7th + 8th Grade Science

Philosophy: I believe that all students come to school with a preexisting knowledge of life based on interest, background and prior education. To further explore their understanding I have designed a classroom environment in which we can all learn from one another. There will be many hands on activities and students led discussions for your children, in which they will all have the opportunity to allow their own genius to show through.

Goal for 2009-2010 school year: To help students obtain a better understanding of science by relating subject matter to their everyday lives.

Grading System: I will be grading based upon a point system. Every assignment, lab, and test will be designated a particular number of total points. At the end of the semester I will add up the total number of points. This will be known as the “Magic Number”. Your child will have their own number based upon their accumulation of points. To determine their grade I will divide their number by the magic number. That final average will then be converted into a letter grade.

Homework: I will only give homework on nights that it directly relates to the topic at hand. Homework will be used ONLY as a reinforcement. I will try my best to not assign homework over weekends.Homework is graded based upon completion. Missing answers will result in lower points.

Due Dates: Homework is usually due the following day unless otherwise noted. Hw will usually be checked on a daily basis, occasionally I will have students hand it in. Late homework will not be accepted and will receive a zero.

If Absent: Students will have the same number of days that they were absent to make up any missed work or a missed test, in order to receive full credit.