7th Grade Science
Ms. Kelly
Welcome to 7th Grade Science!
What will I learn about?
Course Outline:
Earth Science
Life Science
What will I need to bring to class?
Materials:
1 to 2” 3-ring binder
Lined Paper
Pencil
Section Dividers (5)
What are the rules?
There are TWO main rules to follow:
1. Be respectful
2. Be safe
Respect-yourself, others, your teacher, classroom property, &
animals in the classroom!
For example: Remain in your seats!
Never talk while the teacher or a classmate is speaking. During discussions wait
until your classmate is finished before making a statement.
(I will also be respectful of you!)
Safety-no running, wear your goggles, do NOT pick up broken glass, report ALL
accidents to the teacher, assume all chemicals are hazardous, dispose of
chemicals properly, inform teacher of ANY spills, keep workspace neat and
clean!
You will receive a safety contract that you will need to read with your parent(s)
and both sign the contract.
BAMS SCHOOL-WIDE RULES ~
Be Respectful, Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Here & Be Ready
How will I earn my grade?
Notebooks: It will be your responsibility to keep your notebook neat and
organized. I will ask you to keep dividers in your notebook for separate sections
for QODs, vocab lists, current units, and past units. I will help you throughout the
year to maintain order in your notebook. Often I reward you for keeping all of your
science material and for good organization with extra credit.
Tests/Quizzes: In the form of paper/pencil test, take-home, lab practical, etc.
Homework: Homework will be assigned to prepare you for next class or reinforce
a topic covered in class. Most homework will be worth 5 pts and will graded on
completion. Half credit will be given to incomplete work. We will go over the
homework in class so if no attempt was made you will be given a zero for the
assignment.
Question of the Day (QOD): At the beginning of class I will have a question on
the overhead that will be a review question. You will be expected to write down
the question daily. I will provide you with a QOD worksheet. It may be fill in the
blank(s), short answer, or multiple-choice. We will discuss the question and the
answer. Near the end of each marking period I will give you a QOD test. The test
will consist of the every question we cover in class. This can be an easy grade if
you make sure you write down the questions and the answers and study them
throughout the year. The test will not be in the same order!!!
Lab reports: Throughout the year you will need to write up lab reports. Grading
will vary based on the extent of the report. I may require you to pass in a formal
lab report. This report will need to be typed. Detailed instructions will be given
for lab reports.
Projects/Presentations: Occasionally I will require you to give a short group or
individual presentation. I also love when you do projects! In both cases you will be
given a rubric and instructions to follow.
Article/Video Reflections: It is important to read articles on issues of science in
the news. I will assign you to read many articles on related topics throughout the
year. Occasionally you will need to read the article and write a reflection. A
reflection tells me what you thought about the article or issue. Did you enjoy it?
Hate it? Did it make you mad? Surprised? Did you agree or disagree? Most
reflections will be worth 20 pts each. The same may apply for any video watched
during class.
Vocabulary Notebooks: You will be exposed to many new vocabulary words this
year in science. I use a variety of strategies to familiarize you with the vocabulary
in each unit. You will write words “list” that allow you to self-assess your learning,
play vocabulary games, complete word sorts, and keep up with a vocabulary
notebook. In the notebook, each “entry” will consist of the vocabulary word, a
definition in your own words, and a required drawing describing the word. Before
unit tests, we grade the vocabulary notebook as a class and each entry is worth 2
points. We use this time as a review for the tests. There are great learning
benefits from this notebook so I will be strict about not accepting late vocabulary
notebooks.
Grading: Grading is based on the point system. Your total amount of points
earned divided by the total amount of possible points, multiplied by 100.
I am looking forward to a great year with you! Let’s have some FUN!!!
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Parent signature___________________________________________