• If a lab is missed, it is your responsibility to schedule time after school to conduct the lab.  However, some experiments are hard to recreate.  If this is the case, an alternative assignment will be assigned.
• Unexcused absences.
• Work missed due to an unexcused absence will be treated as a late assignment.

Assignments and Experiments

• All assignments are required to have a proper heading, which includes Name, date, class and period.
• Assignments can be completed in either pen or pencil.  For neatness, labs are recommended to be done in pencil or word processed.
• Messy or unreadable papers will be returned to be recopied then resubmitted for a grade. 

Materials

Due to the activities being cone in class, students may need additional supplies as the year proceeds.

• Composition notebook: this is for lab work, notes, vocabulary, and  any additional work assigned
• PeeChee to keep returned “loose” papers
• Writing utensils and paper
• Color pencils
• Scotch tape
• Scissors
• Glue sticks

Classroom Expectations

• Be in assigned seat when the bell rings
• Bring needed materials to class every day
• Listen and follow all directions the first time given
• Follow lab safety rules
• Respect yourself and others
• No food or drink allowed in the classroom
• Follow all school rules as stated in the student handbook
• Any MP3 players, cell phones, or other electronic gadgets out during class or being used in the restroom during class will be confiscated and left in the office for parents to pick up!

Procedures for not following classroom expectations

• Warning
• Parent notified during class – by student
• Mr Alfono notified and student possibly removed from the classroom
• Grade may decrease due to loss of class time

Late Work Policy

All assignments are important and vital to academic success.  A late assignment is one that is turned in the day(s) after it is due.  Assignments that are turned in late will receive 50% credit of the grade received.  Assignments can only be turned in completely finished.  No incomplete late assignment will be accepted.  You will have until the end of each chapter to turn in missing/late work.  Once a chapter test has been taken all missing/late work turns into an automatic zero.