Welcome to grade eight science class!

I would like to welcome you to grade eight science. Throughout the course of the year you will participate in many interesting and fun activites developed to increase your understanding of the world around you and to enhance your ability to employ the processes of science to solve problems. The expectations/guidlines found in this document are designed to aid you and your parent(s) in understanding classroom policies and to provided a general overview of the curriculum to be covered this year. Please review this webpage so that you, and your parent(s), will understand your responsibilities for this class.

Materials Needed for Science Class

(Bring the following items daily!)

• Science Textbook*.
• 3-hole, loose-leaf, Sci-Log (notebook) with notebook paper. 1 1⁄2” or 2” thickness is best.
• Calculator.
• Pencils, pens, and erasers. (I do not supply White-Out!)
• Highlighters. (2 different colors are best.)

All materials should be obtained by September 5th.

*Your textbook module will change throughout the school year depending on the unit of study (i.e. Force & Motion, Cells and Heredity, Astronomy, etc..)

 

Agenda planner and the Science Notebook (Called the Sci-Log.)

The Agenda planner and the science notebook are important components of the science classroom. These organizers provide you with a good way to communicate to your parents what you are doing in class and to keep track of your academic progress. It is your responsibility to fill in your Agenda on a daily basis.

Your science notebook should be of a “loose-leaf” type and dedicated only for science class. This notebook, called a Sci-Log, serves several purposes. It will be an activity guide as well as a place to record your classroom notes and your personal reflections. Cornell Notes (supplied by your instructor) will be utilized for classroom notetaking and journal entries. The Sci-Log will provide you with a complete timeline of activities and of your progress throughout the school year. All notes, reflections, performance tasks, lab reports, quizzes and tests are to be kept in sequence in your Sci-Log. You should purchase a 11⁄2” to 2” “loose-leaf” notebook. Do not try to incorporate your science notes/documents in a binder that you use for your other classes. You will most likely loose documents or run out of room in the notebook before the end of the first quarter. I recommend you keep your Sci-Log in reverse order, oldest assighment on the bottom, the latest on the top. When you open your Sci-Log the last thing you worked on should be on the top.

 

Upon Entering the Classroom Please:

At the beginning of class you will have a daily warm-up called “First Things First”, so when you enter the room please:

1. Sit down in your seat when you enter the room. No ‘wandering’, ‘milling about’, ‘loitering’, or lollygagging’ around the room before class begins.
2. Open you Sci-Log and turn to the previous days assignment.
3. Begin working on the engagement assignment (First Things First) on the PowerPoint presentation or as stated on the white board.
4. When the bell rings all conversation should stop and you should direct your attention to the instructor. The bell signals the lesson has offically begun.
5. Copy the homework assignment into your Agenda while your instructor reviews the days objectives and homework assignment. Remember, failure to use the Agenda is not an option!

General Classroom Rules

1. Conduct yourself with appropriate classroom decorum at all times. (‘Decorum’ means: dignity or correctness that is socially expected.) Behaviors associated with appropriate classroom deorum are not typically modeled or displayed in today’s ‘pop’ culture. Please review the following to be clear as to what is considered ‘appropriate classroom decorum’.

• While in class raise your hand and wait until you are ackowledged before you speak. (Refer to the descriptions for classroom hand signals.) I do not respond to those students who “want, what they want, when they want it.” (S. Freud.)
•Do not leave your seat without first receiving permission. It is common courtsey to ask permission before leaving your seat.
•Do not talk to your classmates during a directed lesson unless it is an integral component of the lesson. Do not interrupt anyone who is addressing the class. Also, at no time should anyone be talking “loudly’ or ’screaming’. (This also includes the hallways!)
•Show respect (both verbal and physical) for faculty members, visitors and your peers at all times. Mutual respect should be considered the ‘norm’ not the ‘exception’. Remember, respect is best earned by showing respect to others. Rude and inappropriate comments will not be tolerated.

2. Be on time for class! You are considered late if you are not in your seat when I ring the classroom bell. (Classroom Participation points will be lost unless you have a pass ‘in-hand’.) Also, if you are late to class (without a pass) twice during a ‘five day period’ a detention will be issued.

3. You cannot go to your locker (without ‘penalty’) once the class has started. (See section on Classroom Preparation.)

4. Stay on task! Before you graduate in June, you will be in my classroom for a total time period that is approximately equal to only 6.5 days, so stay on task! When working in groups, your conversations should only pertain to the assignment, not consist of social commentary.

