Energy & Your Environment: Course Syllabus
Introduction: Energy & Your Environment is a science course that studies key scientific questions centered upon the concept of "Energy."
What is Energy?
How is energy transferred throughout the planet?
How is energy transferred in an ecosystem, a community, and an organism?
What are the consequences of using energy?
The answers to these questions have a great impact upon our planet, our ecosystem, our community and you.
In this course every student will learn to approach problems in a scientific manner. As a scientist, you will address the questions that are developed in this course and seek answers to those questions through a series of related investigations. You will develop a deeper understanding of "Energy" and its impact from a biological, ecological and physical viewpoint. You will work with other members of your class as you collaborate on designing scientific procedures, develop data collection methods, analyze data, and construct conclusions based upon your data.
Since the concept of "Energy" is very broad and reaches into many different areas of our daily life, all branches of science will be utilized in this course. Depending upon the question(s) you are seeking to answer we may investigate Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Space and Environmental/Ecological science.
In addition to classroom investigations, you will maintain a variety of "Energy" logs to help you get a better sense of how "Energy" impacts our lives, and you will go outside to see how energy impacts our local environment.
Reading materials will be provided to give you the additional background knowledge for the classroom questions under study.
All of the materials for this course can be found at the course website:
http://bhsee.wikispaces.com
Class Guidelines:
1. Attendance is extremely important for this class. It is expected that you will make every effort to be here every day.
2. Any work (class work, quiz or test) missed due to "cutting" cannot be made-up and will receive a grade of “0”.
3. Please be prompt to class. If you are late to class more than three times, you will be reported to an administrator for disciplinary action.
4. If you miss a test or quiz due to absence or lateness to class, see me and we will schedule a time when the test or quiz can be made-up. Work missed due to an unexcused lateness cannot be made up.
5. Foul and/or inappropriate language will not be tolerated in this class.
6. I expect everyone in this class to be respectful. Treat everyone as you would want him or her to treat you.
Science Notebooks: Each student must have a binder to hold handouts, old tests, quizzes, and other materials needed in class. Every handout that you are given in this class will be added to your binder. You are to bring the binder with you to every class meeting.
Your binder will serve as your book for this course - it will contain all of your materials and it will be what you use when you study for your assessments. Your binder may be collected and graded for completeness, organization, and neatness during the course.
You will also need a composition book for this class. The composition book will serve as a lab book and class journal. You will keep notes, lab data and weekly summaries in this composition book.
Attendance: Because this course is centered on a series of student investigations, your attendance is a key component to your success. Just being in class, however, is not enough. To gain a complete understanding of the scientific questions under study, your participation in the classroom investigations is critical to your understanding.
As a scientist, the data that you collect and analyze during the investigations leads you to an understanding of the questions that you are studying. If you miss an investigation, it may be difficult to make any sense of what you are studying. In addition, your lab partners are relying on your help with each investigation.
Being absent does NOT excuse you from the work that you missed. You are responsible for ALL course material whether you are present or not.
Materials required:
Calculator, Notebook, Composition Book, Writing Utensil
Come prepared to take data and notes in class, and to prepare reports on your work. Choose a notebook that you will be comfortable with. It should be able to hold a large amount of worksheets, handouts and readings.
We will do a fair amount of math in this class. A calculator will make your life much easier. I suggest getting a simple scientific calculator. You may want to invest in a graphing calculator, however, depending on the requirements of your math classes.
Grades: You are responsible for making up any missed work that is graded.
Your Marking Period grade will be calculated as follows:
50% Unit Tests
10% Quizzes
20% Investigations & lab Work
20% Homework & Classwork
Teacher Contact Information:
Mr. Sterman
skype: csterman twitter: @csterman
phone: 321.345.6788
Feel free to contact me via email, phone, twitter or skype with any concerns or questions. I am able to stay after school to provide extra help or to make up work on any Tuesday or Thursday afternoon until 4pm. Other meeting times are possible, but we will need to schedule them in advance and make arrangements for rides home.
Class Contract Signature Page
Return this signed sheet by: ______
à As a student in this class, I pledge to uphold the rules and expectations of this class.
Print Student Name: ______
Student’s Signature: ______
Date: ______Class Period: ______
à As a parent/guardian of the above student, I have read and understood the Energy and Your Environment course expectations and policies.
Print Parent/Guardian Name: ______
Parent/Guardian’s Signature: ______
Date: ______
à As the teacher of this class, I promise to uphold the rules and expectations of this class.
Teacher’s Signature: ______Date: ______
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Parent/Guardian Contact Information:
Parent/Guardian Name(s): ______
Email Address (print clearly): ______
Would you like to be placed on the email update list (information/updates)? Yes No
Phone Number that I should use to contact you concerning your child:
(work) ______Best time to call: ______
(home) ______
(cell) ______
Comments/ Concerns/ Questions: