Please read through these pages. On the last page is a document that Parents need to sign and needs to be
returned to me as soon as possible. This is your first homework assignment for this school year in Science. Parents may respond electronically via e-mail following the directions listed in the syllabus!!
Looking forward to a Great Year! Mrs. Toth
Discovery Middle School
Seventh Grade Science
General Procedures and Policies
(Revised 8-15-13)
Welcome
Welcome
to seventh grade science! I am looking forward to a great year. We will focus
on science as a process of problem solving as well as a body of knowledge.
Students will be encouraged to ask how things work and “what would happen
if...?” Students will learn how to find
the answers to their questions. We will
also integrate and apply the knowledge we have gained to the new things that we
are studying. Students will be expected to think rather than to regurgitate
facts. The class will be a mix of
hands-on activities and experiments combined with reading, writing, discussions
and projects as well as tests and quizzes. Various sources will supplement the
text book (SEPUP - Science Education for Public Understanding Program) to
enrich the learning process. The science notebook is very important.
Contact
Information
(E-mail is the best and most effective way to contact me.)
Mrs.
Sheila Toth Voice Mail: 258-9521 ext
41206 email: stoth@phm.k12.in.us
Blog:
http://dmsscience7toth.blogspot.com
Materials Needed
Bring our
science supplies with you to class every day. These include science notebook,
textbook, pen, pencil, agenda planner, calculator if you have one, and paper. If
you will go to the following link: http://www.lab-aids.com/
This
is the homepage for LAB-AIDS, Inc. At the top right of the screen,
Login as: STUDENT Enter your USERNAME (dms30)and PASSWORD (stoth) to log in.
You have access to 7th Grade Science.-Online textbook
Classroom
Conduct
The daily agenda
will be posted in the front of the room. All students are expected to copy this
into their agendas. Classroom rules are
basically to be Respectful and Responsible and to AIM High
(showing a positive attitude, integrity, and making a difference). Combining
these basic rules with being open to learning new concepts is a recipe for
success.
Classroom
Discipline Steps: (per class or within a short period of class days if this
behavior is recurring)
1.
Verbal Warning
2.
Conference between student and teacher with possible additional consequences
3.
Contact home and develop an action plan
4.
Office notified via Incident Report, possible parent meeting
5.
To be determined based upon circumstances
** IF BEHAVIOR IS EXTREME, WE WILL SKIP
DIRECTLY TO STEP 4. THE INCIDENT REPORT WILL BE FILLED OUT IN DETAIL AND WILL
BE THE PARENT CONTACT.
Homework and
Grading
I do not assign
“busy work,” therefore sometimes there will be no “official” homework. However
science is a subject with lots of new vocabulary and many connections with
mathematical concepts. On nights without
written homework, students should spend at least fifteen minutes studying
and reviewing concepts and vocabulary terms (nightly). Since homework
is a learning opportunity, we will generally go over the homework in class.
The grades are
broken down into categories: participation (10%) and summative assessments
(90%). Participation refers to anything that the student is expected to do to
be an active participant of the science class, including such things as writing
in agenda, homework, in-class assignments, group interactions, etc. Summative
assessments are scores based upon the level of understanding the students show
related to the science ideas and concepts being taught. Examples of summative
assessments include tests, quizzes, some types of projects, verbal checks, etc.
The PHM grading scale will be used.
Late
Science Work
Late work will
be handled on a case-by-case basis.
If you are
absent on the day an assignment is due, it needs to be turned in immediately on
your first day back.
To find out
about missed work, students are to check the absent make up counter for any
needed forms for their lab notebook. Students are responsible for getting
any other paperwork, getting notes from a classmate, and asking for any
clarification from the teacher. Schedule any make-up quizzes or tests at this
time. Work assigned before the absence should be turned in immediately
following the student's return. This is the student's responsibility. No
reminders will be given. Please write "absent" and the date on the
assignment. Notebook checks are also the student's responsibility.
Making up lab
activities:
If
a lab needs to be made up, the student is to make arrangements with the
teacher, find a classmate to help before school or at lunch, or copy relevant
information from a classmate, or take the lab materials home (provided by
teacher) if appropriate. (Teacher will make this decision.) Answers
to Analysis Questions and assessments are NOT to be copied. Some labs
cannot be made up, and student will need to get data from a classmate. The blog is a useful resource. Please check
it when absent if possible.
