Ms. Todd's 7th Grade Science Class at Cary Academy

Welcome students and parents to Ms. Todd's 7th Grade Science Class at Cary Academy. Science 7 is designed to be a "hands on"/ "minds on" learning experience.  Above all, the concept that science is universal and touches all aspects of life will be emphasized.  Scientific literacy will also be stressed.  The curriculum is designed to be in accordance with the National Science Education Standards and North Carolina Science Education Standards.  As I am also the Middle School Science Dept. Chair, please feel free to contact me regarding any curriculum questions that you might have.

Teacher Information-Ms. Todd

• Teacher: Joselyn J. Todd, Ph.D.
• Goals for 7th Grade Science:

In addition to Cary Academy's goals and values, my personal goals for 7th grade science 2007-2008 are to:

1. Provide an exciting curriculum and classroom for my students.
2. Provide students with an appreciation of the process of science.
3. Teach science by "doing" science and modeling the scientific process.
4. Be an open, honest, and "real" role model for students.

• Philosophy of Science Education:

Science education must be stimulating, realistic, and relevant. Students "connect" with what they experience. That is, information must be placed within a scaffold- the scaffold of individual experience. New information and concepts must either be incorporated into the scaffold of personal experience or the educational process must provide the experience in which concepts can be incorporated. One of the challenges facing science educators is to provide a structured experience which does not dampen creativity or independent thought, yet provides a foundation from which student driven inquiry can blossom.

• Education and Experience
• Parents and students please contact me via e-mail.

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Books and Supplies 

~It is highly recommended that all students have access to a home computer which has internet access (dial-up, DSL, Cable)

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Grading and Assessment

Grading

Grading in Science 7 will follow the Cary Academy Academic Policy. In short, students receive two marks for each course: one for achievement and one for effort.
 
Achievement grades in Science 7 will be based upon the following 5  items: tests, lab projects/reports, homework, quizzes/ organization of the scientific notebook, and notes/organization of the the scientific notebook. Proportionally, these items will be worth the following (note: these percentages may change slightly at the discretion of the instructor depending upon the proficiency of the students).  This year, grades in Science 7 will be based off of a total points system.  The points within this system will roughly breakdown into the following percentages.

• Tests- ~30%
• Lab projects/reports- ~40%
• Quizzes and other-~15%
• Homework-~10%
• notes/notebook organization- ~5%

Scheduled homework, tests, and projects will be documented on the class homework site. It is the students responsibility to reschedule the completion of all tests, quizzes, lab/reports, and homework with the instructor if missed due to illness, etc. In the event of illness, please refer to the homework page prior to sending an e-mail or meeting with the instructor.

Effort Marks-

The grading system in MS Science Department follows the general Cary Academy Academic Policy. In short, students receive two marks for each course: one for achievement and one for effort. Though the achievement marking system is consistent throughout the MS Science Department, individual faculty members use either a "total points" system or "weighted type" system. 

The MS Science Department also follows the Cary Academy Academic Policy guidelines in regard to Effort Marks.  Additionally, the MS Science Department has defined our Effort Mark system as detailed below.

Cary Academy's Middle School Science Program is activity-based (hands-on) and inquiry-based (minds-on). Moreover, individual student effort is required in both a lab setting (as part of a lab group) and traditional classroom setting. Therefore, on a mid-term and end-of-term basis, students will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Teamwork during collaborative assignments
• Classroom Discussion/Participation
• Homework Quality/Timeliness
• Scientific Inquiry beyond the Classroom

Tests (~30%):

Tests will be based upon cumulative amounts of material from the text, class discussion, labs, etc. Tests will be comprised of multiple assessment tools such as short answer, problem solving, and data analysis. Tests will be announced at least one week in advance.

Lab Projects/Reports(~40%):

Science 7 will be highly based upon hand-on activities and projects. Most of these will be in class projects while others may require outside work. While some activities will be individual, others will be group oriented. As science is a discipline requiring rigorous notation and data analysis, Science 7 will require written lab reports and project reports. 

Quizzes (~15%):

Quizzes will be given on small amounts of material to determine if the student has an understanding of basic concepts. Quizzes will be largely based on homework and lab reports.  Quizzes will be both announced and unannounced.

Homework(~10%):

Homework will be assigned regularly over concepts discussed in class. Homework assignments can be located on the intranet site. Homework is due at the start of class on the due date.  NOTE:  ALL HOMEWORK THAT IS NOT HANDED IN AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS WILL BE REGARDED AS A LATE HOMEWORK. Homework that is one day late will receive 50% of the grade it receives.  Arrangements should be made with Ms. Todd if homework is not completed due to illness, special circumstances, etc.

It is the students responsibility to reschedule the completion of all tests, quizzes, lab/reports, and homework with the instructor if missed due to illness, etc. In the event of illness, please refer to the homework page prior to sending an e-mail or meeting with the instructor.

Notes/notebook organization (~5%)

Organization of the scientific notebook is absolutely essential to success in Science 7.  Therefore, periodically, at the discretion of the instructor, notebook "checks" will be conducted.  Likewise, it is very important that students are able to keep accurate notes from discussion/lecture (not often) in class.  These also will be evaluated at the discretion of the instructor.

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Student Conduct 

"Science is only fun if it can be conducted in a safe, tolerant, and respectful setting."

General student conduct:

Students are expected to abide by the following guidelines in Ms. Todd's Science 7 Class:

• Be on time to class and be prepared to "do" science
• Be "on task" during experiments and labs
• Be courteous to Ms. Todd, Guest speakers, and all fellow class members. This includes respecting everyone's right to an opinion, answer, question, etc.
• Move quietly and efficiently into work/lab groups
• Abide by the safety rules established below and in the safety contract

Additionally students are expected to abide by the Cary Academy Middle School Student Conduct Policy stated within the student handbook.

Student conduct in a science setting:

Appropriate student conduct is essential in any science classroom due to the occasional handling of chemicals, use of open flames, presence of animals, etc. Following a class discussion about science safety, students and parent will be asked to sign a safety document which states the following:

The student will:

• Follow the safety guidelines of the teacher.
• Keep his/her work area neat and free of unnecessary papers, books, and materials.
• Keep clothing and hair neat and out of the way, and will wear a safety apron and/or gloves if necessary.
• Know the location of all safety equipment (such as the fire extinguisher and first-aid kit) and of the nearest telephone.
• Wear safety goggles when handling chemicals, working with flame, or performing any other activity that might cause harm to my eyes.
• Not use chemicals, heat, electricity, or sharp objects unless instructed to do so by the teacher. When using these items, the student will abide by the teachers instructions.
• Be especially careful when using glassware. When heating glassware, I will make sure that it is made of heat-resistant material, and I will never use cracked or chipped glassware.
• Wash my hands immediately after handling hazardous materials and will clean up all work areas before leaving the laboratory. This includes putting away all of the equipment and supplies, and turning off all water faucets, gas outlets, burners, and electric hot plates.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Joselyn J. Todd, All Rights Reserved, joselyn_todd@caryacademy.org