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10/03/08 The NEXT TEST will cover chapters 4 and 5 ("Unit 2")and will be given in
class 10/15/08. If you know ahead of time you will be absent, you must
plan to take the test prior to your absence. The last date
for test retakes will be 10/17/08- no exceptions! Retakes
are a privelege for those who take the test at its scheduled
time. Retakes will not be permitted for make-up tests beyond 10/17!
09/28/2008 IF I DON'T HAVE ONLINE GRADES FOR YOU...
...then it seems you registered on the website but didn't do the second step
(described in the summer packet): enroll in the online
class. Don't worry, it's easy!
Go to: www.envscience.com and click on your book cover
Log In
Click "Join A Class" in to top right area of the screen.
When asked for the class code or something similar, enter cm666541
Click Next
Verify that my information is listed as the Instructor.
You should be finished now- you can click to enter the site and work on things if you wish. You
do NOT need to redo any assignments!
Everything you've done will now show up in my online gradebook. You just weren't linked to it
until now.
09/10/2008 FOR STUDENTS HAVING TROUBLE REGISTERING AT THE WEBSITE
If you have already registered for the textbook companion site, you can delete this email-
do NOT register again!
For the handful of you that came to me about not being able to register, I have a new access
code you can use. The instructions remain the
same, just use this code instead of the previously issued one. SSNAST-TRAIL-HAVEL-MANNA-TOPAZ-
ESEBO
Of course, let me know if you have any other trouble- send me an e-mail if you can.
Mrs. Back jback@sbo.hampton.k12.va.us
09/04/2008
I didn't expect to make this change but I've found a couple of guidance counselors did not
give accurate information regarding the summer assignment, and not all contracts were properly
administered. We also have a few students joining us this first week- which usually does not
happen in AP Environmental. To save some time and risk of confusion on my part, I'm going to
just let EVERYONE have through the weekend to complete the summer work and will probably make
that the standard due "date" for future years (in case you have friends considering it for next
year). I don't even have everyone's e-mail here with me so if you happen upon this note and can
alert others in the class, please pass it on. If you've finished the scrapbook, don't hate
me...you'll have a less stressful weekend. :)
Mrs. Back
08/30/08 NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
A couple of students asked for clarification about the dates for newspaper articles. They
do NOT have to be spread out over the whole summer, exactly one per week. My word choice was
poor...I intended it to indicate an average of one per week, but there were typically 3-4
articles you could use in every paper this summer so you could easily have gotten them quickly.
Hopefully most of you realized what I meant when you read the summer packet, which indicated if
you waited until the last minute you would end up with the same articles as everyone else who
waited until the last minute, and lose some points on originality. It's great to have a few
articles that are stretching the limits a little bit...look at the course topic list carefully
and see what you can make fit!
08/26/2008 ONLINE QUIZZES
You CAN retake the online quizzes and improve your score- this is not cheating unless you
aren't the one answering the questions. The quiz will be locked out once the due date has
passed, but up to that point you can take a quiz repeatedly to your heart's content. Sooooo...I
really don't expect to see anything less than 100 on these most of the time. We don't have
many "gimme" grades in AP, but in a sense, this is one. Take it! I'll try to remember to
mention this the first day of class as well, but if you read this tell your classmates...
08/04/2008
AP EXAM 2008 SCORES ARE IN!
There are a few statistics still trickling in, but already the APES class of 07-08 SET A
RECORD for KHS with at least 52% passing the AP Exam! If any of you guys are checking in for
some reason, congratulations...there's a letter from me on its way to you this coming week. I
am immensely proud of your effort, and it paid off. I don't have global scores yet but the
nature of the exam is that roughly 1/2 pass it globally; we should be at or slightly above the
global average this year.
Those of you reading this who are about to begin APES with me this fall will understand the
magnitude of this pass rate as we talk about the exam in a few weeks (gasp! It's August
already!) We begin 3 weeks later than many schools and some schools offer the course double-
blocked, so we have a little disadvantage there. Hampton City Schools also encourages ALL
students to venture into AP courses instead of only the highest ranking academic students- and
that's how it should be, because anyone can pass the AP Exam who wants to. I'm not kidding.
I'm here to help you succeed; earn those college credits now and you can save some money, or
make room in your schedule for a good basket-weaving class. ;)
Congrats again, APES '08- I'm proud of you!!!
Mrs. Back
06/16/08
UPDATE TO WEBSITE ACCESS
Thank you to Nicolette for contacting me about the issue with our access code. For some
reason, the site on your summer packet is not always accepting the new code. I tested the
following and was able to register so please let me know if you are still unable to do so.
1. Register at http://www.phschool.com/access/index.html (THIS IS A DIFFERENT SITE)
2. Click on "Covered Titles," then click on your title from the list (Withgott/Brennan, 2e)
3. Choose Student Registration; if it asks if you have a Pearson account, click "NO"
4. Click I Accept at the bottom of the License Agreement page. Enter the registration access
code below:
Student:
SSNAST-ABOIL-HOYLE-FURAN-SPEIR-LEGES
5. Provide your school zip code (23669)and country
6. Next page, complete your Personal Information and School Information
7. Create your Username, Password and Security Question
Once you have completed the registration process, you will receive a confirmation email that
includes a link to the website where you can log in using the username and password you created.
WELCOME to all of you who plan to join A.P.E.S. for the 2008-2009 school year!
I get rather attached to my "APES" classes and am very sad to see this year's class end. At the
same time, I've briefly met several of you for next year's course and I am excited already!
***If you haven't received a summer packet or you lose yours, it will soon be uploaded
to the FILES section of this website. Bookmark this site, and save my e-mail address somewhere!
***NEW ACCESS CODES are in place for the textbook companion site. Our class code
remains the same, but your student registration access code is:
SSNAST-ABOIL-HOYLE-FURAN-SPEIR-LEGES
***The supply list is basically complete if you find good deals and want to shop early.
***You may want to check this site periodically for updates. I will NOT post anything
urgent here over the summer, but it never hurts to get comfortable with how to
find things here before class even begins.
SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS are not difficult, but it is very important that you complete them in a
timely manner. The first two chapters of the textbook are probably what most students would
call the most boring chapters, but we can't skip them. Part I of your textbook will lay the
framework for all the other chapters, and we do cover the whole book.
Read to learn the material before school starts so we can recap and move on. We will begin
class from Day 1 and additional assignments will be given the first week with the goal of
completing chapter 3 by the following Monday, so although I do not believe in "piling it on"
just so we can call it AP, it is only fair to warn you in advance that the pace of this course
is very fast; averaging just 3-4 blocks per chapter. If you make it a habit to consistently
complete work on time and read with comprehension in mind, it will be a breeze and you'll have a
blast! You will be doing more field and lab work this year than previous years, assuming we can
stay on pace with the reading independently.
I hope you are as enthusiastic about A.P. Environmental Science as I am. Please don't hesitate
to contact me now or later with questions, concerns, even fears. I'm here to help you succeed.
See you in September!
Mrs. Back
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