August 2007 Dear Parents and Guardians: I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to my 9 th grade “Essential Elements of Science” class. I am looking forward to this new year and working with some of Mesa‛s finest young people. Attached you will find very important information regarding lab safety and a copy of the specific classroom guidelines your child received. This class is a full year course that will include the study of various areas of science and how they are interrelated, but will have a main focus on basic chemistry and physics concepts. Your child will learn and use general laboratory skills for scientific investigations and problem solving, as individuals and as teams. It is an excellent preparation for future science courses. This course counts as a science credit toward high school graduation for both a regular and a scholastic diploma. Additionally, the State Board of Regents has approved this course to qualify as one of three science credits required for entrance into the Arizona universities. The following are a few suggestions that will help you monitor your child‛s progress: 1. All Stapley science students are given a monthly calendar and are expected to carry it everyday to class. Your child is to write down the assignment for each day. The calendar can be a valuable organizational tool and can serve as a means by which you, as parents, can monitor your child‛s work. The calendar is also available on the class website. 2. Before each unit test, your child should bring home his/her science notebook. In it, should be all assignments for the unit. All assignments should be studied for the unit tests. After the test, it is highly recommended that students keep their assignments to study for the midterm and end of year final exam. The midterm and final are cumulative. 3. Please encourage your child to have assignments in on time. They lose valuable points when assignments are not completed on time. To receive full credit, it must be turned in on time, completely finished using complete sentences, and in pencil. No late work will be accepted! If an assignment is not turned in on the due date, they CANNOT receive credit! If your child is going to be absent, the assignment must be turned in before or on the due date. 4. If your child must be absent, please encourage them to make arrangements to make up their missed work on the day they return. Lab make-up days will be on Tuesday and Thursday mornings before school. Daily assignments and worksheets are posted in the classroom and on the internet and are available to all students. 5. Attached you will find the classroom guidelines. Please review these with your child and have him/her return the signed portion. Grading Procedures In Essential Elements of Science, grades will be broken down in the following manner: Category Weight Tests, quizzes, writing assignments, and projects 50% Homework and in—class assignments 50% Some assignments will be graded for correct answers, while others will be graded for completion. Completion is defined as completing each question with a complete sentence in pencil, unless otherwise indicated. In an effort to help strengthen your child‛s writing skills and prepare them for the AIMS and other tests they will be taking, they will be required to use complete sentences on every assignment in Essential Elements of Science. In the second quarter and the second half of the third quarter, your child will be required to write a persuasive essay relating to the course. Throughout the course of the year we may watch the films listed below. By signing the form you give permission for your child to watch any of these movies. If you have an objection to one of the films, please note it on the detached, signed portion. Apollo 13 (PG) 2001 Space Odyssey (NR) October Sky (PG) The Absent-Minded Professor (1961, NR) IQ (PG) Star Wars (PG) Cars the Movie (G) Madame Curie (NR) If you have any concerns throughout the year, the best way to reach me is through email at clewis@mpsaz.org, please put your child‛s name in the subject line. You may also call me at 472- 2767. Supportive parents and guardians play an important role in the educational success of their children. I believe our team effort can only result in ensuring that your child‛s classroom is one where maximum learning takes place in a positive, pleasant environment. I hope your child will enjoy learning more about science this year and that this class will be a very rewarding experience. Sincerely, Courtney Lewis Classroom Guidelines Ms. Lewis Please read these procedures very carefully. It is important that you keep them in your science notebook. When in doubt, please refer to this list and review. 1. NEED TO TALK TO ME? If you need to talk to me about something, please do so either before the bell rings, at the end of class, before school or after school. You may also contact me through email or on the phone. 