Chemistry Classroom Procedures
►MATERIALS: EVERY CLASS PERIOD YOU MUST BRING:
- Whatever you are keeping your chemistry material in.
- A pen or a #2 pencil. On days where we have Scantron tests, you MUST bring a #2 pencil.
- Paper on which to write.
- A calculator is suggested; a graphing calculator is better.
►ALLSCHOOL RULES will be followed as they appear in the Magnolia student handbook.
▪Dress code will be enforced.
▪Tardies will be strictly enforced – be on time!
▪Electronic devices arenot allowed to be used in class unless you are using the phone for a class assignment. Students will be told when phone use is appropriate. Too much distraction makes for less learning and poorer grades.
▪Students using cell phones when not approved by the teacher will be asked to place his/her phone on the teacher’s desk. Phones may be picked up at the end of class. There will be a few times when the use of cell phones is acceptable in class. The teacher will clearly explain when those times are. Cell phones will be turned off and placed out of sight of the students and teacher during class. All of class. Until we are finished working. For this course, usually at the dismissal bell.
▪ The appearance of a cell phone (even simply having a cell phone out) while you are taking a quiz or a test will result in a zero for that grade. Your cell phone will be forwarded to the office personnel in charge of phones.
►CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR WILL BE CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING. It’s OK to visit during labs when you are waiting for a reaction to take place or during group or partner work. It’s NOT OK to talk during classroom instruction, while there is a single test or quiz being taken, or when students are asking questions. When the teacher’s hand goes up, it’s time to be quiet and turn to the front of the classroom.
►LAB SAFETY GUIDELINES ARE TO BE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES!!!!!!! NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!! THE THREE-STRIKE RULE APPLIES!!!!
►Safety contracts must be signed by both student and parent before students may do labs.
►HOMEWORK AND CLASSWORK ARE DUE WHEN SPECIFIED. HOMEWORK IS DUE AT THE TARDY BELL ON THE TEACHER’S DESK. After the tardy bell, grades are reduced by 50%. After 24 hours, grades are reduced by 90%.
►MAKEUP WORK:
▪TESTS AND LABS must be made up within five school days of the missed assignment. Makeups are during PLC (except Tuesday), before school (except Tuesday), and after school on non-AP chemistry lab days. NO TESTS OR LABS WILL BE MADE UP DURING THE CLASS PERIOD. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!
•Missed homework will be turned in to the teacher according to how many days you have been absent. For extended absences due to illness, please check with me and we will work something out that benefits your learning.
▪A student may be given more than one week for making up missed work IF that student has missed three or more consecutive class periods. Please see the teacher to make arrangements if you have been absent.
▪YOU ARE THE STUDENT. IT IS YOUR LIFE. IT IS YOURGRADE. IT IS UP TO YOU TO GET YOUR MAKEUP WORK FROM THE TEACHER BEFORE THE TARDY BELL OR AFTER THE DISMISSAL BELL. PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR MAKEUP WORK DURING CLASS.
►TUTORIAL TIMES.
• PLC: From 9:06 am until 9:38 am Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
▪AM: from 7:00 am until 7:20 am each morning except Tuesday mornings (I have duty)
▪PM: from 2:45 pm until 4:00 pm three afternoons during the week. The other two afternoons are devoted to AP chemistry labs.
▪Please feel free to come to tutorials any time you have a question about material we are covering or you do not understand homework that has been assigned. I will be happy to help you. You may also come in for help during PLC time on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
►Grading Policy.
▪District guidelines will be followed as to the number of dailygrades. There will be from 9 to 35 daily grades per nine weeks. Daily work comprises 25% of your daily grade.
▪Major grades: there will be at least three test grades during each nine week grading period. Tests make up 60% of your grade in pre-AP chemistry.
▪District Common Assessment: This is a district-wide test given each nine weeks. Your score on this test is 15% of your nine weeks’ average.
▪You may earn an increased test grades by doing test corrections for half credit with each correct test answer that is appropriately justified.
CHEMISTRY ROCKS!!!!!
Other Handy info!
New, grading guidelines that affect pre-AP chemistry:
●You may do test corrections to regain half credit on missed test items. Here’s how it works:
a.Students must make grade corrections within oneweek of receiving the test back.
b.Valid justification MUST accompany test corrections (I will give you examples).
c.All nine weeks district common assessments are ineligible for test corrections.
d.If the test correction is a calculation, accurate and appropriate calculations must accompany the corrected item.
●Work turned in on time receives 100% of the grade earned.
●Work turned in one day late receives 50% of the grade earned.
●Work turned in two or more days late will receive 10% of the grade earned.
●Major projects and district common assessments will be given on a Tuesday.
●Tests for science will be on even-numbered days.
●There are a minimum of 3 summative assessments per nine weeks. A summative assessment is a test or a major project.
●There must be at least 9 formative assessment grades per nine weeks.
●Review of % breakdown of grades:
- 60 % summative
- 25% formative
- 15% Nine Weeks’ Assessment