Contact Information:
Phone #: 486-4860, ext. 2203
Email: eprice@acsdny.org
My TeacherWeb site has a calendar with daily assignments:
http://teacherweb.com/NY/Arlington/MsPrice
Course Objectives:
« To explore the nature of science and current scientific understandings in Earth Science.
« To build science inquiry skills, problem-solving skills, confidence as a learner, and academic independence.
« To address all content required by New York State curriculum.
« To discover why Earth Science is important and how it affects your life.
Materials Required for Class:
« 3-Ring Binder (for Earth Science only or with designated section) with loose-leaf paper
« Folder (for Earth Science only)
« Pen and pencil
« Calculator (simple 4-function is fine)
General Overview of the Course:
This is a one-year Regents Earth Science course, including units about science and density, astronomy, mapping, energy, weather, plate tectonics, rocks & minerals, weathering & erosion, and geologic history. The Earth Science Regents Exam serves as the final exam in June. In order to take the Regents exam, each student must have at least 1200 minutes of successful lab time on file. Any student who fails to meet the lab requirement will not be allowed to take the Regents exam and will not earn course credit.
Classroom Rules:
- Respect others.
- No food, hats, headphones, or cell phones.
- No cursing, offensive language, or put-downs.
Extra Help:
I am available for extra help after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays in room 1327 from 2:20pm – 3:00pm. Appointments can be made for other times.
Tardiness:
As per school policy, arriving late for class unexcused for the 3rd time will result in an office referral and detention.
Attendance:
Due to the nature of this course and the fact that laboratories are especially difficult to make-up, attendance in class is very important. All make-up work must be completed within 1 week of the student’s return to school. Labs must be made up after school. Students who are absent for a quiz/test (but were present for all instruction and know about the test) will be expected to take the test the day they return. If you missed notes, borrow the “class notes binder” from my desk and copy the notes into your notebook.
Grading:
Grades are based on a total point system with weights for each category (see below). Each marking period counts 20% of the final average. The Regents Exam makes up the last 20% of the overall average for the course.
« Quizzes and tests will compose 50% of each marking period grade. Any test with a failing grade will need to be signed by a parent the day I pass it back, otherwise I will notify parents of the poor grade. I will offer one extra credit assignment each marking period that can help this portion of your grade.
« Laboratories will make up 30% of each marking period grade. Students are expected to complete every lab with a passing grade. Each student must earn 1200 lab minutes in order to qualify to take the Regents Exam. The lab must receive a passing grade (65% or more) in order to accumulate those minutes. Each student will be provided with a lab folder in the classroom and all labs must be stored in the folder. Laboratories will be accepted up to 3 school-days late with the penalty that your maximum possible grade will decrease by 10% each day.
· Lab Corrections and Make-up: Any unsatisfactory lab (<65% correct) will be marked “Re-do” and returned to the student. The student can stay after school for help to correct the lab. After fixing the lab satisfactorily, the lab minutes will be earned and the grade will be raised to a maximum of 65%. Labs must be completed within the same marking period. If a student is missing any labs from a marking period, the report card grade will state “incomplete” until the labs are completed.
« Class work and participation will make up 10% of each marking period grade. Components include daily bellwork, in-class assignments, note-taking, participation and effort.
« Homework will compose 10% of each marking period grade. I will provide students with a biweekly assignment calendar that lists all homework and test dates. This information is also on my TeacherWeb site. Short homework tasks will be assigned most days to help reinforce the content covered in class. Homework is not accepted late. However, there will be optional “bonus” homework opportunities (usually over the weekend) that help earn extra homework points.