Physical Science Syllabus
Dr. Borst
Williston-Elko High School
Study Nature not books. (Louis Agassiz)
This statement by the 19th century naturalist will guide the instruction and learning in this course. Students learn best by doing
and experiencing nature. One of the primary goals of the course is to allow students to appreciate Science through all the senses
and to guide them in a mathematical analysis of their observations.
The following behaviors will
not be tolerated.
Instructional Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Text: McLaughlin, Thompson, Zike.(2010). Physical
Science , 7th Edition, Glencoe.
In addition to the text the student will bring the
following to class every day.
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7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
A pen
A Pencil
Student Agenda book
Pens
Pencils
Graph Paper
A calculator.
13.
Talking to friends across the room.
Throwing pencils, pens or other objects.
Getting out of your seat during class.
Trips to the trash can.
Eating or drinking.
Listening to music on an Ipad or other
device.
Wearing hats or hoods during class.
Sleeping during the class period.
Sitting on the writing desk part of your desk.
Changing your seat without permission.
Violation of the dress code.
Storing personal effects in the classroom.
This includes text books.
Answering the door or phone during class.
General Classroom Rules:
Procedures during Testing
1.
2.
3.
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6.
7.
8.
9.
Students will be in the room when the tardy
bell rings or he/she will be considered late.
Passes out of class will be allowed only in
exceptional cases.
There will be no talking unless the student
has raised his/her hand and been recognized
by the teacher.
Students will be assigned a seat at the
beginning of the year. These are not to be
changed without permission of the
instructor.
Laboratory safety rules are to be followed
explicitly. An infraction will result in the
loss of credit and/or disciplinary action.
There will be no make-up mirrors, brushes
out during class.
There will be no eating (including gum)
during class.
Assignments are graded for accuracy not
only for effort.
No lotion or tissue will be provided.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
You must have your own pen or pencil to
take the test.
All students must be silent during the test
period.
You may not help any one during the test
period.
No sharing calculators.
There will be no talking during the test
period even if it is not about the test.
There will be no bathroom permission
during the test.
Discipline procedures:
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1.
1st violation. Your paper will be taken up
and you will make up the test after school
2.
2nd violation. Your test paper will be taken
up and you will receive a zero on it. No
make ups.
3.
3rd violation. A zero on the test and referral
to the office.
Physical Science Syllabus
Dr. Borst
Williston-Elko High School
doctor and dentist appointments, etc., don’t miss
this class (miss someone else’s). Missed labs
must be made up after school
Passing out papers.
Classroom Procedures
New Work: You will be seated in a row. The
instructor will place the class work on the desk
nearest the whiteboard and you will pass it back.
1.
You are to take only one paper when the work is
being passed out.
Take care of personal needs and locker visits
between classes. No one may leave the room for
any reason for the first 10 minutes nor the last 10
minutes of class.
2. Bring all necessary materials with you to class
each day. (Notebooks, Pencils, Paper, etc.)
3. As soon as you enter the room, be seated and
begin the Bell Ringer Activity.
Graded Work: A student will be assigned the task of
passing work that has been graded out to the
students.
4. Any homework should be made available for
turn-in at this time as well.
Discipline procedures:
1.
1st violation. Your paper will be taken up and
you will make up the work after school
2.
2nd violation. Your paper will be taken up and
you will receive a zero on it. No make ups.
5. Remember the tardy “sweep” policy. When
the tardy bell sounds I will close the
door. You will then must report to the office
for a pass. The door will be closed, even if
you are just outside the door. You must be
fully in the room by the time the bell ring is
complete. No running!!
3.
3red violation. A zero on the work and referral
to the office.
6. Attendance will be taken within the first five
minutes of class each day.
7.
Instruction in Science
Each chapter in the text has 3 or 4 sections. We will
cover roughly 1 section each day. You will first
have notes on the section, then you will read the
section . That night’s homework will be on the
section. In cases of mathematical or problem type
situations an additional class period will be devoted
to the lesson.
If you return to class from an absence you must
take any test which is assigned for that day or
subsequent day.
Topics to be covered this semester:
Physical Science
Unit
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Make-up work.
Make up work is the responsibility of the
student. A grade of zero will be assigned for all
missed work until it is made up. Absentee work
needs to be made up within the time frame as
described in the student agenda. Work turned in
late may or may not receive full credit,
depending on circumstances. Tests will always
be announced well in advance. Missing class the
day before the test is not an excuse since ample
warning of scheduled tests is given ahead of
time. If you expect to miss class because of
Page 2
Title
Nature of Science
Classification
Nature of Atoms
Chemical reactions
Solutions
Nuclear
Motion
Energy
Electricity
Waves
Review
Days
10
7
7
9
9
6
8
10
11
6
7
Physical Science Syllabus
Dr. Borst
Total
Williston-Elko High School
90
My Schedule
Period
2nd Semester
1
Anatomy
2
Planning
3
Physical Science
4
Physical Science
Grading:
I understand and accept the terms of this class.
I understand and accept the terms of this class.
Your grade will be computed according to the
following scale.
Classwo
rk
Labs
Tests
Homewo
rk
1st 9 Weeks
20%
_________________________________________
Student signature
2nd 9-Weeks
20%
20%
40%
20%
40%
20%
20%
Parent/Guardian signature
home/cell phone
To compute the final grade for the year the two 9weeks grades will be averaged. This average will
count 80-% and the final exam will be 20%
Email Address
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