8th Grade Science
Course Description:
Science is a fascinating subject and I will strive to challenge you to achieve your potential, and to pass on my passion for the subject matter. 8th grade Science is a course that will be meeting daily. The structure of this class is a mixture of lecture, discussion, projects, small group activities, and laboratory exercises. My goal is to bring the subject alive by teaching in a hands-on manner to help perk student interest. Participation in classroom activities and completion of homework assignments are expected. The topics covered during this year are Atoms, States of matter, Elements, Physical and Chemical Properties and Changes, Mixtures, Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration, Space, Tides, Stars, Gravity and the Universe. Some goals I have for the class are as follows. Students will have a better understanding of scientific terms. Students will leave the class with more literacy experience than when they came into the class. Students will learn how to perform hands on projects and experiments. I expect everyone to do well in my class and get out as much as they put into the class.
Tutoring and Help:
Tutoring is offered every Friday immediately after school till 5:30. If no students arrive by 4:30 tutoring will be cancelled for the day.
Textbook:
Students do not take home a textbook. Instead students will have access to a class set during class and a virtual book at home. Website: thinkcentral.pcsb.org Login: user: R2.d2 Password: s.password, use your exact same user name and password that you have for PORTAL.
Materials:
Needed in class every day are as follows: composition book (2 if you write large), pencil, and agenda book. Suggest materials include a highlighter, colored pencils, 1 Pack of Paper and index cards.
Grades:
Marking period grades will be determined based on performance on summative assessments, homework, class work, participation, laboratory assignments, and projects. Students must have name on paper in order to receive credit. Late work is accepted but students loose one letter grade for every day the assignment is late.
Forbidden objects in class
Students are not allowed food, gum, drinks or toys of any kind during class. First warning student puts the object away. Second warning it is removal of food, gum or drink to the trash and toys to a locked drawer. Third Warning results in a phone call home. Fourth Warning results in referral. Water is allowed in a clear water bottle just not during labs. Phones are not to be used during class. They should be off (not vibrate) in the student’s backpack. If students are caught on their phones or with phones in their pockets it will be taken and turned in to the office and must be picked up by a parent or guardian. This is a school wide rule.
Homework Policy:
Students will be assigned homework to help reinforce the concepts learned in class. Students will be assigned questions, readings, and worksheets every class or every other class. Students will be given one night to complete homework unless told otherwise. Regardless of whether or not a formal homework assignment is given, it is highly recommended that your child review his/her notes every night. All homework will be turned in every day at the start of class and graded on accuracy. Homework is an important part of learning. Students who do not complete homework will lose points for the assignment.
Tardiness:
Students are expected to be on time for every class. Any student who is tardy is expected to sign the tardy sheet by the door. The consequence for tardiness is lunch detention. If a student is tardy 4 times in one quarter, a phone call home will occur. If a fifth time occurs after the phone call a referral will be written.
Quiz’s and Tests:
Unit tests will consist of matching vocabulary, multiple choice problems, short answers and occasionally true or false. Students that score a "C" or lower on a test may be retaken before school any day except Wednesday or after school on Fridays after submitting a request to retest paper. Students may only retake 3 tests in a year and must be retaken within the quarter they were originally given. An appointment must be scheduled with the teacher in advance. See test taking procedure below.
Absenteeism:
If students have an unexcused absences the missed work cannot be made up. If it is an excused absence you have 1 day per day absent to make up missed work. Students are responsible for acquiring missed work from the absent folder upon returning to class. Any work not made up will result in a zero. If the students knows they will be absent ahead of time. They may request their work to take with them.
Plagiarism and cheating:
Plagiarism and cheating is completely unacceptable and will result in getting a zero for the assignment. Cheating includes coping assessments, assignments or homework. Both the copier and the person allowing them to copy will both receive a zero.
