It is my pleasure to welcome your child to 8th grade at Bryson Middle School and to Science instruction. I have high expectations for student achievement and behavior. Our new mission statement is Building a Mindset for Success!

These both go hand in hand. My classroom policies and procedures are posted on my website which is weekly updated and published along with many other important documents such as the Greenville County 8th grade Science pacing guide, homework, study guide notes or links, and science test study guides. Students are automatically enrolled in Google Classroom. Students should not be talking in class unless the board indicates that it is time for subject related discourse.

8th grade curriculum focuses on Physical Science, Biological Science and Earth Science/Astronomy. We use state and district approved Savvas workbooks and online books for the 8th grade units as well as supplemental curriculum such as Explore Learning Gizmos or Edpuzzles that align with South Carolina Science Standards. To view the instructional pacing and assessments you may use the following links:

● Bryson Middle School Website

● SCSS SCI - State and District adopted textbook: South Carolina Elevate Science by Savvas; Pearson - consumable workbook will be provided to students as well as an online version accessible through Powerschool.

Consecutive Units of study include:

1. Physical Science: Motion & Stabilities

2. Physical Science: Waves & Their Applications

3. Life Science: From Molecules to Organisms

4. Life Science: Inheritance of Traits

5. Life Science: Biological Evolution

6. Earth Science: Earth's Place in the Universe

8th graders have building common assessments but they do not have any common assessments assigned from the district. These planned assessments may change due to current national, state, regional or local considerations. We have 3 major grade common assessments per quarter. Study guide lists are provided. These are not specific but they are comprehensive of what the students have learned. They may use their interactive student notebooks to study as well as study with the approved curriculum, and other online study resources I will provide.

Daily Materials to be brought to class are: Fully Charged Chromebook, an Interactive Student Notebook (Composition Notebooks-2) for SEM I and SEM 2, Textbook, Student Planner, personal wired headphones/ear buds for using online techbook, spiral or loose-leaf notebook paper, black or blue pen/pencil, and markers or colored pencils.

Science Class Supply List is provided on the open house night:

8th Grade Science Class Supply List

Class required supply list:

(2) college ruled Composition books (not a spiral) for Interactive Science Notebooking, one for each semester 1 and 2. Must be purchased now as they are hard to find later in the school year with Semester 2. PTO school store does sell these.
Pencils
Basic scientific calculator
Your own tape.
Thin markers & colored pencils as your personal set to use in class for interactive note-booking.
Wired Earbuds or wired Headphones are a must for online Savvas techbook use and technology simulation use in the classroom.
NO SHARPIES and NO BEATS in our science lab classroom.
Your own glue sticks.

Classroom Supply List: To Be Left In The Classroom (Extras)

Tissues (requesting ~1-2 boxes... per student please bring to homeroom and to science class as we ran out last year by March!)

Paper towels (1 each student)

Wide Tape (Duct, Masking, Packing, for class labs and projects)

Other Class WISH list items: Every now and then someone asks if there is anything...."anything!!!" I could use so in that case please visit...

Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2TR22W743G6Y5?ref_=wl_share

Reminders:

1. Students are required to stay silent during testing and only ask teacher for assistance.

2. Please bring your own book to read on test days or use one of our class reading choices.

3. Cell Phones: 2 Options: a) Leave at home b) Leave in book bag turned off

The cell phone policy states that they are not permitted to be turned on during school hours. Phone calls home are to be made from the school office. If there is a specific personal need; I am usually understanding of this and just ask that a student come to me and explain why there is an urgent need to use their cell phone and I will permit special use outside of the classroom in the hallway during class time. This is only in very special circumstances, for example; weather complications, or after school activity circumstances. Health problems requiring a phone call home are made in the health office. Please do not text your child and expect a response during school hours. Messages may be left with the front office. Cell phones and connected ear buds are not to be on a student's person in a pocket or their hand during the school day.

Bryson Middle School Grading Scale: *subject to change by GCSD or as the Building Principal deems necessary.

A = 90% ↑, B = 80% to 89% C = 70% - 79% D = 60 - 69 and F = 50-59 ↓ . I expect all students to consistently earn a grade higher than a 75%.

Any grade lower than a 78% will contribute to a poor GPA overall. This type of a grade may occur by missing or incomplete assignments along with poor test scores.

Test study guides are posted on Google Classroom prior to an exam to help prepare students for tests as well as in class review prior to a test. These are general overview of vocabulary and topics and are not specific to test questions. Test questions often involve a diagram or graph and require multi-step problem solving, not simply multiple choice vocabulary recognition.

Students should use the daily Interactive student notebook (composition notebook) to study for tests. These are graded regularly and entered into the Power school. Labs and Lab Reports cannot be made up except with an alternative assignment packet if absent due to illness.

Classroom Grade Weighting:

Major Assignments: 50% *Tests, Projects for 1st Quarter

Minor Assignments: 50% first quarter through fourth quarter

Classwork includes Quizzes, Launch activities, Labs, Savvas Elevate Techbook assignments, Interactive Notebook, ISN checks, Worksheets, Explore Learning Gizmos, NewsELA, Edpuzzles or Homework which includes studying for tests from their own ISN or completing late/missing/not handed-in work.

We begin the year with a positive start beginning with Policies and Procedures in the Science classroom with a Learning Styles Inventory, Science and Engineering, Safety in the Lab and review of Science Lab Tools. There is a required movie and quiz followed by a required district test on science safety that must be passed to participate in Greenville School District's science labs. There is a digital citizenship class to help students recognize internet safety and correct technology protocol. The technology expectations are made clear under policies and procedures tab and reminders are given and posted during class instruction. Students are not permitted to access non-assigned internet content without persmission in my classroom. Additional supports follow below this introductory letter.

We start Motion the third week! I look forward to a productive and memorable year with 2024-2025 science students. Let's all start positive with new beginnings and new growth mindsent. Let's work together to build meaningful experiences to become college and career-ready heading into high school. I am excited for this year to begin with 8th grade science studens.

Believe, Move, Succeed!

Renee Covert, M.Ed