Foundations of Algebra
Lithia Springs High School – Academic Year 2016-2017

Teacher: Ms. Cheryl McLeroyEmail: Room: B215

School Website: tinyurl.com/lithiaspringshigh
School Number: 770.651.6700

Classroom Number:770-651-6833

Course Description

Foundations of Algebra will provide many opportunities to revisit and expand the understanding of foundational algebra concepts, will employ diagnostic means to offer focused interventions, and will incorporate varied instructional strategies to prepare students for required high school courses. The course will emphasize bother algebra and numeracy in a variety of contexts including number sense, proportional reasoning, quantitative reasoning with functions, and solving equations and inequalities. The Mathematical Practice Standards apply throughout this course and, together with the content standards, prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.

Course Policies

  • Transfer of Students’ Averages and Report Card Nine Week Averages: The teacher will assign each grade in the grade book with the students’ transfer average.
  • Attendance/Tardiness Policy: Students are expected to follow the school policy regarding attendance and tardiness listed in the student handbook.
  • Make-up Work for Excused & Unexcused Absences Policy: Students are responsible for their own learning. Students who have an absence that is excused are responsible for asking the teacher for missing assignments upon their first day back in class. Class assignments are due within three class days to allow students to complete. If an assessment was missed, they are expected to take the assessment within two class days upon their return.
  • Late Work Policy: It is important for students to complete assignments by the due date. However, all students should turn in assignments before the unit common district assessment. No work will be accepted for that unit once the assessment is given.
  • Extra Credit Policy: No extra credit will be given during the course. Students are expected to complete and return their daily assignments.
  • Academic Honesty: Study groups on homework assignments outside of class are permitted and encouraged as long as it is used as a learning method. However, cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of poor academic conduct are not tolerated. Summative and Formative Assessments are designed to measure levels of mastery and must be the individual’s product. Breaches of this policy will result in consequences including (but not limited to) a grade of zero on the assignment to a discipline referral – based on teacher’s discretion.
  • Incomplete Grades: Incompletes are awarded to students who did not complete their End of Course Test upon finishing the course, did not complete their final exam, and/or have major grades missing due to an unexpected absence or illness. For EOCTs, incompletes will be converted to a numeric grade once the student completes the EOCT or the student is given numerous opportunities to take the test and a zero is awarded for the EOCT score. For missing exams or major grades, students have ten days to complete the missing items.
  • Retesting: Students may be provided an opportunity to retest on certain assignments based upon teacher’s choice or preference.
  • Grade Appeal: A student/parent has 5 business days from the date report cards are issued to appeal the final grade. The building principal’s decision is final.

*Any course policy may be altered or waived based on the teacher’sand/or building level administrator’s discretion.

Lithia Springs High School “House Rules”

• Always be on time and prepared to learn.

•Passes will not be issued during the last 10 minutes of class.

• Hats, hoods, headbands, and/or head garments of any kind are not to be worn in the school building.

• Electronic devices, including phones, iPods, ear buds, etc., are not permitted during the school day. All electronic devices must remain turned off and out of sight or they may be confiscated. Confiscated items will only be returned to legal parent/guardian.

• Please stay in your class and in your seat until the bell rings.

• Thank you for helping with assisting in keeping our high school clean by picking up around your area and throwing your trash away. This is particularly vital in the cafeteria area.

Discipline Protocol

Minor misconduct (level one offenses – such as missing ID badges, insubordination, etc.) will follow below plan:

1st Offense: Department Detentionand Parent Contact
2nd Offense: Department Detention and Parent Contact

3rd Offense: Department Detention and Parent Contact

4th Offense: Discipline Referral

Major offenses (level two or three offenses) will receive an automatic discipline referral.

*See the Student Handbook for any other school-wide policies.

Course Expectations

  • Come to class prepared and ready to learn with notebook, supplies, and assignments.
  • Stay focused and on task – getting out of focus leads to misunderstanding, confusion, and distraction.
  • Be ready to participate – ask questions, explain thoughts and ideas.
  • Assignments are to be completed on time.
  • Sharpen your study skills. You will need to study/review DAILY.
  • Set high goals for yourself and put forth your best effort to attain them.
  • Take advantage of my help and your peers’ help. The best chance for success is to get involved in a study group.
  • Attendance to class is vital. Each day we will be learning new material/sharpening old material.

Students who consistently meet and exceed course expectations will be rewarded with homework passes, positive call home to parents, bonus points on test and quizzes, etc. The decision for the reward is based on teacher’s discretion.