Classroom Rules:
1. Respect others and yourself
2. Come to class on time and prepared
3. Follow all directions
4. Turn in all assignments on time
1. Respect others and yourself
2. Come to class on time and prepared
3. Follow all directions
4. Turn in all assignments on time
Policies and Procedures
Entering the Classroom
1. Greet the teacher politely before entering the room
2. Proceed to your assigned seat and sit down.
3. Retrieve your notebook, agenda book and pencil from your backpack
4. Turn in any homework to the turn in basket
5. Record homework from the board into your agenda book
6. Begin work on your Bell Work, it will always be projected onto the screen at the front of the room or on the board.
7. You are to work on your Bell work silently and independently.
Exiting the Classroom
1. The bell does not release the class, the teacher does.
2. When the bell rings, the teacher will release students to exit the classroom.
3. Students will only be released if the students are sitting in their assigned seat and their area is clean and picked up.
4. Each student will taking all of their belongings with them and push in their chairs when leaving.
Entering the Classroom
1. Greet the teacher politely before entering the room
2. Proceed to your assigned seat and sit down.
3. Retrieve your notebook, agenda book and pencil from your backpack
4. Turn in any homework to the turn in basket
5. Record homework from the board into your agenda book
6. Begin work on your Bell Work, it will always be projected onto the screen at the front of the room or on the board.
7. You are to work on your Bell work silently and independently.
Exiting the Classroom
1. The bell does not release the class, the teacher does.
2. When the bell rings, the teacher will release students to exit the classroom.
3. Students will only be released if the students are sitting in their assigned seat and their area is clean and picked up.
4. Each student will taking all of their belongings with them and push in their chairs when leaving.
Sharpening Your Pencil
1. Pencils should be sharpened BEFORE the bell rings. 2. If your pencil breaks during class, hold your pencil in the air. This signals that you need to sharpen your pencil. And teacher will give you permission or ask you to wait. 3. Students may sharpen pencils during individual or group work. Not while the teacher or a student is talking to the class. |
Asking and Answering Questions
1. You must raise your hand to speak in the classroom.
2. If you have a question or want to answer a question, raise your hand.
3. When the teacher calls on you, you may ask or answer the question. There should be no speaking out of turn unless discussion has specifically been instructed.
4. Repeated accounts of talking out of turn will result in detention with the teacher before school, after school or during lunch.
Turning in Assignments
1. All student are responsible for turning in homework at the beginning of class to the turn in basket
2. Students will be deducted points for homework turned in after class begins.
3. Do not turn in any assignments to the teacher’s desk. Any assignments placed on the teacher’s desk will not be graded.
Fire Drill/Emergencies/Assemblies/Programs
1. When the fire alarm goes off, quietly and quickly line up in a single-file line at the door.
2. The teacher will lead the line into the hall and out of the building
3. Our Fire Drill location is the black top. Roll will be taken once the class has reached the fire drill location.
4. Students are to line up in a straight line quietly in order to hear all instructions given.
5. When the drill is over, wait for the teacher’s instructions. DO NOT head into the school separately from the class.
1. You must raise your hand to speak in the classroom.
2. If you have a question or want to answer a question, raise your hand.
3. When the teacher calls on you, you may ask or answer the question. There should be no speaking out of turn unless discussion has specifically been instructed.
4. Repeated accounts of talking out of turn will result in detention with the teacher before school, after school or during lunch.
Turning in Assignments
1. All student are responsible for turning in homework at the beginning of class to the turn in basket
2. Students will be deducted points for homework turned in after class begins.
3. Do not turn in any assignments to the teacher’s desk. Any assignments placed on the teacher’s desk will not be graded.
Fire Drill/Emergencies/Assemblies/Programs
1. When the fire alarm goes off, quietly and quickly line up in a single-file line at the door.
2. The teacher will lead the line into the hall and out of the building
3. Our Fire Drill location is the black top. Roll will be taken once the class has reached the fire drill location.
4. Students are to line up in a straight line quietly in order to hear all instructions given.
5. When the drill is over, wait for the teacher’s instructions. DO NOT head into the school separately from the class.
Test-Taking Procedure
- Testing time is SILENT time. Students found talking, making noise or being distracting will receive one warning and then will receive a zero.
- All notes and papers must be in the students backpack.
- Your desk should be empty aside from a writing utensil, a piece of paper or computer.