IB Environmental Systems and Societies Syllabus
WashburnHigh School
2014-2015 School Year
Teacher: Mr. Lies, Room:115, Email: , Phone: 612-668-3400 (Ask for Mr. Lies’ voicemail)
CLASS RULES:
1. Show respect at all times.
2.**Arrive on time with your notebook, pen, and a pencil.
3.Stay on task.
4.The only allowable electronic device is a calculator.
5.You may bring only a spill proof beverage container into the class.
CONSEQUENCES
1st offense: Warning (Verbal and/or written).
2nd offense: Take-a-break sheet
3rd offense: Referral and parent contact.
Daily requirements:
Pencil, pen, paper, notebook for IB ESS only (i.e., nothing else goes in it!).
If you ever need help understanding a concept, please do not hesitate to ask. I am always happy to put in extra effort if the student is as well. Also if you ever need me to slow down during direct instruction, please let me know. Your attendance, cooperation, and positive attitude are very important for things to run smoothly. Respect needs to be a two-way street. It is highly recommended that you purchase a scientific calculator for your problem calculations. It is not the teacher’s responsibility tosupply you with a calculator.
**Tardy students will sign in daily. Each tardy requires serving a 20 minute detention before or after school, before the last week of thequarter. If a student does not come in to make up the tardy, they will not be eligible for extra-credit.
Classroom Procedures:
Lab Procedure: Always read and follow directions carefully. Ask other lab groups for clarification before asking me. Report any accidents to me immediately. Be safe and follow all lab safety protocols. Labs are especially important in IB ESS as we deal with things called Internal Assessments. These are labs that follow the scientific method, and have a lot to do with experimental design. You will need to be able to identify a problem (Claim), collect data related to your problem (Evidence), and form a conclusion based on your research and results. (Reasoning). All IAs will need to be turned in, even if they are late.
Quiz/Test Procedure: It is disrespectful to talk while quizzes or tests are out. All quizzes will be open note. You are encouraged to use all of the resources available to you during quizzes. They are part of the way that I check your notes and understanding of the material. I will always let you know what you can, and can’t use on tests. Tests will be part multiple choice and part free response to help prepare you for the IB exam in May.
Missing Work Procedure:If you miss class, check the main copy crate located next to the turn-in bins. This is where I will place additional copies of handouts as I hand them out in class. The most recent item will be in the back of the crate. If you miss class, you will have one week to make up any work that you missed.
Beginning Class Procedure: 1)You will come into class and check the class crate table for any handouts you need to pick up. 2) You will sit in your assigned seat and copy the learning target for the day off of the smart board into your chemistry notebook. 3) You will then work on the warm-up until I finish attendance and go over the warm up. If you finish early, you will sit in your seat quietly. I will walk around and give points to those working on the warm-up and learning target. Those that are not seated will be counted tardy and not receive learning target and warm-up points.
Finishing Class Procedure: During the last three minutes of class you will be presented with the class wrap-up. You are expected to stay in your seat and work on the wrap-up until the bell rings. If you finish early, you will sit in your seat quietly. I will walk around and give points to students working on the wrap-up.
Turning in work Procedure: In the beginning of class I will ask you to please turn in any assignments that are due. At that time you will pass your work to the student to your left. The student farthest left on a table will stand up to pass it to the next table. The three students farthest on the left of the room will take the pile of work and put it into your period’s bin. Once it is graded, I will put it into your hanging file folder.
Other requirements:
All students are required to read the syllabus, sign, and obtain parent or guardian signature on thesignature sheet and returnthe signature sheet ONLY. Please do this ASAP.
All students will need to access the class website () on a regular basis. This site will have an accurate schedule of the material as we cover it, so you can check here to see what you have missed when gone. In addition it has links to documents regarding Internal Assessments.
It is my strong recommendation that you do not fall behind on your assignments. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. An assignment list will be maintained and accurate records will be kept. Late work will only receive half credit for up to a week after the original due date.Occasionally the opportunity for extra credit will present itself, and I will let you know of those opportunities at the proper time. Extra credit cannot be used to raise your grade more than one letter.
**Your grade will be based the following: 35% Quizzes and tests (normally at the end of every other week), 25% homework, 30% group work (cooperative activities, disciplinary literacy activities, and labs including IAs), 10% class participation.
All work will be graded on a percentage basis, using the following scale(Please note the fairness of the scale):
Percent Correct / Letter Grade / Percent Correct / Letter Grade94-100% / A / 70-75% / C
90-94% / A- / 65-70% / C-
87-90% / B+ / 62-65% / D+
84-87% / B / 58-62% / D
80-84% / B- / 55-58% / D-
75-80% / C+ / 0-54% / F
**Please be aware that IB has its own grading system for some labs that is like rubrics with points for each category. Also IB gives 2 standardized exams in the spring of the year, which could be considered cumulative evaluations. These are sent to England and scored there, but I will score the labs, tests, quizzes, etc. These things will be discussed in detail as the need arises.All students are expected to take the IB exam in early May.
Textbook: ** We will study from the following book: “Environmental Systems and Societies”, Pearson, 2010
The following is an ordered list of units to be covered in this class. Normally there will either be a quiz or test at the end of every other week.
Topic 1: Systems and models Topic 4: Conservation and biodiversity
Topic 2: The ecosystem4.1 Biodiversity in ecosystems
2.1 Structure4.2 Evaluating biodiversity and vulnerability
2.2 Measuring abiotic components of the system4.3 Conservation of biodiversity
2.3 Measuring biotic components of the systemTopic 5: Pollution management
2.4 Biomes5.1 Nature of pollution
2.5 Function5.2 Detection and monitoring of pollution
2.6 Changes5.3 Approaches to polluction management
2.7 Measuring changes in the system5.4 Eutrophication
Topic 3: Human population, carrying capacity and resource use5.5 Solid domestic waste
3.1 Population dynamics5.6 Depletion of stratospheric ozone
3.2 Resources--natural capital5.7 Urban air pollution
3.3 Energy resources5.8 Acid deposition
3.4 The soil systemTopic 6: The issue of global warming
3.5 Food resourcesTopic 7: Environmental value systems
3.6 Water resources
3.7 Limits the growth
3.8 Environmental demands of human populations