Email Updates Science 2010-2011 – Vol. 5 – Number 1 – September 26, 2010
Greetings from Mr. Brewer,
You are receiving this email because either you are a student or the parent/guardian of a student in one of my Seventh Grade Science classes at Eckstein Middle School. This is the first edition of many update emails to follow. I will send regular updates about the class once a month throughout the semester. Please encourage other parents/guardians that you are in contact with to subscribe with for these updates by following the link: http://wp.me/pPBhk-G.
My apologies for the multiple posts in the last few days as I rationalize a few logistics regarding the first issue.
In this first mailing you will find:
1). The Scope of the Class
2). Grading Policies & Homework Expectations
3). I Missed an Assignment: How Do I Find Out About Past Assignments?
4). The Assignment Calendar, The Source and my Website.
5). Missing Assignments & Labs and Late Homework Policy.
6). Thanks for the Donations!
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1). The Scope of the Class
Life Science is another word for Biology, the study of life. We are going to stick close to the curriculum presented in these Kits: Diversity of Life, The Human Body, Our Genes, Our Selves, and Youth Take Heart. These are dynamic and exciting—they are all about inquiry science. “What is inquiry science?” you ask. It means we will be doing lots and lots of hands-on investigations and experiments. Roll your sleeves up and get ready to dissect, collect, draw, observe, design, test, document, hypothesize, and more.
We will first tackle the Diversity of Life and Our Genes, Our Selves kits. Get ready for DNA, cells and microscopic life. Did you know that if you added up the mass of every living thing on Earth that bacteria would be more than 50% of the total? Amazing since they are almost impossible to see even in a microscope! We will finish with a special project of your choosing, with presentations. More about this as the time approaches.
We will end the semester with the mysterious, the miraculous, the incredible Human Body & Youth Take Heart (which hopefully will not be as mysterious when we finish, but still miraculous and incredible). Do you know the importance of a system?
Assessment will be in the form of:
Your teacher’s observations while you work in class.
Peer Assessment
Your science notebook (writing, reading, drawing, calculation)
Participation and discussion
Homework & Terrarium/Aquarium & Typed Formal Lab
Quizzes (closed book) & Tests (open book)
Regular Challenges
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2). Grading Policies & Homework Expectations
Grading I beleive that the fundamental component of education is understanding, but, above all, understanding the means to learn is more important in the end than the facts needed to simply pass an exam. Grading combines knowledge from social sciences, environmental studies, science, technology, and the arts allows individuals with a variety of learning styles and intelligences to succeed in an experiential educational setting. It is important to provide a learning environment that enables the achievement of all six facets of understanding (explanation, interpretation, application, perspective, empathy, self-knowledge) throughout the learning process with clear intention of desired goals and standards.
All assignments, papers and exams will be graded using the following criteria.
• Journal/Participation: 10%
• Tests/ Quizzes: 30%
• Assignments/Homework 10%
• Labs & Projects 50%
• Exceeding Standard (ES) – I got it & I can teach it!
• Meeting Standard (MS) – I got it!
• Approaching Standard (AS) – I get it but not clear!
• Below/Not-Meeting Standard (NS) – I don’t get it or effort is not accurate and/or comprehensible!
• No Effort Attempted/Did Not Start (DNS)
According to School District Policy, students must meet the minimum requirements of a Letter “D” grade to pass the class.
NOTE: Standards based grading does not necessarily correlate with a 100-pt. (A-E) grading system, therefore please be aware that the actual grade may be reflected differently than is available and/or displayed on the Source webpage. The following table attempts to equitably distinguish between the five grades and correlate to the standards-based approach. Thanks for your understanding. Please see my website for information: http://mrbrewer.org/Pages/expectations.php#g.
Homework is assigned to complete many of the projects that we begin in class. Homework usually consists of a short written assignment to review the day’s lesson and short readings or handouts to read and prepare for the following day. Homework is assigned toward the end of the class period and we begin the assignment together. Homework is due the following day unless otherwise indicated. Students are expected to record the assignment in their planner and ask any questions regarding the assignment.
