2016-2017 Regents Earth Science Course Overview
Mrs. McCoy
Welcome to Regents Earth Science! The following guidelines were constructed to give a brief overview of the expectations for our class. Please feel free to email me at if you have any questions about your students’ performance in class. Email is the BEST way to contact me! Please use the class website to sign up for Remind.com and keep up to date with your students work expectations through the class calendar. The class website can be reached through district home page/teacher sites or directly at eatsleepbreathescience.org
The topics covered in this course are those necessary for success on the New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents Examination. Although we will not rush through any topic, the course moves at a good pace. It is very important that students do not procrastinate on any of the work they are required to submit, especially labs. If students are having a difficult time either understanding any of the material or organizing the workload, please speak to me immediately. Students who miss class for any reason are responsible for any and all work missed. 9th Period Extra Help begins at 1:37 pm sharp! No late arrival without a Pass!
Regents Examination
Regents Earth Science is an examination-based course. Students are asked to purchase a specific review book and will be assigned practice Regents exams two weeks before every week long school break to give them an opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions found on the exam and provide practice answering them.
William Floyd Grading Policy:
60% - Assessments (Quizzes and Tests)
· Multiple choice questions /Short answer questions
· Projects/papers
15% - Laboratory Activities
15% - Class attendance and class participation
10%- Homework
Lab Requirements
This course requires successful completion of 1200 minutes of laboratory activities in order to take the Regents exam in June (30 Passing Labs). We complete over 40 labs each year. Labs will remain in the classroom throughout the year. Please note;
1. ALL labs must be handed in during the quarter they were assigned! (NO exceptions!)
2. If you are absent for a lab, you will be required to stay after school to make up the lab.
3. As the material in this class is timely, late labs will be accepted up to 3 days late for no credit higher than 65 points. Students have one week to finish labs missed due to absences.
Homework
Homework is 10% of student grade and is assigned every Monday-Thursday night. The assignments will be written on the white board and on the class website. Assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late for no credit higher than 65 points.
Habits and Routines
1. Safety first. Students are expected to follow the safety procedures outlined in the WFSD Safety Contract they signed. Students not following safety contract will be subject to discipline.
2. Respect yourself enough to produce quality work.
3. Be engaged in class. Learning is a process that can only take place inside your own head with input from the world around you, including classmates and teachers at appropriate times. If you are not focused on what we are doing, you will find it difficult or impossible to learn.
4. Stay on top of your assignments- This is a blended high school course, you will have to have access to the internet, complete homework and study your notes each night!
5. Be on time. You will lose class participation points if you are late. Remember you have two periods of science every other day!
6. Be prepared for class every day- in body, mine, spirit, and materials.
7. We work bell to bell, please begin working upon entering class.
Behavior Expectations- “The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.”
1. Please be respectful of other people’s rights to speak and ask questions. Be respectful to yourself, your classmates, your teachers, and your school. Everyone has a right to learn.
2. Raise your hand to ask questions or make respectful comments. When the teacher is speaking, please do not interrupt her or have side conversations with your peers. Do not use profane language in the classroom.
3. You are expected to cooperate with your peers during group activities and to participate during class activities (reading aloud, answering/asking questions, doing written assignments during class, putting work up on the whiteboard). Do not interrupt your peers while they are speaking. Give everyone a chance to speak.
4. All electronic devices except calculators must be turned off and put away during class. Unless directed cell phones are not allowed in class. NO texting, recording or taking photos in class.
Interventions
If you follow all these good habits, routines, and norms of behavior, then you will enjoy academic success and feel the pride of your accomplishments. If you fall into bad habits, some interventions I will use to try and help you will be.
1. Phone calls home to encourage that work be done and to plan a way in which to get the work done.
2. Extra help after school as a method in which to get missing work completed.
3. Disciplinary action with the Associate Principal, a measure taken to ensure that the classroom remains a non threatening environment for all students. All students must take the regents so we must make sure we are all on task at all times.
Please use the class website to keep up to date with your students work expectations, homework and tests.
eatsleepbreathescience.org