Note this letter can also be found on my website:

Welcome!

Let me begin by telling you that I look forward to working you in 7th grade science this year. I hope that you will find this newsletter informative and that it will answer some of your questions you have concerning your science class. This year in science we will study Chemistry, Cells, Genetics, the Human Body, and Ecology. The year will be filled with activities, labs, dissections, research, and lots of learning!

Procedures and Expectations

It is my job to prepare to make sure that I have taught what you need to know. It is also up to you to make sure that you are working with me and working your hardest. I will do everything that I can to help you succeed, but I have a few “Expectations” for you:

  1. Be Organized – You will make every effort to be as organized as possible.
  2. Respect – During class discussions, activities, and trips, respect other student’s comments, opinions, things, space, and ideas.
  3. Sportsmanship – We are not competing for grades, be humble with your successes and failures. There is no need to advertise your grades to others.
  4. Cleanliness – When you cough or sneeze or burp, it is appropriate to turn your head away from others and cover your mouth with the full part of your hand. Afterwards, you should say, “Excuse me,” and get a squirt of antibacterial gel. Flush the toilet and wash your hands after using the restroom. If there is no soap or paper towels in the rest room use the sink in the class. Clean up after yourself when using class materials and put things back where they belong!
  5. Kindness – Do not smack your lips, tsk, roll your eyes, or show disrespect with gestures. Surprise others by performing random acts of kindness. Go out of your way to do something generous for someone else.
  6. Timeliness - Homework will be turned in ON FRIDAYS by every student with no exceptions. Get started work must be completed 5 minutes after the tardy bell rings! There are substantial penalties for late assignments
  7. Obey Your Thirst – You may bring a bottle of water or other beverage and leave it on your desk. Do not ask me if you can get water. Drinks must be in a bottle that can be capped. The cap must remain on while not in the process of drinking. There is no eating food or chewing gum in class; it attracts bugs and gets stuck on things.
  8. Honesty – No matter what the circumstances, always be honest. Even if you have done something wrong, it is best to admit it to me. I will respect that and often times I will forget/lessen any disciplinary measures because of your honesty. If anybody in this school is bothering you or you are having a problem, let me know and I will help.
  9. Follow Directions – Read all the directions before you begin an activity and use the scientific method from that point to solve problems. When we read together in class, you must follow along. If I call on you to read, you must know exactly where we are and begin reading immediately! Listen!
  10. Good Manners – Say hello to others! Don’t talk when others are speaking. Be polite to your guides and chaperones on all field studies. Say thank you and your welcome to everyone!

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL DISTRICT AND SCHOOL RULES WILL BE FOLLWED.

Consequences for failure to comply too the rules may vary and are posted in the room!

Common Assessments

Projects -Each nine weeks, you will be assigned at least one major project. Projects are a major part of your grade and should be taken seriously. An explanation of each project and a rubric will be sent home, emailed, and attached to my webpage. Please follow these very carefully to be sure that you are fulfilling all of the requirements. If you plan well enough, I would be happy to look over your project at least 3SCHOOL DAYS before the due date to make sure you are on the right track and fulfilling the requirements. Extra credit is usually offered on projects, so take advantage of these opportunities (Extra Credit is not offered at other times).

Labs / Lab Reports - Much of our learning will take place through completing labs and activities in class. With some labs you will be required to write a formal lab report. You must follow the format of a lab report you will be given in class (also on my webpage). Make sure you do each part of the lab report with correct information that follows the scientific method. Please be careful and do neat work.

Homework– It is assigned weekly and due on FRIDAY, unless noted otherwise! Homework will be assigned to reinforce what we have learned in class or to prepare you for the next day’s lesson. Answers should be given in complete sentences, being graded for Completion and Accuracy!Weekly Homework is worth 10 points total. When you are absent you must see Mr. Reeves to get missing assignments or use my homework website. No late homework is accepted! It must be brought to your science class on its due date during your class period!

Science News - Students are required to SHARE a science news article. We will bring in articles and share every MONDAY. They will summarize the following:

  1. Where they got the news (The State, sciencenewsforkids.com, etc.)
  2. The date of the article
  3. The title of the article and
  4. A brief summary.

Students not sharing news at that time will quickly find the article using their Chromebooks, to follow along with the summary. IF they like the news, they bookmark the article. Toward the end of the nine weeks we will complete a project on the shared science news. The article that was shared will be placed in the class Science News folder, so we have a hard copy resource to help with the activity. Bringing in News is not

Get Started - You will have a Get Started assignment daily. When you come into class, you are expected to get to work on this assignment immediately and finish the get started 5 minutes after the tardy bell. These will be done on your Chromeobook, using Google slides, and will be randomly checked, 4 times per quarter! Points will be awarded for completion of the activity. (Notes-are often times given in place of get started work, these are written in the student’s notebook)

Tests and Quizzes - Tests will be given at the end of each major unit. Normally, we will review in class on the day before each test, but please do not wait to begin studying. You should review your notes daily. Quizzes will be given periodically during each unit. Please make sure that you are reviewing daily, so the information on each quiz is not a surprise. If you are having trouble understanding something, ASK!!! It is better to ask for help than to get lost. I will be happy to help you if you are fulfilling your obligations (reviewing daily, asking questions in class, and completing homework and class assignments).