As you work on your assignments please consider the following:
q Neatness counts: pencil is preferred for written assignments, because we all make mistakes. Journals are stamped daily.
q It is important that you do your best on every assignment. If you do not understand get help. See Getting Extra Help.
q LATE WORK IS ACCEPTED FOR CREDIT (C Work)! any day after the day that the work is to be turned in!
q WORK WITHOUT A NAME OR PARTIALLY COMPLETED WORK IS CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE (D Work) even if turned in on time.
q WORK MISSED BECAUSE OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCES OR WORK NEVER TURNED IN WILL COUNT AS MISSING (E Work).
q Late work due to an excused absence or extension can be turned in for full credit under the following conditions:
q Extensions on any assignment will be granted only if asked in person or email one (1) day prior to the day to be turned in!
q Short-term assignments given out in your absence can be turned in late based on the number of days missed (for example if you were home sick for 3 days, a short- term homework assignment can be turned in 3 days after you return for full credit.
q Long-term assignments will have the same due date as the rest of the class unless unusual circumstances arise and an agreement is arranged with me AHEAD OF TIME.
q A test missed due to an excused absence must be made up in a timely manner- usually within a few days of returning.
Lab/Field activities must be made up within one week of your return. One day a week (Tues. or Thurs.), lab make- ups will be held during advisory/SH. If you miss the make-up day, you can no longer get credit for the lab and the lab will count as missing. Note: a few labs require perishable materials and cannot be made up.
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3). I Missed an Assignment: How Do I Find Out About Past Assignments?
All Assignments will be posted both on my website: http://mrbrewer.org/Pages/science7.php and the class calendar: http://mrbrewer.org/Pages/calendarSCI7.php — please use the links to subscribe to receive daily reminders.
A Master copy of all assignments completed in the Science Journal is available in the classroom at all times. Students may access this Journal during study hall and/or after school. This is the first place to check if you are absent.
You may find out if you are missing an assignment by checking your grade on the on The Source https://source.seattleschools.org.
I generally update my website every weekend; you can expect assignment for two week intervals to be available at all times. At times, however, I may need to amend the assignments that are posted with what is given in class depending, mostly, on student learning, comprehension and understanding. When in doubt, please email me and ask what the assignment is.
If you have any questions please be sure to email me for clarification.
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4). The Assignment Calendar, The Source and my Website.
As grades are posted on the source, if ever you notice a mistake in your grade, please bring these to my attention and I will respond appropriately. Either I have mistakenly entered the students grade in the computer while transcribing from my written grade book or there is a mistake on the computer version regarding total points. Additionally, if I have listed an assignment as “missing” and you know that you (the student) know that you have turned it in and received a score, show me the evidence and I will correct your score accordingly.
On The Source Class Page you will find links to the following pages on my Website:
- my home page, which includes some information about me (by clicking on “About” in the menu bar);
- the class assignment calendar, provided by Google Calendars — please use the links to subscribe to receive daily reminders. Also please respond with any feedback about the daily reminders, etc.; http://mrbrewer.org/Pages/calendarSCI7.php
- the class webpage, which includes information about assignments, class notes, and archives of email updates.
Please visit my webpage, http://mrbrewer.org, for more information about class information, assignments, readings, and me.
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5). Missing Assignments & Labs and Late Homework Policy.
First and foremost, it is important that all assignments are turned on the day that they are due, otherwise credit cannot be earned.
Assignments that are completed in the Science Journal are not considered late until all ten assignments have been completed, which allows students to make up work that they may have missed and/or been unable to complete in class. Because the Science Journals are kept in class, it is the students responsibility to complete this work during study hall or after school. I may occasionally issue a pass for this purpose, but a good student will advocate for themselves and responsibly complete the work.
Missing Labs that are completed in class will require at least one day after school to make up the lab. Most likely this will be on a Tuesday because I also coach JV soccer on Monday and Thursday; later in the semester there will be more options. Please plan this into your schedule as you make arrangements to miss school and make up work. For your information, most teachers will require this time to make up work, as we cannot usually get this done in class time as we move forward and because homeroom is too short to complete, especially, a science lab (let alone get started). Thanks for your understanding regarding this time.
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6). Thanks for the Donations!
Thank you for your generous Lab Fee donations to the Science Department. Your support will allow us to provide the best resources and opportunities that we can. If you wish to donate in the future, please make checks payable to “Eckstein Middle School.”