Standards:
Each
quarter, students will take a pre-assessment (not a grade) and a
post-assessment (counted as a grade). We will develop formative assessments
(not for grade) each quarter based on the lowest performing indicators from the
pre-assessment. These will help students recognize their strengths and areas
for growth each quarter. Students will complete a Performance Task each
quarter. Performance Tasks are quite broad, encompassing a range of tasks. They allow
students to complete an in-depth project that demonstrates analytical skills
and real-world problem solving.
The
newest Indiana Standards and Indicators are listed in the front of the student
textbook and available online at http://www.indianascience.org/web/K-8_Science_Standards.pdf Each indicator
is listed in the student book with the unit(s) and activity number(s) in which
the indicator is addressed. Most activities address multiple indicators, and
indicators are addressed multiple times in a unit or even over the course of
the school year. Below are the Core Standards and the approximate time frame in
which they will be addressed. There will be some overlap, with Standards 5 and
6 being year-long, and Standard 2 beginning in Quarter 1.
Quarter 1
Standard 5: The
Nature of Science
Students gain
scientific knowledge by observing the natural and constructed world, performing
and evaluating investigations, and communicating their findings.
Standard 6: The
Design Process
As citizens of
the constructed world, students will participate in the design process.
Students will learn to use materials and tools safely and employ the basic
principles of the engineering design process in order to find solutions to
problems.
Quarter 2
Standard 2:
Earth and Space Systems
Describe how
earth processes have shaped the topography of the earth and have made it
possible to measure geological time.
Quarter 3
Standard 3: Life
Science
Understand the
cellular structure of single-celled and multicellular organisms.
Standard 4: Science, Engineering and Technology
Design and
construct a device that converts energy from one form to another to perform
work.
Quarter 4
Standard 1:
Physical Science
Explain that
energy cannot be created or destroyed but instead can only be changed from one
form into another or transferred from place to place.
Describe and
investigate how forces between objects can act at a distance or by means of
direct contact between objects.
Field
Trips and Media
We
will take a field trip to the P-H-M DVT (Digital Video Theater) for connections
to Standard 3.
To
support and make connections with curriculum, we may view any of the following
in whole or in part:
Ice Age 4: Continental Drift, Robots, iRobot.
If you do not wish your child to see any of these, please let me know. I will
find an alternative for them.
Extra
Credit and Retakes
Retakes should be taken on assigned dates, at assigned times.
Please do not wait until the end of the quarter to decide you want to
retake something from weeks earlier.
Extra Credit is generally not provided at the end of a quarter.
Students have the opportunity to retake almost any quiz/test or fix any
assignment to earn back half credit.
Guidelines for Safety in SEPUP
Class
Before the Investigation
Listen
carefully to your teacher's instructions.
Use only those materials or
chemicals needed in the investigation.
Know location of emergency equipment such as fire extinguisher, fire blanket, eye wash station.
Tie back
or remove dangling items, such as jewelry, sleeves, bags, and long hair.
Let your teacher know if you
have any medical conditions that may affect your
ability to perform the lab such
as an allergy or injury.
During the
Investigation
Follow all
written and verbal instructions given by your teacher.
Don't eat,
drink, chew gum, or apply cosmetics in the lab area.
Wear safety
goggles for any investigation that uses chemicals.
Read all labels on chemical
bottles before using.
Keep all
containers closed when chemicals are not being used.
Do not
touch, taste, or smell any chemical unless your are instructed to do so by
teacher.
Only mix
chemicals as directed.
Don't engage
in horseplay in the lab area.
Report any accidents to your
teacher immediately.
Not sure
what to do? Ask!
After the Investigation
After the Investigation
Dispose of all materials as
instructed by your teacher.
Clean up your work area, wash
out trays, and replace bottles caps securely.
Return all
equipment to its proper place.
Wash your hands after every
experiment.
-----------------------------------------
Cut here and return or email your confirmation of the policies.
-----------------
7th Grade Science Syllabus
Signature Form
If you would
like to be contacted by me electronically, please email me with your name, your
child's name, grade, and science period (if you know it). stoth@phm.k12.in.us
We have read and
understand the 7th grade science syllabus, policies, and procedures and
guidelines for safety.
____________________________ __________________________
Student Name
Printed Due
date
____________________________ __________________________
____________________________
Parent Signature
Parents may also email in
lieu of a signature. Please include your child's name and class period. Thank
you.
I do not wish my child to
watch the following videos that were listed in the syllabus:
(List them here, please.)