5. You shoud be well behaved when visitors or substitue teachers are in the classroom. Substitues are required to leave me very detailed notes regarding the days activites, especially about student behaviors. You do not want your name on the ‘report’.

6. Please keep the tables and chairs neat and in place when you leave. It is not fair for the next student to sit in a mess that has been left by another student.

7. If you must use the lav facilities please do so before we begin class. (Note: ‘2:15 Rule’ — Grade eight students cannot leave their period H classes after 2:15 unless responding to a faculty request, called to the office for dismissal or called to the buses for sports teams. Be organized before you enter period H class!

8. Dismissal is by instructor only. Never stand near the door in anticipation of the class ending. (What I call “Lemming behavior”.) Students in period H class should remain in their seats until the buses are called. Never stand near the door!

9. No book bags or jackets are to be brought to the classroom. (The exception to this rule is period H class. Your belongings should be stored under the tables.)

10. No gum in the classroom! (Or anywhere else in the school!)

11. Observe all safety rules as discussed in the Brooklyn Middle School Science Classroom Safety Guidelines. (These guidlines will be reviewed in detail in class.)

12. Be considerate to any organisms in the classroom. Play ‘cat-toss’ at home under your parents supervision, not with the class organisms.

13. Touch equipment (or organisms) only with permission. “I’m only looking”, does not mean you have eyes on your fingers!” (Unless your a mutant!)

14. No whining — No excuses. As Yoda once said, “Either you do or you do not, there is no such thing as try.” (A quote from the Star Wars: Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back.) He was an insightful little dude.

15. Behavioral Checks: Students that do not abide by general classroom rules receive behavioral checks. If a student receives three checks during a class, a detention is issued.

Decorum in the Mini-Lab:

During the course of the year we will utilize the computers in the mini-labs. The mini-labs (white and blue) are designed for students to utilize technology in order to complete various assignments. This is not the time for socializing! Upon entering the mini-lab, all conversation is to cease. You will each sit at your designated computer. By the time you arrive at the mini-lab you have approximately 35 minutes of work time. Any conversation between students during that time is distracting and counter productive. Time on task is your highest priority. Therefore, unless directed to do so by your instructor or another adult, you are not to talk to each other once you have entered in the mini-lab. All questions (using a raised hand) should be directed to your instructor, Mrs. Stellitano, or Mrs. Corvello.

As in the classroom, if you are re-directed three times (behavioral checks) while in the mini-lab you will be assigned a detention and/or removed from the computer station. (This decorum rule also applies any time you are individually sent to the mini-lab from science class or study. Mrs. Stellitano and Mrs. Corvello are aware of this directive.)

Student Assessment:

Quarterly Grades

Grading is very simple. Each assessment (quizzes, tests, lab reports, performance tasks, homework and classroom preparation) is assigned a specific number of points. Your quarterly grade is determined by dividing he total number of points accumulated from your scores on assessments by the total possible points for all of the assessments. (Your yearly grade is determined by averaging your quarterly grades.)

Classroom Preparation

You are expected to come to each class, on time, with everything you need, and with your assignments completed to the best of your ability. Each day you should bring:

• Science Textbook*
• Sci-Log (notebook) with paper
• Calculator (basic opperations)
• Pencils, pens, and erasers (I do not supply White-Out!)
• Highlighters (2 different colors are best)

*Your textbook module will change throughout the school year depending on the unit of study (i.e. Force and Motion, Cells and Heredity, Astronomy.)

Classroom Preparation is worth a bonus of up to 100 points per quarter.

Up-side:

Since we will meet at least forty (40) times per quarter you may accumulate bonus points, up to 80 points (2 points per day), for the first three quarters. This is about equal to receiving a bonus 100 quiz grade. Classroom Preparation points will be added to your total points at the end of the quarter. (It could improve your grade by up to 3 points depending on your average!)

Down-side:

Each time you are late to class, leave the room to obtain materials you should have with you (assignments, notebooks, textbooks, pens/pencils, Agenda, etc.), do not record your assignments in your Agenda, do not complete your homework assignment, you loose 2 points for each infraction. This means your bonus points are reduced each time you do not meet the expectations for classroom preparation. When you have exhausted your bonus points, in any given quarter, your parent(s) will be notified because you are exhibiting behaviors that are impacting your classroom performance.

(NOTE: Classroom Preparation points are in addition to the points you have earned in assessments. You cannot have points earned through assessments removed from your totals.)

