What You Need

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS and PROCEDURES FALL 2003

Mr. Maddin Science Franklin High School Welcome to science at Franklin High! You are currently enrolled in a science class that will hopefully help you make sense of the world in which you live. Congratulations!!! The following information is intended to help you participate successfully in class and to ensure that we have a great semester. Please read it carefully and keep it in the front of your binder.

Your binder will contain all of the work that you do in this class (and ONLY this class) over the course of the semester. It will be set up into eight basic sections: General Rules/Information, Daily Work Organizers, Notes/Handouts, Homework, Tests/Quizzes, Lab Reports/Demos/Projects, Readings, and Goals/Reflections. It is EXTREMELY important that you keep an orderly binder for this class, as will help it will help your grade and will teach you invaluable organizational skills. Please see the “Get Binderized” sheet for more information.

CLASS MATERIALS You need to bring the following in by the dates listed below. Please bring in each of these items together.  1 package of 3 x 5 index cards (unlined preferred) by Friday, February 7th. ($0.48 @ Wal-Mart)  $3 lab fee (to Mr. Maddin), also by February 7th. Sooner is better, as I need to buy supplies.

You are expected to bring the following to our class EVERY day:  A three ring binder (at least 1 ½ inch thick ~$2.00 @ Wal-Mart) w/ dividers (8 tabs-$0.98 @ Wal-Mart)  Blank loose-leaf (not ripped out), college-ruled notebook paper  Black or Blue pen or sharpened pencil  Highlighter (any color)  A scientific calculator (~$10 @ Wal-Mart). If you are going to college I would suggest a TI-83Plus  Your book  A positive attitude towards learning and respect for the rules of our class and FSHS If you are unable to get the required supplies, please see me privately and we will make sure that you get what you need to be successful.

DAILY SCHEDULE In addition to lectures, demos, labs, etc…You can also expect the following Daily Work every day:  Agenda- This lists the objective of the lesson and the plan for the day. I expected you to copy down the agenda first thing. (Hint: Agendas will serve as excellent study guides for the exams).  Objectives- Like the agenda, these are great study guides. The objectives are what you should be able to do by the end of class. If you can do what they state, you are ready for any assessment!  Catalyst- This activity contains the WOTD (Word of the Day), “Mystery Element” or “Mystery Object”, reviews old material, introduces new material, and gets you to think critically. Copy and complete the Catalyst immediately after the Agenda.  Reflection- This is your chance to reflect on what you learned and ask yourself if you met the objectives. You should make sure to check the appropriate box for meeting the objective on the Daily Work Organizer. You should also drop a marble in the Erlenmeyer flask to voice your understanding (clear = understood; blue = confused). I may also ask you to complete a short assignment that relates to the objective and hand it to me as your leave.

1 CLASS SCHEDULE Our class operates on a two-week cycle. Please use the following table as a guide: MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY * Progress * Progress Reports * Study Week Reports Handed * Open Lab Due * Quiz Session 1 Out (2:30-4:00) * Daily Work Quiz (5-8 McD’s) * Class Meeting * Quiz * Progress * Progress Reports * Study Week Reports Handed * Open Lab * Quiz Due Session 2 Out (2:30-4:00) * Binder Test * Daily Work Quiz (5-8 McD’s) * Class Meeting * EXAM!!!

FORMATTING FOR ALL WORK  Each assignment MUST be completed on a new sheet of paper. For example, do not write Tuesday’s homework on the back of Monday’s Daily Work Organizer.  All work should have the following heading in the upper right-hand corner of the paper: Name Block #; Date Pod Name Assignment No Excuses HOMEWORK Expect to have homework every night. I may also give you homework over the weekend. Each assignment will be:  Done to the best of your ability. I expect you to at the very least ATTEMPT EACH QUESTION.  Inspected while you are working on the Catalyst. For this reason, homework should be removed from your binder and sitting on your desk when I pass by at the beginning of class. Homework will be collected randomly.

GRADING SCALES HONORS NON-HONORS 90-100 A (Excellent) 95-100 A (Excellent) 80-89 B (Good) 94-88 B (Good) 70-79 C (Average) 87-77 C (Average) 60-69 D (Below Average) 76-70 D (Below Average) Below 60 F (Failing) Below 70 F (Failing)

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Knowledge is too precious to steal. Make sure everything that you turn in to me is your own work. Please make sure that you understand that even “group work” should be your own. Students caught cheating will receive no credit for that assignment.

