Course Outline



Earth Science 

School Year: 2010/2011

Course Outline and Student Expectations

Mrs. Tyner

Introduction:

Welcome to Earth Science!! This course is the standard physical science course at Escondido High and is designed to reinforce and expand on some of the concepts learned in middle school science. Earth Science deals with all the major forces and phenomena associated with this planet and the universe that surrounds it. Throughout the course, the impacts of those forces and phenomena on human lives and the future will be discussed. This course is designed to set the standard for other science courses while helping students gain new skills and knowledge.

Course Objectives:

• Understand the complexity of our planet and how phenomena are connected to each other • Gain an appreciation of how human activities affect on our planet

• Build skills in reading, comprehension, following directions, problem solving, and formulating valid conclusions

• Properly organize data and create useful graphs and charts

• Learn proper lab procedures and produce neat, organized, and complete lab reports

• Master course content, meet the lab requirements, and be successful on the CST Exam

Labs:

Labs are treated very seriously and will be collected, graded, and kept on file. Most labs require a written lab report. Guidelines for writing a proper lab report will be provided. It is essential that all students turn in all lab reports complete and on time. I have a uniform policy for labs not handed in during class on the due date:

• The student is asked to stay after school that day or the next day

• If the student fails to stay after school, a referral will be written and a grade of no higher than a 1 will be able to be earned.

Labs are a great way to boost class averages, break up class time, and give students “hands on” experiences. Hopefully this will encourage all students to reach the lab requirement.

Materials:

• ALL students must have a 3-ring binder with dividers and extra paper (college ruled is best). This binder will absorb all notes, journal activities, and course paperwork

• Everyone is expected to have pens, pencils, and paper...There is NO guarantee that these will be available to borrow!

• Colored pencils are optional but very helpful

• Calculators may be useful in the course! Cell Phones or MP3 devises will not be permitted to be used as a calaculator.

Textbook:

Attendance:

Consistent attendance is linked with improved grades! In science, each class is jam packed with learning activities and lab work... Students are responsible for missed work, which must be made up during their free time or after school. Any missed assignments due to absence are considered “excused” for one week and will become zeros after that time if not made up. Please refer to the Escondido High School Student Handbook for other attendance regulations.

Grading:

• Meeting the objectives mentioned earlier ensures a high grade.

• Everything Counts!! Understanding Earth Science requires practice! Therefore, brief class assignments and homework assignments are regular and will be graded.

• Small quizzes are usually given each week to see where everyone (including the teacher) stands while projects, and exams will be given as necessary.

• The penalty for lateness is an earned grade of a 2 for ALL assignments that come in completed.

• One of the most important parts of your grade is YOU! Being in class and participating is very important. Class participation and attendence is an easy grade!

• Notebooks are evaluated five times per quarter and will account for five points of the final quarter average (included in participation score).

• Class Work and Homework will be graded either as a percent (0 – 4 scale) or based on effort using the “check system”:

check+= 100%

check•= 90%

check= 80%

check-= 60%,

0 = 0

• Here is how final quarterly averages will be determined:

Exams & Projects................30% Class Work & Homework....20% Quizzes................................20% Participation.........................10% Labs.....................................20%

Re-take Policy:

In this course, there will be ample opportunities to improve grades. The most direct way to do this comes from raising Exam and Quiz scores. Homework and class work scores cannot be raised. The following conditions apply to making up Exams and Quizzes:

• Only one re-take of a test or quiz is allowed...students should re-study the material carefully before scheduling a re-take. • Students will receive an 80% if they score an 80% or better on the re-take • If a student does not score 80% or better on the re-take, the higher score counts. • Students scoring 80% or better on an original Exam or Quiz can re-take it and the two scores will be averaged. • Re-takes must be during a study hall or after school and will not be allowed during class or lab. • Re-takes are similar in style to original assignments, but not necessarily identical. • Exams and Quizzes for a given quarter can be made up until the deadline specified for that quarter (which will also be the deadline for all back work that quarter).

Participation Breakdown:

As stated earlier in this course outline, attendance and participation are important, and counts as 10% of the final quarterly average (10 points). “Participation” is a broad area and is broken down into two categories:

• 5%.........Notebooks checked each quarter for organization, completeness, and neatness

• 5%.........Attendance and Participation in classroom discussions (see below)

Each student will be evaluated for their attendance and participation in class discussions at the end of each quarter using the following criteria:

5: Student is engaged in class activity, thoughtfully asks/responds to relevant questions, and contributes to discussions regularly.

4: Student is engaged in class activity, shows effort in asking/responding to relevant questions, and contributes to discussions frequently.

3: Student is occasionally inattentive or not involved in class activity and asks/responds to relevant questions sporadically.

2: Student is frequently inattentive or not involved in class activity and makes little contribution to discussions.

1: Student is regularly inattentive /uninvolved and makes no contribution to discussions.

0: Student had poor attendance combined with little or no contribution to discussions.

These assigned scores are then added together for a total of up to 10%

Classroom Expectations:

• Escondido High School Student Handbook Rules apply.

• Please follow the routine of coming to class on time and prepared.

• Leave issues at the door...we need to focus without distractions.

• Respect each other...be courteous and polite...all students deserve to learn in a safe and comfortable environment

• ONE person talks at a time...raise a hand to ask/answer questions.

• Use low tone...CURSING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

• Bathroom policy: before and after class...plan around this class.

• Each student is to complete his or her own work unless it is a group activity.

• Writing is limited to class work and papers...NOT desks, lab tables, etc.

• Equipment is expensive and potentially dangerous...be sure to treat it appropriately. Textbooks are equipment!

• Respect teacher’s personal space and that of others, including desks and materials.

• Computer use is to be school/science related unless specified otherwise. Abuse of computer time will result in loss of that privilege.

• Attempt all work and all questions...Leaving blanks is not acceptable!

• Try to have fun while learning!

Following expectations is rewarded...not following hurts everyone. This class will be as fun and interesting as we can make it. Good Luck!!

Parents: If you would like to contact Mrs. Tyner for any reason, feel free to use one of the methods below. E-mail tends to be the most effective way to communicate.

By Phone:

• Call the Escondido High School and leave a message with one of the office staff.

• Messages will be responded to within 24 hours

By E-mail:

• Along with your message, include your name, your child’s name, and any other contact information.

• Send to: ctyner@euhsd.k12.ca.us 

• E-mail is checked several times daily, and responses will be within 24 hours.

• Student grades are updated weekly in most cases.

Students: If You Need Help, DO THIS:

Copy the question or questions into an e-mail and be sure to identify yourself.

Send to: ctyner@euhsd.k12.ca.us

I check e-mails frequently throughout the night and will assist you in reaching an answer to any appropriate question.

Office Hours:

Office hours are a great time to sit and chat or get help on material. Students and parents that would like to see Mrs. Tyner during office hours can make an appointment or just show up on a first-come, first-served basis.

Office hours for this school year are: 2:20 – 2:50 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Office Location: Room 302