Princess Anne Middle School
2012-2013 Class Expectations
Teacher: Mrs. Zajac
Class: Earth Science
Telephone Number: 648-4950 (62053)
E-mail address: elisa.zajac@vbschools.com
The best time to reach me is between 9:00-10:30, for faster responses please e-mail me.
Assignment Information: Current classroom activities and assignments are located on my wikispace: http://pamszajac.wikispaces.com
Course Description: Earth Science is a credit bearing science course emphasizing relevant, laboratory-oriented
activities, integrating current scientific thought and discoveries with the major components of Earth Science. It covers
physical and historical geology, astronomy, meteorology, mapping and oceanography. Independent research activities
are included in the course, and a major science project is mandatory.
Course Objectives: The course covers all fourteen Virginia Standards of Learning objectives in detail. It also
encompasses the Virginia Beach City Public School’s science 8 objectives, which correlate to the SOL’s. These objectives
can be found by following the link on the school divisions website at www.vbschools.com
Course Scope and Sequence: The Standards of Learning objectives will be taught in the following sequence:
First Quarter
ES SOL 1 & 2
Scientific investigation
(VB 1.1-1.4)
ES SOL 3
Mapping Skills
(VB 2.1)
ES SOL 14
Meteorology
(VB 8.1-8.9)
Second Quarter
ES SOL 12 & 13
ES SOL 4-7
Astronomy and Space Science
Geology: Earth structure,
Rocks and Minerals,
Virginia Provinces, Virginia Resources
(VB 7.1-7.9)
(VB 3.1-3.9)
Third Quarter
ES SOL 9
ES SOL 4, 8, 9
Weathering/Erosion/Deposition
Plate Tectonics
(VB 4.1-4.3)
(VB 5.1-5.3)
Fourth Quarter
ES SOL 10
ES SOL 11
Historical Geology
Oceanography
(VB 6.1-6.13)
(VB 9.0-9.5)
Texts and Materials: Holt Earth Science. Students will be given notes via power-point/flip chart presentations in class
or through the textbook and classroom discussion. Units of instruction contain many critical thinking and problem
solving activities. You can help your child study by reviewing the notes and utilizing the textbook chapters online at
home. There is online access to the textbook with additional activities available through the internet. The access codes
will be given to each student and posted in the classroom and on the class wikispace. Should you need an actual
textbook simply email your request to me. Students are required to keep a science notebook that should be brought to
class daily. The following materials are needed for use in school: jump drive, colored pencils/crayons, graph paper, a
metric ruler and loose leaf paper. I will be allowing the use of personal laptops this school year for research and
multimedia creations. This is not a requirement as I will have laptops available in the classroom.
Grading Procedures and Policies:
Students will be graded upon set standards and objectives. Grades are not compensation but are instead used as a
communication tool. What does this mean? The letter assigned to the task will allow you and your child to know if they
are grasping the concept fully or if they still need to work on it. Final grades are determined by our professional opinion
of your child’s work against the standards for earth science, not by mathematical calculations. We will convert the 4
point scale to the VBCPS Board approved grading scale. Students will be evaluated using formative and summative
techniques such as tests, quizzes, class work, labs, projects, and critical thinking tasks. Please keep in mind that mastery
of every concept is the goal and students have as many chances to achieve mastery as needed.
Students will also have opportunities to determine how they should be assessed. This will allow them to shine in their
particular intelligence strength. However, they will also be challenged to get better at all the intelligence types.
4 = A Advanced proficient – consistently demonstrates proficiency; grasps, applies, and extends key concepts,
processes and skills.
3 = B Proficient – regularly grasps and applies key concepts, processes, and skills with limited errors.
2 = C Developing Proficiency – beginning to grasp and apply key concepts, processes, and skills
1 = D Novice – needs improvement; not making expected progress toward proficiency
0 = E No progress is evaluated.

Formative evaluations will take place multiple times during each class period and will not count as graded
material but will serve as communication. There are too many various methods to list them all but to name a
few: critical question/answer session with peers, experiments, projects, quizzes, and exit tickets, etc… This will
allow both the teacher and the student to determine where they are on the grading spectrum as the summative
assessment draws near.
 A summative evaluation will be given after every mini unit (I break the units into small chunks); to assess what
has been covered during that time. These assessments will include multiple-choice, true and false, fill in the
blank, as well as critical thinking application questions.
 Students will receive at least one laboratory grade during each unit, and often a cooperative group activity for
additional application/understanding.
 Students will have homework most nights; however it will be voluntary. Why? Some students have enough
prior knowledge that homework is not needed, rather higher level assignments are. Should the student opt out
of the homework assignments and then receive a lower grade on the summative than expected, they can then
do all the work they opted out of as well as a few others to better prepare before re-taking the summative
assessment.
If a student is absent, one day will be allowed for make-up work for each day missed.
You can sign up for “Parent Portal” at the school’s website to be able to access your child’s grades at any point during
the year. If you are signed up to view the grades; please give me a timely manner to put the grades in as I do have more
than 100 students. I will have grades for each week put into the digital grade-book by Friday 5pm. Please direct any
questions you have about this to me via email or phone.
A safety contract is required to be signed by both parents and students in order to be able to participate in any type of
lab activities. Students must wear goggles for most labs and these will be supplied in science class. After each usage the
goggles are placed in a UV cleansing device to ensure that no germs are being spread among students.
Help Sessions: Communication between parent and teacher is essential for each student’s success. With this in mind,
please feel free to e-mail me any day/time. This is the fastest and easiest way to reach me. Progress reports will be
issued to each student midway through the quarter and will require a parent signature if the student is falling below
average (C). Students are welcome to come before school, with advance notice given to me, between 8:30 to 9:00 for
extra help. The student’s agenda must be signed in order for the student to attend help sessions. You will need to
provide your own transportation to the school. If a student’s grade drops below a C, I will be contacting you to discuss
different strategies for student remediation and/or to schedule a conference.
Procedures for conferences, parental contacts: It is my goal to communicate and work as a team to ensure the success
of every child. If you wish to schedule a core conference please call the guidance department to schedule between 8:308:55. Again, the best time to reach me here is between 9:00 and 10:50 and e-mail is the fastest way to get a response.
Citizenship Expectations: Students are expected to be seated, have required materials, and be quiet ready for
instruction upon entering the room. Students should know and adhere to all policies stated in the Code of Conduct as
well as those of PAMS. Students will also sign a science safety contract that will be kept on record. Working effectively
and safely in laboratory groups is necessary for this subject. For rule violations students will follow the school’s behavior
plan. This includes verbal warnings, followed by parental contact, detention and finally a referral to the office. My
policy is to contact parents immediately if I have any behavioral or academic concerns.
General Information: Students must wear goggles for certain lab activities. These are provide by the school and
cleansed with an Ultraviolet sanitizer after each use.
Science is always an exciting, relevant, and successful subject. I am looking forward to a rewarding year with your child.
Please sign and return the bottom portion of this letter by September 10/11th. Thank you!
I have reviewed these expectations with my child. I will support the teacher in the delivery of instruction
and the enforcement of acceptable classroom behavior.
Parent(s) _________________________________
Student __________________________________
Parents’ phone numbers (home)
_____________________
(work)
_____________________
(email)
_____________________