Syllabus
General Expectations
Mrs. Baker Specific Classroom Policies and Expectations
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:
1. Be Prompt. Come to class on-time and be seated. When the bell rings you must be beginning the warm-up.
2. Be Prepared. Bring your materials to class. No food unless you have been given specific permission. Drinks with tops are allowed. Know and follow all laboratory rules.
3. Be Present. Come to class mentally ready to learn. That means leaving other things that are distracting you behind. Cell phones need to be put away unless your instructor has directed you to use them for an instructional purpose. If you are using a phone it will be confiscated and returned at the end of class, the end of the day, or will be sent to Student Relations for your parent to pick up.
4. Be Polite and exercise respect at all times. This means for your teacher, your classmates, and yourself. Listen to others and wait for your turn to speak.
5. Participate! You MUST participate in class activities and labs. Ask questions, get involved in laboratory experiments, have fun!
CONSEQUENCES: Any behavior that is detrimental to the learning environment is unacceptable. Should you choose to interrupt your learning or that of others, the following action may be taken:
CELL PHONE POLICY: Cell phones need to be put away during class. You may occasionally be instructed to use them for an instructional purpose. If you are using a phone it will be confiscated and returned at the end of class, the end of the day, or will be sent to Student Relations for your parent to pick up.
IN-CLASS ANIMALS: Some animals may reside in the classroom and will be used to make connections with content. Examples include adaptations, ecological niches, heredity, and evolution. Animals are never to be handled without permission from the teacher. They are never to be taken out of the classroom. They should be handled gently at all times. Hands should be washed with soap and water after handling.
1. Be Prompt. Come to class on-time and be seated. When the bell rings you must be beginning the warm-up.
2. Be Prepared. Bring your materials to class. No food unless you have been given specific permission. Drinks with tops are allowed. Know and follow all laboratory rules.
3. Be Present. Come to class mentally ready to learn. That means leaving other things that are distracting you behind. Cell phones need to be put away unless your instructor has directed you to use them for an instructional purpose. If you are using a phone it will be confiscated and returned at the end of class, the end of the day, or will be sent to Student Relations for your parent to pick up.
4. Be Polite and exercise respect at all times. This means for your teacher, your classmates, and yourself. Listen to others and wait for your turn to speak.
5. Participate! You MUST participate in class activities and labs. Ask questions, get involved in laboratory experiments, have fun!
CONSEQUENCES: Any behavior that is detrimental to the learning environment is unacceptable. Should you choose to interrupt your learning or that of others, the following action may be taken:
- Verbal warning.
- Privately counsel student and/or call to parent
- Detention and/or call to parents for assistance in solving the problem.
- Referral to Student Relations for possible suspension/expulsion.
CELL PHONE POLICY: Cell phones need to be put away during class. You may occasionally be instructed to use them for an instructional purpose. If you are using a phone it will be confiscated and returned at the end of class, the end of the day, or will be sent to Student Relations for your parent to pick up.
IN-CLASS ANIMALS: Some animals may reside in the classroom and will be used to make connections with content. Examples include adaptations, ecological niches, heredity, and evolution. Animals are never to be handled without permission from the teacher. They are never to be taken out of the classroom. They should be handled gently at all times. Hands should be washed with soap and water after handling.
GRADING AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Assessments: Students will be assessed in a variety of ways. Tests will be given at the end of the unit, quizzes will be given during units. Students will have an opportunity to reassess on DCI tests, however, students will be required to demonstrate relearning before they are allowed to reassess. Quizzes cannot be retaken. Communication and Scientific Practices scores will be trended based on student performance for all tasks that are in the category.
Homework: Homework will usually be assigned at the beginning of the week. It will be collected at the end of the week with warm-ups. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to check what you missed.
Warm-ups & notes: Each day you will complete a short warm-up and may take in-class notes. These will be given points for participation and will count as a practice grade.
Laboratory activities: You will participate in lab activities for which you will complete a lab write-up including a hypothesis, data collection, observations, graphing and conclusion. Conclusion questions must be answered in COMPLETE sentence. You must follow all lab safety rules at all times. Inappropriate or unsafe behavior will result in detention or referral, as well as a parent call.
Late Work: In order to receive the best score possible and prompt feedback all work is expected to be turned in on time. Late work for assessments, labs and projects will not receive full credit.
Due to the nature of scientific labs complexity, supplies, and time frame alternative assignments may replace the original lab assignment.