Course Goal

Primary Goal: To enable all students to earn credit for this course towards graduation.

Secondary Goals: To enable all students to show a 40% growth as determined by Georgia Milestones data and to assist the students to be college and career ready.

Mathematics Department Grading Policy

Grading Plan

50% - Summative Evaluations: Common District Assessments, Common Unit Assessments, Teacher Generated Assessments, Quizzes, Projects

30% - Formative Evaluations: Homework Assignments, Daily Assignments, Quizzes

20% - End of Course Comprehensive Examination: Georgia Milestones Assessment System examination or Student Learning Objectives examination

Student Evaluations

1. Homework will be assigned almost daily and checked for completeness. Upon instructor’s discretion, certain homework assignments may be collected and graded for accuracy. Daily Assignments are usually given after every concept or topic. These assignments will be graded for accuracy. During each 9 week period there should be at least 8 but no more than 19 homework and daily assignments depending on mathematics course level.

2.Quizzes will be given at teacher discretion to assess student success and upon completion of unit to determine student readiness for common district assessments and common unit assessments. Throughout the academic school year, there should be at least 10 but no more than 24 quizzes depending on mathematics course level.

3. Common District Assessments are unit tests that are created by the Douglas County School System to provide a consistent measure of student progress across the county. Throughout the academic school year, there should be at least 5 but no more than 12 common district assessments depending on mathematics course level.Douglas County Schools has established an assessment plan to provide a consistent measure of student progress across the county. Each subject has common district assessments (CDA’s) that students are required to take as part of their assessment grades. The CDA scores will be counted as a regular test grade.

4. Common Unit Assessments are unit tests created by instructors in the mathematics department. Throughout the academic school year, there should be at least 5 but no more than 12 common unit assessments depending on mathematics course level.

5. End of Course Comprehensive Exams:

a)Georgia Milestones Assessment System is a comprehensive exam provided by the Georgia Department of Education to assess student content knowledge and skill in the course. This exam will be given at the end of the academic school year to selected mathematics courses.

b)Student Learning Objective is a comprehensive exam provided by the Georgia Department of Education and Douglas County School System given at the end of the academic school year to those mathematics courses that will not be assessed by the Georgia Milestones Assessment System.

Grading Scale

A: 100 – 90

B: 89 – 80

C: 79 – 71

D: 70

F: below 70

Note: Administrators and department heads will keep a syllabus in their files for each teacher that explains in more detail their classroom philosophy, expectations, and protocol.

Course Schedule

  • Unit 1A: Number Sense and Quantity (Part 1)
  • Unit 1B: Number Sense and Quantity (Part 2)
  • Unit 2: Proportional Reasoning
  • Unit 3: Arithmetic to Algebra
  • Unit 4A: Equations & Inequalities in One Variable
  • Unit 4B: Equations & Inequalities in Two Variable
  • Unit 5: Quantitative Reasoning with Functions

(Final Exam)

*This course schedule dates are tentative and are subject to change.

Course Material List

3-ring Binder

Dividers

  • 1st Divider – Homework
  • 2nd Divider – Notes
  • 3rd Divider – Daily Work/Quizzes
  • 4th Divider – Attachments

Pencils

  • Regular #2 pencils or mechanical pencils
  • Colored pencils

Graphing Paper

Notebook Paper

Scientific Calculator Ti-30XS Multiview (recommended)

Course Resources

The following are great resources to check out for extra help:

Tutoring

Tutoring sessions will be held weekly determined by instructor.

Tutoring will be every Tuesday 3:45 – 4:45 in the instructor’s classroom: B215

Syllabus Verification for Algebra I

Ms. Andrel Sims

You may view the syllabus and any other information via the school’s website. Go to Lithia Springs High School main website, find my name on the school staff link, and then click on forms.

You may also contact me at anytime throughout the semester for a copy of the syllabus if you would like a hard copy. Your child has been made aware that paper copies of the syllabus are available.

Please sign and return entire page.

I, ______(print student name) agree to the standards and rules set forth by the syllabus for this course and comply with the video statement above.

I, ______(print parent/guardian name) agree to the standards and rules set forth by the syllabus for this course and comply with the video statement above.

______
Student Signature Parent/Guardian SignatureDate

Student Email: ______

Parent Email: ______

Parent/Guardian Phone Number: ______(Home)

Parent/Guardian Phone Number: ______(Cell)