Welcome to 6th Grade Science
Throughout the school year students will be studying a variety of topics. We will begin the year studying the scientific method, and students will be participating in our 1st School-Wide Crime Science Investigation. We will also study ecosystems and human impacts on those ecosystems, the structure of the Earth from the interior outward, geologic time, rocks, soil, force, motion, the transfer of energy and matter. It is very important that your child is present in class and taking notes. We do not distribute textbooks in the 6th grade science so he or she cannot just rely on the textbook in order to fully understand the concepts taught in class. If you need an additional set of textbooks for home, please contact your child’s school counselor Mrs. Turner or Mr. Plotkowski. Classroom Expectations PROMPT · I am in the classroom when the bell rings. · I fill in my calendar and begin my warm up activity as soon as I enter the room. · I turn in my work on time. PREPARED · I bring my materials to class. · I do my homework assignments. · I complete my class assignments. PARTICIPATE · I answer questions when called on in class. · I work with my team members in group assignments. · I do quality work. · I always contribute to the success of the class. RESPECT · I raise my hand before I speak. · I sit quietly and pay attention. · I listen to my teacher and classmates. · I speak politely to teachers and students. · I keep my hands and feet to myself. · I take care of school property. · I only use other people’s property when given permission. RESPONSIBILITY · If I am absent, it is my responsibility to get and make up all that was missed by checking what is posted in the class or on the blog site. · I leave the classroom only when dismissed by the teacher. Science Assignments Students will also be working in an Interactive Science Notebook (ISN) that will be used throughout the entire year. Please take time to review this on a weekly bases. There will be many assessments in the ISN that will note recorded in Power School. Labs Students will be working on a variety of hands-on experiences and experiments. Students will be grouped for these experiences. Each student in the group is expected to fully participate in order to receive a grade. If a problem arises within a group, students will asked to work out the problem with respect. If this is not successful, I will intervene. By providing students with a variety of hands-on experiences, there are always risks involved. For this reason, I have a safety contract that I am requiring students and parent/guardians to sign and return to me. Your child will bring this home and it can also be found on the web site. Students must have this signed before they can participate in labs. The safety contract is attached. Homework Middle school is a time that students begin to accept more responsibility. An assignment board is located in the front of my classroom for students to use. When students enter the classroom they can see what the homework will be. Homework is due at the beginning of the next class the following day it is issued. Most homework are available on my blog site for download. Late Work Policy At Kennedy Middle School we participate in the ZAP (Zeros Aren’t Permitted) program. All assignments I give in class are due the following day, unless I specify differently. If your child does not turn in the homework assignment on the day it is due they will be ZAPPED by me and will be asked to follow the school wide ZAP procedure. This will take place during first and second trimester only. By third trimester we expect that the students will have made the adjustment to middle school responsibilities. Topics of Study The students will be studying the following topics in 6th grade: Trimester 1 – Innovation/Problem solving & Space Trimester 2 – Measurement & the Earth Trimester 3 – Weather We will also be focusing on collecting, graphing, and interpreting data throughout the year. All learning will be based on the Next Generation Science Standards as adopted by the State of Michigan. These standards will appear at the bottom of each description of assignments or assessment in Power School and at the bottom of the web page for each week so that parents and students can find them easily. A full list can also be found here on the blog site. Grading 6th Grade will begin the year with traditional grading. The science department grading policy uses weighted grades. 60% Tests/Quizzes 40% Labs/Projects Homework will be marked collected ( ) or missing (m) in the Power School grade book. Students who do not have all homework assignments finished will not be eligible to do retests or retakes. This year we will be moving toward Standards-Based Grading. This is a new type of grading for all of us so we will learn more as the year progresses. Communication The best way to communicate with me is through e-mail or a phone call. These are the tools I check on a daily basis. You can check your child’s grades at any time through Parent Portal. Each week I will provide parents and students information about homework, projects, and tests along with upcoming school events through my blog site. I usually post the work for the entire week on Monday, however, I may change work for specific days depending on the needs of the students. e-mail phone [email protected] 586.285.8842 Supplies for Class 2 composition notebooks, science department uses red as a reminder (one book for now, one in case it lost or filled up) Lots of pencils (we only use pencils in class – I will provide any other writing tools they need in class) Colored pencils 3 Glue sticks The classroom could also use: Klenix Cleaning wipes Baby wipes Hand sanitizer Supplies for Home Colored pencils Crayons Glue sticks Scissors Markers I am looking forward to spending the school year with your child. Thank you for entrusting me with their science education this school year. Ms. Dunlop |
|