Welcome to 6th Grade Science with Mr. Richardson
Contact Info:
Email = mrichar@hpseagles.net
Phone = (616) 669-7750 x3217
Powerschool = Grades online and updated weekly.
Understanding:
Science has changed for the better since we were in school. An important thing to remember is
that science has moved away from memorization toward understanding. This means that students will need to be able to apply ideas they learn to new situations. Tests and quizzes will not simply require recall, but will ask for examples and application of the concepts.
Students also need to be self-directed learners by completing homework, asking questions for clarification, emailing their teacher questions, and reviewing new concepts to solidify understanding.
Grades:
80% of the science grade is performance (tests, quizzes, and projects) and 20% is practice (labs, homework, and other classwork).
All students are notified of upcoming quizzes, tests, and projects about a week in advance. All students should expect some homework periodically in science, but not daily. Homework will be heavier the first month of school.
Flex:
•Is offered for 30 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday between 3rd and 4th hours.
•Is an opportunity to receive more small group support and instruction.
•Is an opportunity to clarify confusion and misunderstanding before a quiz or test.
Retake/Extra Credit/Tests:
• Students can choose to redo assignments, quizzes, and labs to improve their grade.
• There is no extra credit.
• In order to retake a quiz you may be required to attend a Flex period or complete additional work to demonstrate mastery of misunderstandings.
• The most recent score on the retake will be graded, not the best score.
• Students may NOT retake a test.
Classroom expectations:
Mr. Richardson’s classroom expectations are aligned with the district’s goal for students to SOAR.
Be Safe
Own It
Act Responsibly
Be Respectful
Behavior:
Consequence of Inappropriate Behavior:
1. Verbal warning
2. Logged entry in PowerSchool and Life Skills lowered
3. Logged entry in PowerSchool and and an email or phone call home
4. Logged entry in PowerSchool and a meeting with the principal or counselor
Science Units to Look Forward to:
• The Metric System and Latin - Students will explore metric length, volume, and density measurements to become familiar with how to measure and record appropriate units in the metric system. Latin will be studied to give students access to understanding scientific vocabulary that is used throughout the school year.
• Water on the Move - Students explore the water cycle (hydrologic cycle) and how human activity can alter this cycle but not stop it. Students work to describe why a local community is having flooding problems and evaluate proposed solutions to address this problem.
• The RAD Disease: Investigating and Modeling Body Systems - Students address the problem of emerging diseases and the use of tissue engineering to solve problems by learning of a fictitious outbreak within their school. As students progress through the unit, they identify the pathogen, construct explanations about how the pathogen affects organ systems and their subsystems, and design a tissue engineering strategy to repair the damage.
• The Tangled Web We Weave: Interactions Within Ecosystems - students confront the problem of invasive species by learning about various Michigan ecosystems, making predictions about how an invasive species may affect organisms and ecosystems within Michigan, and identifying appropriate management strategies for the invasive species.