Make-up Work and Missing Assignments:
Superintendent Policies 6280 Homework and 6281 Make-Up Work will be followed for this course. They state that it is the student’s responsibility to request and obtain missing work. When a student has an excused absence, the student has the same number of days they were absent plus one day to make up assignments.
Students may be required to take a missed test immediately upon return from an authorized absence if that student has had the opportunity to access all learning prior to the absence. Students missing a group or individual presentation will be required to give that presentation upon return. In Disciplinary Core Content, a retake opportunity will be available after each unit exam. Once exams have been handed back, students have two access periods to complete a retake. In order for teachers to have the appropriate materials available, students must make an appointment with their teacher at least 1 day prior to completing the retake.
In Biology for Scientific Engineering Practices and Communication, a minimum of 2 opportunities each semester will be given. As scores are recorded the category grade will be trended.
Plagiarism/Cheating: Plagiarism means to present, as one’s own, the work, writing, words, ideas or computer information of someone else. These sources could be either published or unpublished. Cheating is supplying, receiving or using inappropriate devices to improve performance on a test or assessment. Students who engage in plagiarism or cheating will receive a missing score and will be disciplined according to the school discipline matrix.
Weekly Progress: Current grades are accessible through Infinite Campus. A link to Infinite Campus can be found on the Mountain Range website: http://www.mountainrange.adams12.org/
Types of Assessments:
Disciplinary Core Assessments: A disciplinary core assessments will be administered at the end of each unit (approximately every three to four weeks). This will measure all the content covered during that unit and can be retaken if the student follows the Retake Guidelines. Relearning and completion of missing work may be required. The format of assessment will vary from unit to unit, but can include selected response, constructed response and performance tasks. A cumulative semester exam will be given at the end of each semester. This semester exam will be weighted. A score of less than 40% on an exam will earn a M until a retake is completed.
Quizzes: Quizzes will be administered frequently during the course of each unit. The format of quizzes will vary, but can include selected response, constructed response and performance tasks.
Science Engineering Practices: Lab reports are a written record of the performance of an experiment, the results obtained, an analysis of those results and any conclusions that can be drawn. Students must follow the common lab report guidelines. When possible lab make-ups will be offered ONLY the access period immediately following the lab. Alternative assignments may be offered.
Communication Project: Unique projects that do not fall into one of the previously listed categories will be assigned periodically over the course of the year. These projects are generally constructed response or performance tasks. Some examples of projects include written reports, construction of models and class presentations.
Trending of Grades:
Disciplinary Core Content: This grade will be based on an average of unit exams and a weighted semester exam.
Communication and Science Engineering Practices: Grades will be trended throughout the course of the semester. These grades will be based on a minimum of 2 projects/lab activities. This insures that a student is receiving a grade which accurately assesses their skills at that time.
Practice: Many opportunities will also exist where students can practice these skills and receive a grade that will go into a separate Practice category. This grade will be based on an average of all practice.
Test/Quiz Re-take: In Biology for disciplinary core content assessments, a retake opportunity will be available after each unit assessment. Once exams have been handed back, students have two weeks to complete a retake. Only one retake will be allowed for each assessment. No retakes will be allowed on Final Exams.
In order for teachers to have the appropriate materials available, students must make an appointment with their teacher at least 1 day prior to completing the retake. For Scientific Engineering Practices and Communication, a minimum of 2 opportunities each semester will be given. As scores are recorded the category grade will be trended.
Student Help: There will be times this year when I cannot provide all the assistance you need during class because I am busy with direct instruction or other circumstances arise. Access time is the best opportunity for you to complete missing assessments and labs, or to get additional help. Please schedule an appointment at least one day in advance if you plan to come in for a test or lab. Please also use the study center, located in the Corral Room. If you want to meet on an off hours, you need to make an appointment at least one day in advance.
Assessments: Students will be assessed in a variety of ways. Tests will be given at the end of the unit, quizzes will be given during units. Students will have an opportunity to reassess on DCI tests, however, students will be required to demonstrate relearning before they are allowed to reassess. Quizzes cannot be retaken. Communication and Scientific Practices scores will be trended based on student performance for all tasks that are in the category.
Homework: Homework will usually be assigned at the beginning of the week. It will be collected at the end of the week with warm-ups. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to check what you missed.
Warm-ups & notes: Each day you will complete a short warm-up and may take in-class notes. These will be given points for participation and will count as a practice grade.
