In order to focus on student success, provide quality instruction, and communicate openly and honestly with students
and parents, secondary teachers will publish a course syllabus each term.
2014-2015 Course Syllabus for 8th Science Term 2
Teacher: Elizabeth McLeod E-mail: elizabeth.mcleod@biloxischools.net
Teacher’s Web Site: http://biloxischools.schoolwires.net//elizabeth.mcleod
Phone: 435-1421
Objectives: This is a general overview of what the teacher will teach and what the student is expected to master.
Energy/Electrical—10/17
2d Relate how electrical energy transfers through electric currents, generators and power grids, including the importance of the
contribution of Mississippi Companies (DOK 2)
2d1-2---Mississippi Resources and Companies
Newton’s Laws—10/30
2c Distinguish the motion of an object by its position, direction of motion, speed, and acceleration and represent resulting data in
graphic form in order to make a prediction. (DOK 2)
2f Recognize Newton’s Three Laws of Motion and identify situations that illustrate each law (e.g., inertia, acceleration, action,
reaction forces). (DOK 2)
Plate Tectonics—11/13
4a Compare and contrast the lithosphere and the asthenosphere. (DOK 1)
4a1 Composition, density, and location of continental crust and oceanic crust
4a2 Physical nature of the lithosphere (brittle and rigid) with the asthenosphere (plastic and flowing)
4a3 How the lithosphere responds to tectonic forces (faulting and folding)
4b Describe the cause and effect relationship between the composition of and movement within the Earth’s lithosphere. (DOK 1)
4b1 Seismic wave velocities of earthquakes and volcanoes to lithospheric plate boundaries using seismic data
4b2 Volcanoes formed at mid-ocean ridges, within intra-plate regions, at island arcs, and along some continental edges
4b3 Modern distribution of continents to the movement of lithospheric plates since the formation of Pangaea
Weather—12/3
4c Examine weather forecasting and describe how meteorologists use atmospheric features and technology to predict the
weather. (DOK 2)
4c1 Temperature, precipitation, wind (speed/direction), dew point, relative humidity, and barometric pressure
4c2 How the thermal energy transferred to the air results in vertical and horizontal movement of air masses, Coriolis effect
4c3 Global wind patterns (e.g., trade winds, westerlies, jet streams)
4c4 Satellites and computer modeling
4e Explain how the tilt of Earth’s axis and the position of the Earth in relation to the sun determine climatic zones, seasons, and
length of the days. (DOK 2)
4h Justify why an imaginary hurricane might or might not hit a particular area, using important technological resources including
(but not limited to) the following: (DOK 2)
4h1 John C. Stennis Space Center Applied Research and Technology Project Office in Hancock County
4h2 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
4h3 The National Weather Service
Cycles in Nature---12/12
4d1 Greenhouse gases
4d2 The effects of the human population
4d3 Relationships of the cycles of water, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen
4g Justify the importance of continued research and use of new technology in the development and commercialization of
potentially useful natural products, including, but not limited to research efforts in Mississippi. (DOK 3)
4g1 The Thad Cochran National Center for Natural Products Research, housed at the University of Mississippi
4g2 The Jamie Whitten Delta States Research Center in Stoneville, MS,
4g3 The Mississippi Polymer Institute, housed at the University of Southern Mississippi
The 8th Grade Science Department incorporates College and Career Readiness Reading and Writing Standards into each unit of
study.
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RST/6-8/
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/8/#CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1
http://www.biloxischools.net
In order to focus on student success, provide quality instruction, and communicate openly and honestly with students
and parents, secondary teachers will publish a course syllabus each term.
Tests and Grades
Grading: A=90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79 D=65-69 F=below 65 I=incomplete
Grading follows the policies of Biloxi Public Schools. A mid-term progress report and a report card following the end of each
term are issued.
Tests: Tests are announced in class, written on the board, on class syllabus, sent by email, and posted on the teacher's website. A
review test or quiz will be given each term. It is essential that students maintain unit notes, worksheets, and materials to assist in
final exam preparation. The CTA will be comprehensive and computer generated from a test bank pool of questions. Students
absent on test day are expected to take the test on the day they return to school. An alternate test may be given if the class has
already reviewed the results of the original test. Tests must be completed within the class period. Students will be given a book
assignment each nine weeks for a test grade. (Tests-55%; Activities--35%; Term Test--10%)
The school-wide procedure for releasing unit tests for parental/guardian review and assistance is as follows:
1) Tests will be sent home with the student on Tuesdays and must be returned by the following Friday.
2) Unit tests must be signed by the student’s parent or guardian and the test must be returned by the due date.
3) If a unit test is not signed by the student’s parent or guardian and/or is not returned by the due date, future tests will not be
sent home with that individual student.
Retesting: Anyone may retest if they meet the following criteria:
1. Must have turned in an after school form by the end of 1 st period the the counselor’s office. The student must notify the
teacher they will be staying after school.
***Student athletes must also have an after school form turned in if they plan to attend reteach/retest.
2. Complete all unit assignments prior to the reteach date.
3. Students must attend the reteaching session on the date assigned by the teacher. Students must complete reteach during the
session. Students must bring notes to the reteach session.
4. Did not cheat on the original test.
5. Refusal to take the original test will automatically disqualify the student for retesting.
6. Students must take the retest on the scheduled date. The retest will be a different style test covering the same material. The
higher test grade will be recorded.
Homework/Assignments/Projects: Assignments and quizzes are listed on the board, class website, and weekly newsletter.
Homework is due at the beginning of class. Students are expected to turn in all assignments on time. If the student is absent on
the day an assignment is due, the student must turn the work in on the day the student returns to school. Alternative assignments
will be required if the assignment answers have been discussed in class. It is the student’s responsibility to find out what they
missed and to make up all their work. There will be a minimum of one major project per term.
****Cheating: If a student is caught giving or receiving answers on any science material or test, the student will be given a zero.
****Labs: For safety reasons, we have high expectations of our students on lab days. We expect students to have appropriate
behavior. Students with inappropriate behavior on lab day will result in the student being removed from the lab activity,
receiving detention, sent to the office, and /or a failing grade.
Course Requirements: Students are required to maintain a notebook with all science handouts, notes, and returned
graded papers. Students should be responsible, neat and organized. Students need to have all their supplies each day in order to
complete their work as assigned. When in the class, students are required to be on task and contributing relevant information to
the lesson. Students will be given a book assignment each nine weeks for a test grade.
Materials needed daily: binder section for science, pencils, highlighter, class worksheets/assignments
Important Dates:
Midterm Progress Reports: November 12
Common Term Assessment Window: December 15-19
Report Cards: January 12
Biology requirements -----To qualify for biology in 9th grade, the student must earn an 85 or higher in 8 th grade science for the
year and score advanced on the Mississippi Science Test for 8 th grade.
http://www.biloxischools.net