Science Syllabus
Class: 7th Grade Science
Teacher: Craig Griffin
E-mail: craig_griffin@roundrockisd.org
Phone: 512-424-8511
Room: 558
Course Outline
Welcome to 7th Grade Science! This year you will be studying many different science topics, but the focus will be on organisms and the environment. Here is the order of what you will learn this year:
Unit 1 - Life in Space
Unit 2 - Matter and Energy in Ecosystems
Unit 3 - Analyzing Ecosystems - Part I-Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Part II-Changes in Ecosystems
Unit 4 - Genetics
Unit 5 - Natural Selection and Adaptations - Part I-Natural Selection, Part II-Stimulus/Response
Unit 6 - Cells/Levels of Organization
Unit 7 - Body Systems
Unit 8 - Worth the Wait
To see a more detailed list of everything we will learn, click here to link to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for 7th Grade Science.
Grading
To see Ridgeview's complete grading policy, click here.
50% - Summative Assessments (Tests/Projects)
40% - Formative Assessments/Work (Classwork/Labs/Quizzes)
10% - Daily (Classwork/Homework)
Gradebook/Home Access Center
Click here to link to the Round Rock ISD Home Access Center to see student grades.
The table below shows grades you might see for an assignment other than a number grade.
Grades
Missing - Averaged in as a zero.
Blank - Has not yet been entered. Does not affect grade average.
Incomplete - Does not affect grade average until it is changed to a number grade or missing.
Excused - Does not affect grade average and does not need to be made up.
Re-Do Grades
Students who score less than 70% on a formative or daily assignment will be given a reasonable opportunity to be reassessed on the knowledge and/or skills contained in that assignment. Reassessment may include, but is not limited to, oral examination, additional practice activities, an essay paper, a report or project, or formal retaking of a different but equal version of a failed assignment. Students can improve their grade up to 70%.
Any student who scores less than 90% on a summative assignment will be given a similar opportunity for reassessment as outlined above. Students can improve their grade up to 90%. The grade of the second attempt will replace the first, even if the second attempt grade is lower.
Students will have one week from when the grade is entered to re-do the assignment/test and may need to attend tutorials first.
Absence Make-up Work
Students who miss a day of school will have two school days to make up the work. Students who miss more than one day of school will be given one extra day to complete the work for every one extra day they were absent.
Incomplete Work
A grade of "incomplete" will be given to work that is not finished and/or does not demonstrate an accurate assessment of a student's learning. Students must complete the work to receive a grade. The completed work must be turned in by the Monday following the week it was due to be counted. If not, the incomplete grade will be changed to "missing" and be averaged in as a zero.
Missing Work
Students who do not turn in an assignment when it is due will be given a grade of "missing," which averages in as a zero. The student may complete the work and turn it in by the Monday following the week is was due to receive up to 70%.
Supplies
3-ring binder (1-inch will work fine, but larger is okay). It works best to have this binder for Science only and kept in the classroom.
Paper to take notes: Can be a spiral notebook, composition book, or notebook paper kept in the binder.
Pen or Pencil
The following supplies will be provided when needed, but students may wish to keep and use their own personal ones:
colored pencils, markers, glue or glue stick, scissors, ruler, ear buds or headphones
Classroom Expectations
Be Safe
Be Kind
Be a Learner
Textbook
Students will have access to a Science textbook that will be kept in the classroom.
Also, students have access to the textbook online. The online content contains the book, videos, tutorials, virtual labs, and other useful resources as well.
To access online content go to: connected.mcgraw-hill.com
Username: "RRISD" followed by "s" then the student's ID Number (example: RRISDs123456)
Password: "s" followed by student's ID Number (example: s123456)
To change the default password, click Profile in the upper right corner.
Google Classroom
The daily agenda for this class will be posted on Google Classroom. Copies of papers handed out in class will be available here as well as copies of class notes, study guides, and answer keys.
If you are absent see the teacher, but also check Google Classroom.
Please note that I only occasionally have students turn in work via Google Classroom, so it is not a good resource to see if a student is missing work. Please contact the teacher to see what is missing or check Home Access Center.
Parents can gain access to their student's Google Classroom, but I believe the information they can see is limited. Therefore, I recommend the students share their login information with parents or both check Google Classroom together signed in as the student.