EXTRA CREDIT Everyone can bring in a role of paper towels for 5 bonus points each 9 weeks. Bonus questions will be offered on each exam. Your exam score may exceed the total number possible, thus giving you extra credit. Also, if you are the first in your class to point out that I’m wearing a necktie that I’ve already worn; you will receive 10 bonus points. If you can tell me the date on which it was worn, you earn 20pts. If you are incorrect, you will receive -5. Random extra credit may be offered throughout the course and tends to come when I don’t know the answer to one of your excellent questions. 2 REVISIONS / CORRECTIONS Above all else, I value student learning. For that reason, I believe that students should have the opportunity to correct and/or revise work that they are unsatisfied with. You have two options for retakes: 1. Do all test corrections and then retake the exam and I will take higher of your two scores. 2. Do no test corrections and I’ll take the average of your two scores. Tests must be retaken by the Friday following the original exam. ABSENCES If you miss class, you must do the following: 1. Borrow the Daily Work Organizer from one of your pod members and answer all questions. 2. Turn in any homework that was collected in your absence. 3. Do the assignments that you missed. Ask for help if needed. 4. Write a 50-word summary on what you would have learned the day you were out to earn back the Daily Work points for the day that you were absent. Your missed Daily Work Sheet with summary on the back is due by the Friday following the week of your absence. Please write the date of absence on top of all make-ups! You always have until the following Friday to complete missed assignments or assessments. For example, if you miss Wednesday of Week 1, your assignments are not due until Friday of Week 2. All zeros left in my grade book by the Friday following your return will remain zeros. ABSENCES ON QUIZ / EXAM DAYS If you miss class on a quiz / exam day, you have until the FOLLOWING FRIDAY to make up the quiz / exam. You must schedule an appointment to make up your quiz / exam. Good times include before school, after school, or at Thursday night study sessions. Make-ups will be more difficult. ABSENCES BEFORE EXAM DAYS If you miss class before an exam, you still must take the exam on the scheduled day. In the event that you are absent for two or more days in the week of an exam, you have the option of postponing the exam for one week. Prolonging the makeup exam for that full week is not encouraged, as you will find yourself behind with normal class work. You must make an appointment to reschedule your exam. POD COMMANDER Each day, I will designate one person from each group as the pod commander. The responsibilities of the pod commander are as follows (if not completed, the pod commander will lose Daily Work points): 1. Put up and take down the group sign 2. Get the pod folder from the front of the class 3. Collect any handouts, worksheets, etc for any missing pod members, write their name and date on them, and place these in the missing person’s folder. 4. Pick up any trash from around the pod area at the end of class. AND FINALLY…WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MR. MADDIN:  Fairness and consistency  Excellent, engaging classes with clear agendas taking place in a safe learning atmosphere  Letters of recommendation (minimum of 24 hours notice—but 2 weeks is preferred)  An open line of communication. If ever you need to reach me, I can be contacted at home before 10:00PM (Tel: 828-4007), by E-Mail ([email protected]), or AOL IM (maddin13). I have HIGH EXPECTATIONS for all of you and am looking forward to an excellent year!!! With NO EXCUSES we will achieve our goals!!! BRING IT ON!!!!!

3 HOW TO WRITE A GREAT 50-WORD SUMMARY Spring 2003

Dos and Don’ts of 50-Word Summaries DOS DON’TS  DO tell me what you would have learned  DON’T tell me why you were gone  DO put the date of the day that you missed  DON’T tell me what the WOTD was  DO talk to your classmates and use the book  DON’T tell me about stuff that doesn’t relate  DO cover everything in the objective & agenda  DON’T use “flowery” language  DO write at least 50 quality words  DON’T put it anywhere except on the back of the Daily Work Organizer you missed

Sample Agenda OBJECTIVE: SWABT differentiate between qualitative and quantitative observations and identify the six steps of the scientific method  Discuss Catalyst  Qualitative vs. Quantitative Observations  Scientific Method

 A yucky 50-word summary (i.e. no credit) So yesterday I was very, very sick. I really wanted to come to school because I love your class, but my mama wouldn’t let me. If I were here I would have discussed the catalyst, qualitative and quantitative observations, and the scientific method. I would have also learned that the WOTD was alacrity, which means, “with eager readiness”. I think that the coolest movie in the world would have a midget, a ninja, a robot, a monkey, and a nutria rat as its central characters. (85 words)

 A yummy 50-word summary (i.e. full credit) Qualitative observations deal with what a substance looks like or a counted number (i.e. a red ball). A quantitative observation is a measured value (i.e. 34 meters). The scientific method has six major steps: state the problem, form a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, record and analyze the data, form a conclusion, and replicate the experiment. (55 words) The above is my expecatation… EXCEED IT!!!