Expectations

The text below is the simplified version of the Earth Science Expectations paper you received on the first day of school.

Materials
A. Textbook:
Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, and the Universe, McGraw Hill. Your book is only a year old; please take good care of it. It must be covered at all times and will be checked periodically.

B. Notebook:
I suggest a three-ring binder with dividers to keep everything together, as you will be receiving a large quantity of handouts. Tabs and sections will help with organization. Make sure you have lined notebook paper for activities that do not involve handouts. Please keep this document in your notebook at all times!

C. Planner:
You will be given a combination handbook/planner from the school this year in homeroom. Please use this essential organizational tool! This is a good place to write down homework assignments, keep track of when you have tests and quizzes, and anything else that involves a due date.

D. Other Supplies:
Pencils, erasers, pens, whiteout, ruler, calculator… If you need it for school, you should have it with you for earth science class. A home computer with internet access is a great help for various assignments, but is not required.

Grades
Your grade will be earned through daily class participation, homework, tests and quizzes, labs, and projects. It is calculated by adding together all the points you have earned for all of the assignments, divided by the total possible number of points of all assignments. Extra credit will be offered occasionally throughout the year.

A. Participation:
A warm up question will be posted on the board. You will be given the first five minutes of class to record and answer it on a weekly warm up sheet. Questions will either be a review from the lesson the day before, a reading check, or a preview of the lesson for the current day. It is your job to correct your answers as I will be collecting and checking these weekly.

B. Homework:
Homework is a reinforcement, practice, or extension of our lessons in class. It is to be carefully and thoughtfully done by you only! Homework is due on the due date at the beginning of class. If homework is not submitted on the due date a zero will be entered for that assignment in Skyward. Homework is almost always checked and graded so please record it in your planner each day as you enter the classroom (it’s on the same board as your warm up question).

C. Tests and Quizzes:
A test or quiz will be given for each chapter of material covered. A midterm and final exam will also be given at the appropriate times. You will be notified in advance of every test and can retake one test per marking period. Reading checks and homework quizzes will be given occasionally and are NOT announced, as you are expected to complete these assignments ahead of time.

D. Projects and Presentations:
Projects and presentations will be assigned at least once a marking period. They are worth more points than most other assignments because they require more work to be completed. A zero will be entered in Skyward for not handing in a project or completing a presentation. You will lose a whole letter grade each day the assignment is late.

Absences
You are responsible for finding out what you missed and making sure the assignments are turned in. I won’t track you down! A quick way to see what you missed is by checking the class website before returning to school. When you do return to school always check your class period’s absent folder in the back of the room. Anticipate staying after school if you missed a test or lab.

A. Participation:
Please check the warm up sheet in the back of room 302, above the absent folders, and copy the questions for the day(s) you missed. If you have trouble answering the question, you may confer with another student or ask me.

B. Classwork:
You will also find any worksheets or activities you may have missed in the back of 302 in the absent folders. Look inside your class period folder for papers labeled with your name. Check with me if the directions aren’t clear or if the activity can only be completed in the classroom. You are responsible for obtaining class notes from another student in your class.

C. Homework:
A homework assignment that was due on the day of your absence must be turned in on the day you return for full credit. After that it is considered late and is not worth any points. If homework is assigned on the day of your absence, you must submit the work by your third day back to school to receive full credit, as per the school district’s absence policy.

D. Tests and Quizzes:
Tests and quizzes must be made up within three days of your return to school. Please see me to schedule a make-up time as soon as possible; I will not hunt you down to do this.

E. Presentations:
Missing a class presentation, especially if you are part of a group, disrupts our schedule and is very stressful for the members of your group. Please make every effort to be in class on the day you are to present a project.

Expectations and Guidelines
As a ninth grader and a high school student you should be well aware of how to conduct yourself in the classroom. If any problems arise, I will first discuss them with you and any other students involved. If the problem persists you will spend time with me after school to resolve the issue and, if needed, I will contact your parents and the administration.

1. When the bell rings quietly sit in your assigned seat and complete the warm up question.
2. Come to class prepared with your notebook, pencil, and completed assignments.
3. Raise your hand and wait to be acknowledged. Student participation is encouraged and important!
4. Listen to and read directions carefully the first time they are given.
5. Do not work on other assignments when class time is given to you for earth science assignments.
6. Show respect to everyone in the classroom… fellow students, teachers, aids, substitutes, and anyone else who enters.
7. All school rules in the handbook not mentioned above apply to earth science; read your handbook carefully.

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