Handouts

7th Grade Science Expectations, Procedures, and Lab Safety

Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,

Hello and welcome to the 2023-24 school year!  The beginning of the school year oftentimes brings many questions or uncertainties.  This letter hopes to answer some of those questions.  I will have many procedures in place within the classroom to help our days run more efficiently.  It is my hope that parents/guardians will read this letter and discuss its contents with your child.  If there are any questions, please feel free to write, email, or call me at your convenience and I will do my best to answer any questions or concerns.  Thank you for helping me make this school year a success for your child!!

Mrs. Foutz

Communication

Communication is essential!  Listed below are ways to contact Mrs. Foutz:

Email -- foutzc@minerva.sparcc.org

Phone -- 330-868-4497 ext 4705

Classwork/Homework

Assignments in this class will be scored in two categories:

• 1. “Formative Assessment” - this type of assignment is used in class as a review of concepts or for a materials check.  Students will be looking over their own work as we discuss the answers as a class.  Work must be completed for class with every question legitimately attempted to receive credit. These types of assignments may also check students’ progress during or at the end of an Investigation, usually in the form of a Study Guide. These assignments will be collected and scored by me or the student. 

          2.  “Summative Assessment” - Exit Tickets, Quizzes, Tests, and/or projects that show mastery of concepts being covered.

**Students will always be aware of the assignment and how it is going to be used in class.

Homework

The only homework my students have is to STUDY.  Students have their classroom notes in their binders... Slide Shows are linked to their Google Classrooms... Quizlets are posted in their Google Classroom Streams.  

Students, I will do my best to make sure you have time to complete all assignments.  However, this requires you to be on task and to use your time effectively.  Assist and Lion Time is totally available for you should you need additional guidance beyond class time. 

In class, I expect you to follow these guidelines when completing assignments:

**Assignments should be complete according to the directions given in class.

**Assignments should be turned in on time and must be neatly done.  

  Late work is NOT POSSIBLE - work will either be done at your leisure or during your lunch.

**YOU are responsible for making up any assignments due to an absence.

Parents/Guardians, I feel with your support and encouragement, schoolwork & at-home study sessions can be a positive experience for your child.  By making sure your child has the supplies and an adequate environment to study, shows that their education is a priority.

 Forms of Assessment

In addition to classwork, a variety of assessments will be used throughout the year to evaluate each student’s progress.  These types of assessment are:

Mid-Summative Exams - Given at the end of each Investigation - may consist of essays, short answer, matching, multiple choice, charts, and diagrams

Quizzes - May be given any day over reading, vocabulary - typically consists of 5-10 points

Notebook - All students must have a 1 inch three ring binder w/pockets and tab dividers.  Current work goes in the front pocket, notes in the binder, graded work and quizzes in the back.

**Please do not remove any papers from your child’s binder as we will take care of managing its contents each nine weeks.**

Teacher observation/Checks - Daily observations and questioning will take place during class to evaluate skills and attitude.

Attendance

It is so important that students attend school and are on time regularly. Students who are frequently absent or tardy will see this reflected in their grade.  Hands-on lab work, questions posed by fellow students, teachable moments, cannot always be duplicated and are necessary to complete the student’s educational experience.  I encourage students and parents/guardians to make the best effort in regular attendance.

Rules and Procedures

Procedures are essential in order to run an effective educational environment. I want students to have a safe and positive experience in the classroom.  In order to ensure this, parents and students need to understand and support the rules and procedures.  I am a very firm, yet fair, educator and I expect classroom rules to be followed by all.

I have two rules posted in my room.  They are “life rules” which are all encompassing.

RESPECT YOURSELF, YOUR PEERS, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR FAMILY

AND

BE RESPONSIBLE

Your teachers encourage you to be your best self. We want to acknowledge those who do what they can each day, each period, to make Minerva Middle School a good place to be.  Privileges are earned and so to be a part of the activities planned during the school year, you must show you deserve to be there. (This includes special activities, dances, and trips.)  It is our hope that we will have a great year with each of you feeling successful, enjoying your classes, and being model citizens of MMS!

Students who choose not to abide by these rules may receive the following consequence(s): Verbal Warning, Seat Change, Lunch Detention, Conduct Referral, Conference.  Any student dismissed from the classroom for disruptive reasons will not receive credit for that class or assignment nor will they be permitted to make-up the missed lesson.

In addition to these two classroom rules, I have also posted some basic lab safety rules in the classroom.  There is a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for horseplay in the lab setting.  If a student cannot abide by the directions given for each lab conducted, than he/she may be removed from the lab setting.

Course Content and Grading

This school year will focus on concepts relating to Earth & Space Science, Physical Science, and Life Science as they align with the model curriculum for the state of Ohio.  The Moon, Our Atmosphere, Populations & Ecosystems, and Sexual Reproduction are some of the areas which will be explored this year. In Advanced Science, our focus will be on Earth History, Genetics, and some Physical Science concepts.

The following is the MMS Grade Scale:

                               90 - 100   A         80 - 89  B    70 - 79  C     60 - 69  D       0 - 59  F

**Extra Credit will NOT be given to individual students for any reason as this does not demonstrate a student's understanding of content being taught.

Emergency Alerts

We have specific rules for TORNADO and FIRE DRILLS.  For the smooth execution of the Tornado drill, we must exit the door, turn left, and quickly walk to the girl’s restroom on the right hand side of the hallway.  During drills, we will simply stand together but, in the event of a true threat, we will kneel down with our heads tucked by our knees and our hands over our heads.  For the Fire drill, we must exit the door, turn left, and quickly walk to the nearest exit on the right.  We will form two single file lines by the bike racks and complete an attendance check.  MMS also has lockdown procedures in place in the event of an emergency.  These vary due to the the circumstances surrounding the lockdown and therefore, we will discuss these scenarios and participate in drills throughout the school year.  ALL of these drills require silence so that we may here specific directions at any time during the drill or actual event.

Start and End of Class

The class starts with you walking in quietly.  You may sharpen pencils, get organized, do any necessary bellwork.  You may not leave the room once you have entered without permission.  Anyone not in their seat when the bell rings is considered Tardy - 3 tardies and you will be assigned lunch detention.  The end of class is signaled solely by Mrs. Foutz - not a watch or a bell.  No one may pack things up or move to the door without my dismissal first.

Planners

You are given a planner at the beginning of the school year and I expect you to use it.  The first day of each week, I will project your schedule onto the white board and give you the time to copy the information into your planner.  During this time, I will be checking your planner to see that you are doing this correctly and keeping up each week. 

Working in Groups

When working in groups or labs, you are expected to work well with the students you are placed with.  This is an important quality as you go through life.  Each person is responsible for participating actively.  Any issues, speak with Mrs. Foutz immediately for assistance.

Asking for help

Anytime you have a question, respectfully get my attention!  ALL lunches, I/E periods, and after school times are available to you to come see me if you are unsure of a topic or assignment.

Leaving the Room

If you need to leave the room, you must utilize the e-hall pass site.  This is a privilege which is not to be abused.  If you are found to be wandering or causing an issue in the hallway, this privilege may be restricted.