Ms. Russell                  Telephone 425-837-4197                 Email: russelll@issaquah.wednet.edu  

Welcome to 7^th grade science and the 2008-2009 school year! We hope that this will be a successful and enjoyable year for you at Beaver Lake! The purpose of this syllabus is to inform both students and parents about our 7^th grade science department. Below you will find an overview of the topics that we will study this year, the classroom expectations and procedures, and the consequences if expectations are not met. We want everyone to be clear about the expectations for 7^th grade science so students can succeed and parents can effectively support their students.

UNITS OF STUDY

1)     Catastrophic Events

2)    Human Body

3)    Energy, Machines, and Motion (EMM

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

1)     Respect self, others, animals, and materials.

2)    Listen to and follow instructions the first time they are given.

3)    Raise your hand and wait to be called on before speaking.

4)    No swearing, bullying, or putdowns.

CONSEQUENCES

Level 1: Warning

Level 2: Seat Change or After-Class Chat

Level 3: 101 Slip and Parent Contact

Severe Disruption/Unsafe Activity: Student Sent Immediately to Office

REWARDS

Praise (every day)                          Various Other Positive Perks (throughout year)

Life Skills Awards (randomly)         The Joy of Learning (every day)

GRADING

This class is largely laboratory based, and students will be participating in many hands-on, inquiry-based investigations. Graded assignments will include lab write-ups, in-class assignments, homework assignments, participation/science notebooks (including “Daily Log” activities), and assessments (tests).  Grades will be assigned based on total points earned.

CLASS PROCEDURES

Restroom: The best time to use the restroom is during the passing periods between classes. No one will be allowed to use the restroom during the first 10 minutes of class or the last 10 minutes of class. To use the bathroom during class, ask permission (without interrupting instruction) and take the hall pass.  Using the restroom is a privilege and can be taken away.

Starting Class: Come in to the classroom quietly, sit in your assigned seat, and write Daily Log activity in your Science Journal.

Ending Class: Clean up all materials, wait until 2-minute warning to pack up personal belongings. Groups will be dismissed individually when their work area is clean and ready for the next group of students.

ABSENCES

If you have an excused absence, it is your responsibility to find out what happened while you were absent. For every day that you are absent, you have one extra day to turn in an assignment. Lab activities can be made up on Tuesdays at “Cocoa Club” in Miss Rice’s room (A5). You have one week to make up a lab you missed due to an excused absence; after one week, the lab materials are put away. Also, science labs and assignments are sequential and build on each other so it is important to make them up as soon as possible.

EXTRA HELP

We are available most days before and after school for science help. Please feel free to come by any of our classrooms (or ask ahead of time if you want to make sure we are around). Ms. Russell is in Portable B, Ms. Rice is in room A5, and Ms. Johnson is in A3.

LATE WORK

Late work is only accepted for credit with a HW pass. Each student will receive three HW passes for the year; these passes enable you to turn in a completed assignment one day after the original due date. Passes are non-transferable! Major projects will be subject to a 10% loss of points for each day they are late.

EXTRA CREDIT

You may earn up to 50 points of extra credit each trimester – but only if all of your regular assignments have been completed. You can earn extra credit in three ways:

• (5 points) Read and summarize a science-related news article; sources of interesting articles include newspapers, magazines (such as National Geographic, Nature, or Discovery), and the Internet
  • the summary should be no more than two paragraphs and needs to be in your own words (not copied directly from the article you read)
  • you must cite your source
• (Point values may vary) Complete a “Weekend Science” question or activity from the class website
   
• (5 points) Present for three minutes on science in the news at the start of class
  • Current news topic with a clear connection to science (1pt)
  • Exciting 3 minute presentation to the class (3pts)
  • Open ended question for students to journal on (1pt)

NECESSARY MATERIALS

Pencil (no pens)

Small Pencil Sharpener

Colored Pencils

Notebook Paper (loose leaf, college ruled)

Composition Book (for Science Journal)

Metric Ruler

Agenda/Planner

Glue Stick

COCOA CLUB

First Club meeting is Tuesday, September 15.

Who:  The Cocoa Club is open for students in 7^th grade science classes who may at times have missed or are missing assignments, need some extra help on labs, have unanswered questions about the work in class, need to do a grade check, or just could use the time to catch up or stay caught up in science. It’s also open to students who wouldn’t mind helping others with their work.  You also will have a great setting to complete work if needed.

What:  The Cocoa Club is a chance for students in any of the 7^th grade science classes to come together to review/correct HW answers, discuss or perform labs, check grade, ask the teacher questions, help other students with science, or get help from other students in an informal setting.  Miss Rice supplies the Cocoa and hot water, you bring the mug.  You can drink the cocoa while doing your work and store your mug in the classroom.!

Where:  Cocoa Club takes place in Room A-5, Miss Rice’s room.

Why:  Although Miss Rice, Mrs. Russell, and Mrs. Johnson are available before and after school, any lunch or by appointment, sometimes it is nice for students to get together with other students as well.  Students tend to think alike in many areas and often are a great help to each other.  Regular class time does not always allow for informal discussion with peers and the teacher, work review, etc. 

When:  Cocoa Club takes place every Tuesday from 7:05 am until 7:35.  It is not required attendance………….just bring your mug and Miss Rice will supply the hot water and Cocoa.