EarthandPlanetaryScience

Semester1(Rm.K3)

Instructor:

Mrs.MeganSmith
Phone:(209)3519005(GoogleNumberCanTextorCall)
Email:msmitheducator@gmail.com(Thebest/mostefficientformofcontact)

CourseWebsite:http://lhsearthscience.weebly.com/Informationregardingtheclassandongoingactivities
andcurrenteventswillbepostedontheclasswebsite.

CourseDescription:WelcometoEarthSciencethestudyoftheworldaroundyou.Ourtopicswillinclude
Astronomy(studyofouterspace),Geology(studyofrocks,earthquakes,volcanoesandplatetectonics),
Meteorology(studyoftheatmosphere,climateandclimatechange),andOceanography(studyoftheoceans
andwatersystems).Thiscoursewillusehandsonexperimentation,activities,anddirectinstruction.Youwill
beenabledtolearnthehowandwhy,notjustthewhatofscience.IwillshowhowEarthScienceisrelevant
inyoureverydaylifeyoumustprovidethewillingnesstolearn.

StudentResponsibilitiesandExpectations:Youareexpectedtofollowallschoolanddistrictrulesand
policies.Thefollowingrulesarepostedintheclassroomandshouldbefollowedatalltimes.
Beontime
Beprepared(Allhomeworkcompletedandmaterialslistedbelow)
Berespectful(&haveapositiveattitudeforlearning!)
Besafe

CellphonesandElectronics:CellphonesandelectronicdevicesareencouragedtobeusedONLYfor
academicpurposesduringclasstime.Occasionally,Iwillverballystatethatyoumaywearheadphonesand
listentomusicsolongasthemusicisnotaudibletoothers.Ifcellphoneusagebecomesanissue,Iwill
confiscatethephonefortheclassperiod.Ifanyfurtherissuesarise,youwillbesenttoadministrationfor
disciplinaryactionsfollowingschoolpolicy.

TextbookandMaterials:ThetextbookweareusingforthisclassisEarthScience:Geology,the
Environment,andtheUniverse

bySummerKirkpatrick.PublishedbyGlencoeScience.Pleasemakesureto
coveryourtextbookandbringittoclasseveryday.

AdditionalmaterialsforSuccess

3ringbinder
Pen
Pencil
Highlighter
Calculator(mayuseyourphoneordevice)
CollegeRuleNotebook(Justforthisclass)

GradingScaleandDescription:

GradingScale

OverviewofCourseWork

90100%
A
Gradesarebasedonthefollowingcategories:
8089%
B
15%SelfdirectedLearning/Participation/Classwork
7079%
C
10%Midterm/Final
6069%
D
20%Assessments/Quizzes
059%
F
40%Labs/Activities/Projects
Gradeswith+/willalsobeassigned
15%Homework

Anystudentcaughtcheatingwillreceiveapermanentzerofortheassignmentandwillbereferredto
administrationfordisciplinaryaction.Therewillbenoexceptionsasyouareheretolearn.

CategoryBreakdown
SelfdirectedLearning/Participation/Classwork(15%)
Studentswillbeexpectedtotakenotesandcompleteinclassassignments.Theseassignmentswillbe
gradedandcheckedforcompletion.Mostnotesandassignmentsshouldbekepttogetherinabinderor
notebook.Othergradedtasksinthiscategorywillincludeyournotebook,warmups,exittickets,reflections,
andcompletionofthestudyskillscalendar.StudentswillalsobegradedonparticipationusingClassDojo.

Midterm/Final(10%)
Therewillbeacumulativefinalexamand/orprojectattheendofeachgradingperiod(Midtermin
Oct./Mar.andFinalExaminDec./May.).Theexamscouldincludemultiplechoicequestionsandshort
response/problems.

Assessments/Quizzes(20%)
Assessmentsareteststhatareusedtodeterminethestudentsmasteryoftheconceptstaughtinclass.
Assessmentsaregenerallygivenattheendofeachtopic.Atopiccanlastanywherefrom13weeks.Quizzes
can/willbegiventhroughoutthetopicasaformofcheckupinstudentprogressandlearning.
Studentswillbeallowedonechanceperquarter(2persemester)toretakeanassessment.Inorderto
dotheretake,thestudentmustcompleteaRequesttoRetestform.Thestudentmustthenattendatleastone
tutoringsessionafterschooltoreviewconceptsfromtheassessment.Thewholeprocess(includingtakingthe
retake)mustbedonewithin10schooldaysofthereleaseofthescores.

Labs/Activities/Projects(40%)
Wewillbeconductinglaboratoryexperimentsandactivitiesandprojectsthroughoutthecourse.
Specificinstructionsregardinglaboratorypolicies,howtowritelabreports,andgradingrubricswillbegivenat
alaterdate.Projectsthatrequireresearchoutsideoftheclassroomandapresentationtotheclassmaybe
assignedforthiscourse,andwillbeincludedaspartofthecategory.Moredetailsregardingprojectswillbe
providedatalaterdate.Studentsmayalsoreceiveagradeinhowwelltheyfollowlabproceduresandtreat

thelabequipment.Ifanyharmfulbehavioralissuesariseduringalaboractivity,thestudentwillreceivea
permanentzeroandwillbesenttoadministrationfordisciplinaryactions.

Homework(15%)
Homeworkwillbeassignedonaregularbasis.Studentsmaybeexpectedtocompleteresearchfora
projectoutsideofclassroomtimeandsubmitnotesforthatresearchforhomeworkcredit.Studentswillalsobe
encouragedtousetheirdevicestowatchvideosorsubmithomeworkinGoogleClassroom.Ifthestudentdoes
nothaveaccesstointernetathome,thestudentmustspeaktotheteacherafterclasstosetupanalternative.

LateWork:Lateworkwillbeaccepted,but10%ofthetotalpossiblescorewillbedeductedperdaylate.No
deductionofpointsiftheassignmentsaremissingduetoanexcusedabsence.

Attendance/AbsenceandTardyPolicy:Intheeventthatyoumissclass,youareresponsibleforobtaining
whatyoumissedbeforeorafterschool.Ifyouhaveanexcusedabsence,youareallowedthenumberof
missedclassesthatyouwereabsenttomakeupthework.Studentsthatmissanassessmentorexamdueto
anexcusedabsence,willbeallowed3schooldaystomakeupthetest.Makeupsshouldbedonebeforeor
afterschool.Unexcusedabsencesortruantsrevokethestudentsrighttomakeupatest.

PLEASECUTOFFANDRETURN
Signingbelowindicatesthatyou(thestudent)andtheparent/guardianhasreadandunderstoodclassroom
procedures,policies,andexpectationsasstatedintheabovecoursesyllabus.

_______________________________________
_________________________________________
StudentsName(Printed)
StudentsSignature

_______________________________________
_________________________________________
Parents/GuardiansName(Printed)
Parents/GuardiansSignature

_______________________________________
_________________________________________
Parentsphonenumber(&reachablehours)
***Parentsemailaddress

Aspartoftheclasswebsite,Idliketopostpicturesperiodicallyofactivities/labsstudentsareworkingonin
class.PleaseinitialbelowtogivepermissiontopostpicturesofyourstudentONLYonourclasswebsite.

_______
IgiveMrs.Smithpermissiontotakepicturesofmystudent______________________and
postthemonlinetotheclasswebsite.

_______
IdonotgiveMrs.Smithpermissiontotakepicturesofmystudent______________________
andpostthemonlinetotheclasswebsite.