Princess Anne Middle School
2013-2014 Class Expectations
Teacher: Mrs. Felter
School Telephone Number: 648-4950, ext. 72068
Class: Earth Science
Email address: kerry.felter@vbschools.com
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
that integrate current scientific thought and discoveries with the major components of Earth Science – physical and
historical geology, astronomy, meteorology, and oceanography. Independent research activities are also included in this
course, and a major science project is mandatory.
Course Objectives: The course covers all Virginia Standards of Learning objectives in detail. It also encompasses the
Virginia Beach City Public School’s objectives, which correlate to the SOL’s. The SOL’s can be found at
www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Superintendent/Sols/home.shtml. The content of the course is based on these two guidelines.
Course Scope and Sequence:
First Quarter
Third Quarter
Introduction/scientific method
Measurement
Mapping Skills
Astronomy and Space Science
Geology (continue) –minerals/rocks
Weathering and Erosion
Soil Formation
Plate Tectonics
Second Quarter
Meteorology
Geology – earth interior
Geology (begin) – minerals/rocks
Earth resources and Virginia resources
Fourth Quarter
Constructive Geology
Historical Geology
Evolution
Oceanography
Texts and Materials: Earth Science (Holt). The Online textbook log-in information and passwords will be provided.
Students will also be given informational notes via power-point in class and assessments will be based specifically around
these notes; more so than what is covered in the text. Should you need an actual textbook; simply email your request to
me. To help your child study for tests, students can access the notes through the internet at http://pamsfelter.wikispaces.com. Students will become familiar on how to find these class resources in the first few weeks of
school. Due to this type of instruction students are required to keep a science notebook that should be brought to class
daily. The online text book should be used as a reference tool when needed to look something up or when needed to
clarify information.
Assessment Measures: 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 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 physical science 8, not by mathematical calculations.
We will convert the 4 point scale to the VBCPS Board approved grading scale. Students will be evaluated formatively and
summatively through 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.
Grading Procedures and Policies:
4 = A Advanced proficient – consistently demonstrates proficiency; grasps, applies, and extends key concepts,
processes and skills.
P. A. Middle- a school where every child achieves
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, 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 (typically three class sessions), 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 the three-day increments, 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 4pm. 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: I am available for extra help in the morning at 8:30 to be arranged in advanced. Students need to have a signature
from both the teacher and their parent in their agenda to be able get into the building in the morning. The student must get a ride to
school for extra help sessions.
Procedures for conferences, parental contacts: If you would like to request a conference, please contact guidance. I
encourage you to email me if you have any questions/concerns, since I have found that it is the easiest method of
communication between us. Should your child be performing below average, I will contact you to plan a strategy which
will better serve your child. I can be reached best between9:10 and 10:50am if you would like to speak to me directly.
Citizenship Expectations: Students are expected to come to class on time, be prepared, and stay on task the entire class period.
Assignments need to be turned in at the appropriate time. Violations of these rules result in consequences. I will follow the discipline
plan determined by code of conduct.
Science is always an exciting, relevant, and successful subject. I am looking forward to a rewarding year with your child.
P. A. Middle- a school where every child achieves
P. A. Middle- a school where every child achieves