2. TARDIES: Promptness is important. Be in your seat when the bell begins to ring. Immediately fill in your calendar. Do what you need to do to feel comfortable and ready to work before the bell rings (bathroom, drink of water, sharpen pencils, makeup, talk to me etc.) When the bell rings, it's time to begin working, not get ready to work. 3. MATERIALS: Bring all materials to class each day: paper, pencils, notebook, homework, calculator, and your brain. 4. BEHAVIOR: All school rules apply!! Students will not prevent me from teaching or other students from learning. This classroom is a place of learning, not for socializing. Treat other students and their property with RESPECT. Damaging property will not be tolerated. Writing on desks and equipment will result in an automatic detention. Inappropriate language will also result in an automatic detention. 5. LISTENING: We are here to learn. When I am talking, face me and listen quietly. Before speaking, asking or answering a question, please raise your hand and wait to be called on. 6. NEATNESS: Take pride in yourself, in our classroom and in your work. Neatness shows you care about yourself, your classmates, and your school. 7. DISMISSAL: The bell does not automatically dismiss you—I do!! Please have your lab station, table and the floor around you clean, and sit quietly for me to dismiss you. 8. CALENDARS: Filling in your calendar for science class, EVERY day is a part of your grade and will be checked each month. 9. ASSIGNMENT FORMAT: Assignments should be done neatly in pencil, using complete sentences, showing all work, and completely finished on time to receive full credit. Your name, period, and date should be in the upper right hand corner. 10. MAKE-UP WORK: When you return from any kind of an absence, it is your responsibility to make up any missed work (*including notes*). Always copy down the missed assignment(s) from a classmate‛s calendar or the calendar online and check the Absent Work Binder under your period for the work. Please write "ABSENT" under your homework heading. Turn in absent work in the absent tray. Make arrangements with me to make up any labs, quizzes or tests. (Labs can be made up on Tuesdays and Thursdays ONLY.) 11. EXTRA CREDIT: Extra credit may be earned on RARE occasions, but can not raise a grade more than 3 percent. Assignments are expected to be completed on time for full credit. 12. EXTRA HELP: I am here to help you!! Please make arrangements with me to receive extra help if you are struggling. Your success matters to me. 13. DETENTIONS: If you receive a detention, it is your responsibility to make arrangements with me to serve it. Detentions are for 30 minutes. After 3 days, any unserved detentions will be doubled. If the detention is not served within 3 days of being doubled, it will be referred to the office. 14. SUBSTITUTES: If and when there is a substitute present, you will show them RESPECT and PERFECT behavior. Names left will result in a one hour detention. 15. FIRE DRILLS: Please take all fire drills seriously. During a fire drill, quietly and quickly exit the room and meet me across the parking lot by the tennis court. Please line up quickly in two rows (female/male) for roll. NO EXCEPTIONS!! 16. FINISHING WORK EARLY: If you finish early, you may choose 1 of 2 options: · Sit Quietly and Read · Finish assignments from other classes quietly *unless given permission from teacher, socializing is not an option! 17. CELL PHONES/ELECTRONICS (iPODS): Cell phones and all electronics must be turned off and be out of sight. If I see them, hear them, or think you have them (this includes headphones), I will take them and give them to the office. 18. RESTROOM: You will have 2 passes per quarter to use the bathroom. They are meant to be used in emergencies only. Use the bathroom before or after class. You must turn in your pass at the time of use. 19. CHEATING: Cheating will not be tolerated! If you are caught cheating or helping someone cheat you will get an automatic zero for that assignment. Cheating is defined in the Stapley and MPS Student handbook as “Plagiarism or any other type of academic misconduct that enables a student to receive a grade or score that was not or would not have been earned legitimately.” In other words, work that you didn‛t do yourself, for example copying any portion from an assignment, test, or quiz. I care about your success and I hope you do too. Let's have a fantastic year!! "--------------------------------------------------- I have read the cover letter and classroom guidelines for Ms. Lewis‛s 9 th grade science course. __________________________ ______________________________ Student‛s Name (print) Parent/Guardian Signature Please order a personal pair of goggles for my child, which he/she will purchase from the bookstore for about $3.00 when they arrive. (This is optional. Classroom goggles are available, but must be shared.) ( ) YES ( ) NO . August 2007 Dear Parents and Guardians: I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to my 9 th grade “Essential Elements. science notebook. When in doubt, please refer to this list and review. 1. NEED TO TALK TO ME? If you need to talk to me about something, please do so either