7th Grade Science

Students will be tested over the physics assignments/ quizzes for the 2nd nine weeks. This test will also count as a retest/ redo grade for the following assignments if the test grade is higher:

An in-class project that we began on Thursday, November 6th. It will be due on Friday, December 12th (tentative). Notes are given for each of the six "chapters" that will be in this book over the human body systems. Students are to copy the notes which become the reading material for each of the "chapters." They are then given an outline of the body, and are to draw, label, and color certain features related to the particular body system being studied.

I want your student to be successfull in my class, but I don't feel it is my responsibility to inform you in advance of when the next assignment, quiz, or test will be in my class. If your child is not relaying that information to you, he/ she should keep an assignment book with that information in it. I write on the board the daily agenda, and when to expect tests and scheduled quizzes. If you'd like, I can initial/ sign next to what he/ she writes down to ensure that what he/ she has written down is accurate. It will be your child's responsibility to have me initial/ sign the agenda.

I have provided a manila folder for each student to keep his/ her hall passes, Class Information sheet, Science Lab Safety contract, Team Information sheet, and graded work in. The folder should be kept in the classroom, but the student may take it out of the room for study purposes (or should you be interested in seeing what's in it). It will be up to the student to bring it back to class daily. Each student is also to have some sort of composition/ spiral notebook (Journal) for science. Among other things, there are sections for notes (Resources) and vocabulary (Glossary). The Journal should be kept in the classroom, but again, the student may take the Journal home to study for quizzes and tests (or to show you). It also should be brought back to class daily. I will, from time to time, allow students to use the Journal on daily assignments, quizzes, and tests.

Students are given hall passes each nine weeks (usually 8 of them) to leave the room. It is at my discretion, however, if the child leaves the room. Many students come to class unprepared, and often have to go their lockers to find the work that's due. Others want to go to the restroom or get a drink of water as soon as the tardy bell rings because they didn't want to be tardy to class. While I appreciate them wanting to get to class on time, no student will be allowed to leave the room for at least the first ten minutes of class, and they won't be able to leave while I'm teaching. I have provided each student with a manila folder that is to be kept in the classroom. It is in this folder that the hall passes are to be kept.

Should a student use all of his/ her hall passes, and he/ she "needs" to go to the restroom, locker, etc., the student will be assigned "lines" to write. The student agrees to this before leaving the classroom. The student then takes the "lines" form home for a parent signature.

Since so many students are just not paying attention in class, and/or they are not studying their notes and vocabulary on a daily basis, I may begin giving daily pop quizzes to ensure they are studying and paying attention.

I will, from time to time, offer retests and corrections on tests, quizzes, and daily work, and labs; however, as a general rule, I do not allow retests and corrections. I have found, after 18 years in the junior high classroom, that students just don't study for tests and quizzes and they don't take their time on daily assignments and labs. They will readily admit to me that they just don't study. The attitude is "hurry up and get it done" instead of "take my time and do it right the first time."