Welcome to 8th Grade Physical Science - St. John's ...



8th Grade Physical Science

2010-2011

St. John’s Episcopal School Office Hours (Room #25)

Mrs. Sheryll Grogan Monday, 3:05 – 4:00

Email: sgrogan@stjohns- or by appointment

Welcome to 8th Grade Science. I am Mrs. Grogan and I will be your son/daughter’s 8th grade Physical Science teacher. I am excited to have the opportunity to teach your child and look forward to working with you. We will be using Focus on Physical Science by Prentice Hall as our textbook, along with exciting supplemental labs and ideas as we explore the challenging world of science. On a daily basis, I encourage all students to think and act like scientists, as they question everyday occurrences in the world around them. The students will be expected to work hard, experiment, share ideas, be respectful, and have fun. All students are encouraged to visit my scheduled office hours for additional help, as needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at sgrogan@stjohns-.

➢ Curriculum

o Our main focus this year will be physical science, with a strong emphasis on basic chemistry. We will also spend a great deal of time on laboratory experiments, followed by thorough lab write-ups. To facilitate a lab based program, 8th grade science is arranged on a block schedule, meeting for two periods, two days per week, and one period on Friday.

o Topics will include:

Laboratory Safety Chemical Reactions

Introduction to Matter Atoms and Bonding

Changes in Matter The Earth, Moon, & Sun

Elements & the Periodic Table Our Solar System

➢ Class Rules

o Attendance – Physical Science is designed around a number of in-class activities and labs; attending school everyday is essential. Please try and schedule doctors, dentists, orthodontists, and any other appointments after school. If you know you are going to be absent, please make arrangements with me beforehand to schedule make-up labs, usually during office hours.

o Tardiness – Coming into class late is a distraction to other students, as well as the teacher. To be counted on time, you must be in your seat and ready to work when the bell rings.

o Food and Drink – Due to the fact that class is held in a lab and we will be working with chemicals, no food or drink is allowed in the lab area, this includes gum chewing and water bottles.

o Safety – Horseplay in the lab is never acceptable. All safety rules will be reviewed the first week of school and will remain a high priority throughout the school year.

➢ Daily Expectations and Class Supplies

o All students are required to maintain a one-inch 3-ring notebook exclusive for science. They must be prepared for class every single day; there will be random binder checks throughout the trimester. Each notebook should contain the following:

Up-to-date table of contents

Current & graded assignments in numbered order

Lined notebook paper

Graph Paper

Blue/Black Pen

Pencil

Red pen for grading

Colored pencils & Glue Stick (may be left in locker)

o Always work quietly and be respectful of your classmates. Raise your hand when you have a question or something to share with the class.

o Bathroom and water breaks are to taken during break time. Students will not be given permission to leave during class.

o Do Not Drag Stools on the floor. This may sound silly, but we have an elementary class below us and the noise is very disruptive.

➢ Labs

o Labs are an integral part of our curriculum. They are designed to supplement our program and are a privilege to take part in. Any student choosing to misbehave during a lab will be sent to the office and receive a zero for the day. This may seem harsh, but is necessary for the safety of all students.

o Teamwork is essential to a successful lab. Students will be assigned lab groups at the beginning of the year and are required to participate with and respect everyone in their group.

o Students will do complete lab write-ups several times per trimester. An instructional packet with all requirements will be issued separately and should be utilized throughout the year.

o If you are absent from a lab, it is your responsibility to come to my next available office hours. Many materials and chemicals have limited shelf life and can not be made available over extended periods of time.

➢ Assignments

o All assignments should be labeled with the assignment number in the upper right-hand corner and your first and last name, date, subject/section, and teacher’s name in the upper left hand corner. The assignment title and page number should be centered underneath the heading. Any work turned in without a name will receive 10% off.

Example: Name (First, Last) #25

Date (00/00/00)

Science, 8-*

Mrs. Grogan

Assignment (Title & page #)

o The CLASSROOM WEBSITE can be accessed at sgrogan. It includes daily homework assignments, due dates, extra credit, Power Points, and helpful links, and should be visited regularly. Assignments are also posted on the side wall in the classroom, and should be recorded daily in the student’s planner. An up-to-date table of contents is located on the back wall. Students are responsible for staying current on their work. “I didn’t know” is not a valid excuse.

o Assignments must be turned in on time. Late assignments will be issued a Blue Slip and an automatic zero will be recorded on Achieve Grade Book. If the assignment is turned in the following class period, the zero will be changed to 50% credit. However, all assignments must still be completed and placed in the student’s science folder, as missing assignments ultimately affect final folder grades.

o Long-term projects are not accepted late. NO EXCEPTIONS! If you are absent the day a long-term assignment is due, please have your assignment delivered to the middle school office by 3:15pm on the due date.

➢ Absent Work

o It is the student’s responsibility to obtain absent packets the class day they return to science. The packets include absent work, lab make-up dates and times, and assignment due dates. No absent work will be accepted after the agreed upon due date.

o Any assignments due the day you were absent, must be turned in the first day (class) you return to school to receive full credit.

➢ Grading Policy

o A breakdown of the grading scale can be found in the red Student Handbook. Each assignment, lab, quiz, or test is worth a certain number of points. Approximate weights given to each area within this class are as follows:

Tests 35%

Labs 15%

Projects 10%

Trimester Notebook 10%

Homework 10%

Class work 10%

Quizzes 10 %

o Grades are posted and updated regularly on the website. Please visit the Achieve Grade Book located on the Parent Portal at stjohns- (password required) to stay current on your child’s progress. Should you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me via sgrogan@stjohns- and I will respond as soon as possible.

➢ Academic Dishonesty

o Students will receive a zero for any assignment turned in that is not their own work.

o Students will receive a zero on any quiz or test in which they give or receive help from another student or source.

*All of the above statements are specific to 8th Grade Science. As always, all guidelines in the Parent/Student Handbook, Middle School Code of Conduct, and Middle School Cardinal Rules apply.

Mrs. Grogan/8th Grade Science 2010-2011

The classroom procedures for 8th grade Science have been read and explained to me. I have a thorough understanding of what is expected of me and agree to abide by the rules as specified. If I choose to violate the rules, I choose to suffer the consequences for my actions. I agree to keep the syllabus in my science binder for reference as needed.

Student Name Printed __________________________

Book # ________________

Student Signature ____________________________________

Parent Signature _______________________________

Phone Number ________________________________

Please note below any additional comments or information that may be helpful to your child’s success in 8th grade Science :

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download