Princess Anne Middle School
2011-2012 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 2:00-3:40, for faster responses please e-mail me.
Assignment Information: Sign up for MySchoolMail from the Princess Anne Middle School website
(http://www.princessannems.vbschools.com/) to get your child’s daily homework assignments
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, 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 The content of the
course is based on these two guidelines.
Course Scope and Sequence: The Standards of Learning objectives will be taught in the following sequence:
First Quarter
ES SOL 1 & 2
ES SOL 3
ES SOL 14
Scientific investigation
Mapping Skills
Astronomy and Space Science
(VB 1.1-1.4)
(VB 2.1)
(VB 7.1-7.9)
Second Quarter
ES SOL 12 & 13
ES SOL 4-7
Meteorology
(VB 8.1-8.9)
Geology: Earth structure,
(VB 3.1-3.9)
Rocks and Minerals,
Virginia Provinces, Virginia Resources
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 also be given notes via power-point presentations in class.
Instruction is based mainly around the notes and many critical thinking and problem solving activities are used often.
You can help your child study by reviewing the notes and utilizing the textbook chapters online at home. The textbook is
used as a reinforcement tool and most homework assignments can easily be found there. There is online access to the
textbook with additional activities available through the internet. I will issue each child a username and password for at
home access. 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, graph paper, a metric ruler and loose leaf paper.
Assessment Measures: Teacher observation, classroom discussions, projects, labs, tests/quizzes and
homework/classwork.
Grading Procedures and Policies:
Homework assignments are posted on the classroom board and can be e-mailed to you daily via “MySchoolMail”. The
student is responsible for getting his/her make-up work from the teacher. Make up assignments are due to me the number
of days equal to the number of days absent. It is the student’s responsibility to show the work to the teacher. In the case
of a missed test it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the teacher to make it up before school. If a
student is absent on the day a major assignment is due, the assignment is due on the day the student returns from the
absence because advance notice of the due date was given.


Your child’s grade will be comprised of homework and classwork totaling 20%, hands on activities totaling
35% and chapter assessments (quizzes & tests) totaling 45% of the grade.
All grades will be updated in the grade book Friday evening of every week. Please be mindful that projects
will take longer to get graded.
Grading Scale:
93 - 100
90 - 92
87 - 89
83 - 86
80 - 82
77 - 79
73 - 76
70 - 72
67- 69
64 - 66
Below 64
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
E
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.0
SchoolNet Parent Portal is a powerful online tool for parents and guardians to monitor their child’s progress in school.
Best of all, it can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Parents
will have access to important current school year information such as grades, attendance records, student assignments,
missing assignments, notes from your child's teacher about assignments, standardized test scores, sign up for e-mails
notifying parents when their child has an unexcused absence or receives a certain class grade; detailed attendance reports,
detailed assignments, reports, and grade summary reports. Make sure you have signed up via the directions on the
school’s website.
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 2:00 and 3:40 and e-mail is the fastest way to get a response.
Citizenship Expectations: Students are expected to be seated, have required materials, be quiet and 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 a parent phone call or conference, 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.