Types of Assessments:

Quizzes — Quizzes can / will occur almost daily. Always be ready for a quiz. They are not always announced. Quizzes relate to daily notes, homework, activites, and reading assignments. Most quizzes are worth 100 points.

Tests — Tests are always announced well in advance and required intense review. Tests are not just a summary of what we have done in the classroom. They will require you to apply what you have learned to new situations. Tests can be worth between 200 and 400 points.

Performance Tasks and Lab Reports — You will be required to perform many activities and projects. Point values for performance tasts and lab reports range from 25 to 250 points and are usually assessed by a scoring rubric. Scoring rubrics are most often provided as the assignment is given. Self-evaluations in the scoring rubrics must be completed. Self-evaluations enable you to gauge your performance and to edit your assignments before they are submitted.

Homework— Homework points are also earned for each assignment.

Homework Policy:

Homework is a nightly task. (This will include some weekends.) Each evening you should:

a. Complete any reading assignment.
b. Review the day’s Cornell Notes or
activity.
c. Complete the evening’s assignment.
d. Work on any long-term assignment.

You must hold yourself accountable for completing homework assighments. At this point in your life, do not expect your parents to be your “homework monitors”. In a few months you will be entering high school where there are no ‘second chances’. The skills and behaviors you exhibit this year are the same skills and behaviors you will exhibit in high school.

You will be required to submit a Failure to Complete Assignment Form for any unsubmitted performance tasks or lab reports. This form must be signed by a parent and submitted with the completed assignment for next class. A point penalty will be assessed to any late assignment. NO late assignments will be accepted during the 4th quarter.

No homework points can be earned for late assignments.

E-mail in your assignments: — You may E-mail any of your assignments to me at bejma@brooklynschools.org. be sure to send the assignment as an attachment. (If it is a Word document, be sure to end the file label with:.doc. This will tell my computer it is “Word” document. (Example: bejmahwk.doc) I read my mail in the morning before the start of school. (Be sure to check your mail server to determine if the e-mail did go through. It should notify you if it was not sent.)

Absence — YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for determining what you have missed due to absence. That includes reading assignments, homework, performance tasks, lab activities, daily notes, quizzes, and tests. If your name is on the board, you owe an important assessment. I will not chase you to makeup your missed assignments. There will be a Classroom Log on the front bench that will contain all handouts. It is set up just like what your Sci-Log should look like. When absent, check my website and/or the Classroom Log to see what you missed.

If you are going to be out for an extended period of time (i.e. vacation), do not expect to have all of the assignments or homework given to you before you leave. You will receive only a portion of what you will miss and will have to ‘make-up’ the remaining assignments and activities when you return.

Extra-Help — Please see me for assistance anytime you are having trouble or have a question. This does not mean you can walk into the classroom and state, “I didn’t understand the assignment so I didn’t do it. Will you help me now?” My first response would be, “Did you call a friend or classmate last night to help you with your assignment?” or, “Who did you ask in TAG this morning for assistance?” or, “Why didn’t you come see me in TAG this morning so I could assist you?” Bottom line … ASK FOR ASSISTANCE!

I am available for assistance

a) most mornings from 7:40 till the end of TAG.
b) many lunch periods.
c) after-school, Monday — Thusday till 4:00 P.M. Never on Fridays!
(Be sure to check with me the day before you want to stay after- school in case I have any previous commitments.)

Parental Contact — If your parent(s) or guardian(s) have any questions or need to discuss any issue, the best way to contact me is through my school email at: bejma@brooklynschools.org. I read emails in the morning. If it is an emergency they can speak to me directly by calling 774-91 53 ext. *8255. I am usually in school by 7:15 A.M. on any given morning, and usually remain after schhool until 4:00 P.M., Monday — Thursday.

The ‘Comfy Chair’ — Each day a student in each class is selected to sit in the ‘comfy chair’. This is a soft adjustable faculty-style chair at a central desk area. The individual that sits at this chair is responsible for daily record keeping related to Classroom Preparation and behavior. This individual is also assists in passing out papers, controlling PowerPoint presentations, or any other “Gophor” missions needed that day. In other words, they are the ‘teaching-assistant’ for the day. The selection process is random, but all students will have the opportunity to sit in the ‘comfy chair’ at least once, most likely twice, each quarter.

I understand this was a significant amount of information to digest but I want to give you all of the guidelines so we can avoid confusion in the future.