Retesting - Students have the opportunity to retake a unit test if they score a D or F. All retests must be taken before or after school (by appointment) within two weeks of the original test. No retests will be given during class time. Students may retest no more than twice per nine weeks. A signed Retest Form is required regardless of when the retest is to be completed. The retest will assess the original content but may be in a different form, sequence, and/or length. The score on the retest will be averaged with the score on the initial test and recorded in the grade book. Students may not retake quizzes.

Late Major Assignments will be assessed the following penalties:

One day late 10 point penalty

Two days late 20 point penalty

Three days late 30 point penalty

Not turned inafter 3 days 0

Responsibility / Work Ethic and Academic Integrity

It is essential that you come to class prepared and ready to learn. You need to have all needed materials daily (something to write with, paper, and your notebook). You will also be expected to be an active participant in class to be able to get the most out of it.

I expect my students to do their own work. Copying someone else’s homework is cheating and will result in a zero for that assignment for all parties involved.

When students choose to work together on projects, I expect that everyone contributes evenly to EVERY part of the assignment.

You will have some assignments that will require you to research on the internet or by reading books. I want YOUR best work. DO NOT PLAGARIZE! I understand that you are in seventh grade and do not expect you to write like an adult or know all of the information that an adult does. If you are unsure of how to use someone else’s work to help you, please see me. You will need to be able to correctly site all your sources for any research project in proper bibliography format.

Tutoring

I offer tutoring Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 7am-7:30am. Tutoring will be allowed for any student making a concerted effort to do well in my class. Tutoring sessions will be used to complete project work and study for upcoming tests/quizzes or to catch up on missed material. I must have a parent request for the student to attend tutoring. If you want to attend tutoring, please have your parent notify me by email, phone call, or letter.

GRADING SCALE

This is merely an example and will change!I use a total points system, where different assignments count different points. For example, a test will count 100 points toward the final grade, but a quiz is only 50 points. The points earned are added and then divided by the total points possible.

Grade Type / Point Totals
Homework / 150 points
Tests / 300 points
Quizzes / 150 points
Notebook / 100 points
Lab Reports / 200 points
Project / 200 points
Science News / 100 points
Lab Journal / 100 points
Science Appetizers / 50 points
Weekly Reflection / 100 points
Classwork / 50 points
TOTAL / 1320 points
Grade Earned / Low point total / High point total
A / 1221 / 1320
B / 1115 / 1220
C / 1010 / 1114
D / 917 / 1009
F / 916 and below

A Few Reminders

ID tags or temporary IDs must be visibleon your upper body at all times.

Students must be on time for class. ( I follow the school’s tardy policy)

Students should follow the dresscode daily.

Please take time to review your parent handbook and your student’s handbook that is found in the agenda with your child. Some policies have been changed since last year.

In case of an absence, please call the homework hotline or look online to complete homework assignments.

How to Contact Me

I welcome your comments and concerns. It is extremely important that we work together to ensure your child’s success in science. There are several ways that you can contact me:

E-mail:

Voice mail: 736-8740 Ext. 3610

Website:

Note in your child’s planner (but they must show me the planner)

Schedule a conference through the guidance office

Mr. Reeves Science Class (return to Room 610)

I realize that this is a lot of information. I want you to be clear on what is expected of you, so you can do your best. Please review this information and share it with your parents. Keep the above information in a safe place where you can find it during the school year if you have any questions. Also parents please include the following information so you can be reached when needed.

Parents - Of utmost importance is the email address you check most often. I send out science updates with project information, due dates, test dates, study guides, etc. It is my way to keep you informed on what is going on in science class. Updates can come at any time and usually occur about once a week.

Note – If you don’t receive a test email by Sept. 15th, I most likely entered your email address incorrectly. Please email me with your name and child’s name at:

I will then be able to enter your address correctly!

Also I want to get to know your child and who better to ask than a parent? You will see a few questions below, please answer them as I get to know your child better to serve their educational needs.

Parent name (printed) ______

Parent Signature: ______

Parent Email Address ______

Parent Phone number (the one you like to be called at, if needed) ______

Student name (printed) ______

Student Signature: ______

Questions or comments?

Students, please answer the questions below.

  1. What is your favorite subject in school? What is your least favorite?
  1. What are your interests outside of school?
  1. When you have free time, what do you choose to do?
  1. What kinds of careers are you interested in?
  1. Under what circumstances do you learn best (i.e., hands on, listening, in quiet, etc.)?
  1. What are two words that best describe you?