Laboratory activities: You will participate in lab activities for which you will complete a lab write-up including a hypothesis, data collection, observations, graphing and conclusion. Conclusion questions must be answered in COMPLETE sentence. You must follow all lab safety rules at all times. Inappropriate or unsafe behavior will result in detention or referral, as well as a parent call.
Late Work: In order to receive the best score possible and prompt feedback all work is expected to be turned in on time. Late work for assessments, labs and projects will not receive full credit.
Due to the nature of scientific labs complexity, supplies, and time frame alternative assignments may replace the original lab assignment.
Make-up Work and Missing Assignments:
Superintendent Policies 6280 Homework and 6281 Make-Up Work will be followed for this course. They state that it is the student’s responsibility to request and obtain missing work. When a student has an excused absence, the student has the same number of days they were absent plus one day to make up assignments.
Students may be required to take a missed test immediately upon return from an authorized absence if that student has had the opportunity to access all learning prior to the absence. Students missing a group or individual presentation will be required to give that presentation upon return. In Disciplinary Core Content, a retake opportunity will be available after each unit exam. Once exams have been handed back, students have two access periods to complete a retake. In order for teachers to have the appropriate materials available, students must make an appointment with their teacher at least 1 day prior to completing the retake.
In Biology for Scientific Engineering Practices and Communication, a minimum of 2 opportunities each semester will be given. As scores are recorded the category grade will be trended.
Plagiarism/Cheating: Plagiarism means to present, as one’s own, the work, writing, words, ideas or computer information of someone else. These sources could be either published or unpublished. Cheating is supplying, receiving or using inappropriate devices to improve performance on a test or assessment. Students who engage in plagiarism or cheating will receive a missing score and will be disciplined according to the school discipline matrix.
Weekly Progress: Current grades are accessible through Infinite Campus. A link to Infinite Campus can be found on the Mountain Range website: http://www.mountainrange.adams12.org/
Types of Assessments:
Disciplinary Core Assessments: A disciplinary core assessments will be administered at the end of each unit (approximately every three to four weeks). This will measure all the content covered during that unit and can be retaken if the student follows the Retake Guidelines. Relearning and completion of missing work may be required. The format of assessment will vary from unit to unit, but can include selected response, constructed response and performance tasks. A cumulative semester exam will be given at the end of each semester. This semester exam will be weighted. A score of less than 40% on an exam will earn a M until a retake is completed.
Quizzes: Quizzes will be administered frequently during the course of each unit. The format of quizzes will vary, but can include selected response, constructed response and performance tasks.
Science Engineering Practices: Lab reports are a written record of the performance of an experiment, the results obtained, an analysis of those results and any conclusions that can be drawn. Students must follow the common lab report guidelines. When possible lab make-ups will be offered ONLY the access period immediately following the lab. Alternative assignments may be offered.
Communication Project: Unique projects that do not fall into one of the previously listed categories will be assigned periodically over the course of the year. These projects are generally constructed response or performance tasks. Some examples of projects include written reports, construction of models and class presentations.
Trending of Grades:
Disciplinary Core Content: This grade will be based on an average of unit exams and a weighted semester exam.
Communication and Science Engineering Practices: Grades will be trended throughout the course of the semester. These grades will be based on a minimum of 2 projects/lab activities. This insures that a student is receiving a grade which accurately assesses their skills at that time.
Practice: Many opportunities will also exist where students can practice these skills and receive a grade that will go into a separate Practice category. This grade will be based on an average of all practice.
Test/Quiz Re-take: In Biology for disciplinary core content assessments, a retake opportunity will be available after each unit assessment. Once exams have been handed back, students have two weeks to complete a retake. Only one retake will be allowed for each assessment. No retakes will be allowed on Final Exams.
In order for teachers to have the appropriate materials available, students must make an appointment with their teacher at least 1 day prior to completing the retake. For Scientific Engineering Practices and Communication, a minimum of 2 opportunities each semester will be given. As scores are recorded the category grade will be trended.
Student Help: There will be times this year when I cannot provide all the assistance you need during class because I am busy with direct instruction or other circumstances arise. Access time is the best opportunity for you to complete missing assessments and labs, or to get additional help. Please schedule an appointment at least one day in advance if you plan to come in for a test or lab. Please also use the study center, located in the Corral Room. If you want to meet on an off hours, you need to make an appointment at least one day in advance.