Course Syllabus

9th GRADE EARTH SYSTEMS

Course Disclosure and Class Description

 

Mrs. Pandoff                                                                                                                                     Room 2114

tpandoff@dsdmail.net

Phone: 801-402-4700

 

Classroom Mission Statement:

 

Integrity matters! When you are in my classroom, it is important that you treat everyone with respect and you are responsible for yourself. As your teacher, it is my responsibility to treat you with courtesy, fairness, and respect. I expect that you will treat me with the same courtesy, fairness, and respect. I expect each of you to come to class each and every day prepared and ready to learn. I will strive to make your experience in this class fun and challenging. I welcome everyone to a fun year learning about science!

 

Course Content:

 

Students will explore the interactions and relationships between the Earth’s systems.

 

Earth systems topics that will be studied this year include:

• Atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere
• Oceanography, properties of water, and water resources
• Astronomy
• Energy flow and cycles of matter

 

 

 Course Goals:

Students will value and understand that science is a process and a way of obtaining knowledge.

Students will learn to apply what they have learned in class to real world situations and enjoy what they are learning in the process.

 

Digital Curriculum and Coursework

 

Whenever possible, digital copies of coursework and handouts will be provided for students on CANVAS. This will provide a way for students to know has happened in the classroom if they are absent or need to miss a day. All assignments will be submitted to me through Canvas in a digital format. I-pad’s are available for students to take picture of handouts to submit their lab reports and journal work.

Canvas Calendar will be updated with due dates regularly.

 Academic Grading:

 In accordance with district policy, and school grading standards, student’s performance will be based on a standards based grading model. Students will be graded on their ability to show proficiency in the standard that is currently being taught. This will be accomplished through assignments, labs, quizzes, and tests. The grades will be weighted as follows:

 

 

Labs, Quizzes, and Test	75%
Assignments	25%

Students should expect to have quizzes given approximately once every 2 weeks with larger common assessments given 2-3 times per term.

Letter Grade Breakdown

A	100%--94%	C+	79%--77%		F	Below 60%
A-	93%--90%	C	76%--74%
		C-	73%--70%
B+	89%--87%	D+	69%--67%
B	86%--84%	D	66%--64%
B-	83%--80%	D-	63%--60%

 

 

Materials Needed:

 

The following materials need to be brought with you to class every day.

 

• Lined paper
• Pencil (NO PENS)
• Three ring binder/folder to keep your papers organized
• Colored pencils

 

Textbook:

 

Textbooks will not be issued to students; instead we will use a classroom set of books. If a student needs a textbook outside of class, for any reason, they will need to check-out a textbook from the library, or access the textbook online.           

 

 

Citizenship Grading:

 

Student will be given 5 participation points per day when they come to class. They will lose points if they come to class unprepared, are making poor choices, or if they are not participating in class. At the end of the term their points will be averaged to determine what their citizenship grade will be for the term. The exception to this is if they have a lab violation, or has had serious behavior problems in the classroom that could override the citizenship grading system. The grade breakdown will be as follows:

 

H

5 - 4.5

G

4.49 – 4.00

S

3.99 – 3.00

N

2.99 -  2.00

U

1.99 & below

 

Expected Classroom Behaviors:

 

• You are expected to take responsibility for your own actions and learning in this class.
• Respect yourself and others
• Be honest
• NO CELL PHONES—cell phone use will drastically reduce citizenship grades (unless directed by the instructor for educational purposes)
• NO BACKPACKS- Due to lab safety rules, students must keep their backpacks in their lockers.

 

Tardiness:

 

You are required to be in your seat before the bell quits ringing, if you are not, you will be marked tardy. Being tardy 3 times will result in an “N”. Being tardy 4 times will result in a “U” and a referral to the office.

 

 

 

 

Attendance:

 

 Three or more absences that are not cleared through the office will result in an automatic “U”.

 

Attendance is crucial for a student’s success in this class.

 

Absent/Late work:

 

It is your responsibility to get any work missed, due to an absence, immediately upon returning to class. You will be given a reasonable amount of time to make up the work. Alternate assignments may be substituted for missed labs and activities. Late work is strongly discouraged, but will be accepted after the due date. If the assignment is turned in late and is within a week of the due date you will receive a 25% deduction off your score, if your assignment is two weeks late you will receive a 50% deduction, if your assignment is more than three weeks lake your will receive a 75% deduction.

 

Extra Credit:

 

Extra credit will rarely be offered, so it is important to turn in all of your assignments on-time. Students that have completed all assignments, and are still concerned with their grade, can ask me for extra credit opportunities.

 

Hall Passes:

 

No hall passes will be issued in my class. Students are expected to use the bathroom in between classes unless it is an emergency or during individual work time.

9th GRADE EARTH SYSTEMS Disclosure.pdf