Regents Earth Science
2015-2016 Course Syllabus
Instructor: Greg Izzo Rooms: 202 and 214 Extra Help Room: ______Extra Help: Monday-Thursday, 2:20-2:40 each day E-mail [email protected]
MATERIALS REQUIRED EACH DAY: A loose leaf binder A non-graphing calculator A pen and/or pencil – PENCIL for labs, please! A charged laptop Student Review Book by Prentice Hall (provided by school – see below)
BOOKS: Reviewing Earth Science: The Physical Setting Thomas McGuire. Amsco School Publications Inc. o This book is purchased by the school and supplements the Earth Science Regents course. The book highlights important Regents topics and contains sample Regents questions for students to practice. This book will be kept in class everyday, and will be taken home for assignments periodically.
Barrons Review Book: Let’s Review: Earth Science The Physical Setting Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. o This is OPTIONAL, but is a good book if you are looking for extra Regents practice!
What should we expect this year?
Students in “Regents Earth Science – The Physical Setting” will discover ideas and information about planet Earth. We will use techniques such as experimentation, observation, measurement and graphing to explore many Earth-related topics. Students will be expected to work creatively, collaboratively, and constructively with their classmates.
The culmination of this course is the high-school level Regents Exam given in June. This exam includes multiple-choice questions, reading comprehension questions, and constructed-response questions, along with a separate lab performance portion. Students who pass this exam will receive credit towards their high school requirements for science.
Regents Earth Science has a state lab requirement (see below), so we will be completing many laboratory activities. A copy of the core curriculum and other information about the course “Physical Setting/Earth Science” may be downloaded at the following website: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/earthsci.pdf Regents Earth Science
2015-2016 Course Syllabus
THE COURSE: The Physical Setting /Earth Science Core Curriculum follows the sequence of Key Ideas and Performance Indicators listed in Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science, and Technology. An outline of the material that we will discover includes the following, not in order:
Climate: Astronomy: The Water Cycle Terrestrial Coordinates (Latitude/Longitude) Geographic Factors Earth’s Motions (Rotation/Revolution) Human Influence Seasons & Insolation Solar System Meteorology: Deep Space Weather Variables (Temperature, Moisture, Pressure, Wind) Geology: The Atmosphere Landscapes/Topographic Maps Weather Systems (Air Masses, Fronts, Weathering, Erosion, & Deposition Cyclones) Minerals & Rocks Weather Forecasting Plate Tectonics Severe Weather Earth”s History
Course Elements
Laboratory Exercises : Laboratory work is an integral and exciting part of this course. New York State requires written evidence of satisfactorily completing a minimum of 1200 minutes of lab work before being allowed to sit for the exam in June. Lab assignments will vary in the number of minutes. Students will conduct laboratory experiments both independently and cooperatively throughout the school year. All labs must be kept in a binder or folder within the classroom after being graded.
Homework: Students can expect homework assignments each day. These assignments include pre-lab, post lab, review work, practice regents questions, practice regents exams, as well as enrichment activities and long term assignments.
Test/Quizzes: Test and/or quizzes follow each topic. They may be announced or unannounced, and may be performance (skill) based or content based.
Grading
Each student’s quarterly grade will be determined using a weighted system:
40% Test Average 30% Lab Average 20% Quiz Average 10% Homework / Participation
2
Regents Earth Science
2015-2016 Course Syllabus
SEE MR. IZZO’S WEBSITE FOR ASSIGNMENTS AND OTHER RELEVANT LINKS! *** It is the student’s responsibility to obtain missed assignments. Any missed work is due the day following the student’s return. If there is an issue that needs special consideration, please let Mr. Izzo know. Students will have an opportunity to earn half of the credit the following day, if not turned in on time. No assignments will be collected more than one day after the original due date.
Any student found copying another student’s work will automatically receive no credit for that assignment. Students caught cheating on test/quizzes will result in no credit for that test/quiz and possible disciplinary action.
I have 5 simple behaviors that I expect of students in my classroom: (1) Be diligent. Complete your work on time, and be sure that it is done well! (2) Be on time. Be in your chair and working when the bell rings. (3) Be respectful. Respect others’ personal space and property. (4) Participate constructively. Be helpful and positive towards your classmates. (5) Be honest. Complete all of your work on your own and cite your sources!
I am looking forward to an excellent school year!
Sincerely,
Greg Izzo Earth Science Teacher Westhampton Beach Middle School
Please cut off and return to Mr. Izzo for your first homework grade!
Dear Mr. Izzo,
I have read the 2015-2016 Regents Earth Science syllabus and have discussed it with my child.
Student’s Name (please print) ______
Parent/Guardian Signature ______
3