Course Syllabus

Course Title:

Science Grade 8

Section and Number:

1, 9, 12, 14

Location:

Room 307

Teacher:

Aiken, Robert

E-mail:

Robert.aiken@bcsemail.org

Planning Period:

Block 2 (0935-1105)

Part I: Course Information

Course Description:

The North Carolina 2023 K-12 Science Standards are intended to foster conceptual understanding and help develop scientifically literate students. The standards provide foundational knowledge and practices within each grade band and course. The standards are organized within 11 strands which articulate vertical alignment. As students’ progress from one grade to the next, the depth of knowledge and level of sophistication increases.

Engaging in science encourages students’ curiosity, interests, and prepares them for the broadest range of postsecondary opportunities, be it college, career, or military service. The 2023 K-12 Science Standards are designed to allow students to become active participants in science - building their understanding of the natural world through observations and investigations.

The scientific method provides a common framework for introducing the traditional experimental design and hypothesis-testing process. The methodologies or approaches utilized by scientists can vary depending on the nature of their research questions and available tools. Steps that all scientists follow when conducting scientific investigations usually involve asking questions, the collection and analysis of relevant data, the use of logical reasoning, opportunities to communicate and collaborate with others, and the development of explanations.

The Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) are embedded in the standards to support a greater emphasis on how students develop science knowledge and the durable skills within the NC Portrait of a Graduate. While one practice is identified in each objective, teachers should utilize other practices to support students’ progress towards mastering the standards.[1]

Course Objectives:

·         Understand the properties of matter and changes that occur when matter interacts in open and closed systems.

·         Understand the hazards caused by agents of diseases that affect living organisms.

·         Understand the history of Earth and its life forms based on evidence of change recorded in fossil records and landforms.

·         Understand how organisms interact with and respond to the biotic and abiotic factors in their environment.

·         Understand the evolution of organisms over time based on evidence and processes.

·         Understand the hydrosphere including freshwater, estuarine, ocean systems.

·         Understand the reciprocal relationship between the hydrosphere and humans.

·         Understand the environmental implications associated with the various methods of obtaining, Managing, and using energy resources.

Topical Course Outline:

1.      Lab Safety and Experimental Design

2.      Hydrosphere: Freshwater

3.      Hydrosphere: Marine

4.      Ecosystems

5.      Energy

6.      Earth History

7.      Evolution

8.      Microbiology and Disease

9.      Matter and Chemistry

10.  EOG Review

Part II: Course Grading:

Grading Periods:

 Nine Weeks

             Classwork and Labs                                  15%

             Unit Folders                                                  20%

             Quiz                                                                  25%

             Exam/Projects                                            45%

Two Semesters

             Nine Weeks 1/2                                           50%

             Nine Weeks 3/4                                           50%

Year (Final)

             Semester 1                                                    50%

             Semester 2                                                    50%

Course Assignment Information:

             Classwork: These are formative assignments based on the standards and objectives we are currently covering. This is meant to reinforce learning; therefore, it is not expected for students to show mastery at this time.  That is why of all the grades, there are more classwork grades that are weighted the least of the four categories.

             Labs: These are hand-on laboratory experiences that introduce and reinforce leaning objectives. These experiences cannot be made up if a student misses class.

             Unit Folders: Students are expected to keep all materials for each unit in a pocket folder. There is one pocket folder per unit.

             Quiz: Intra-unit summative assessments. These can be any type of question and are usually short (5-10 min).

Exams: Summative assessments at the end of every unit. Mostly multiple choice, but can include matching, true false, and some tech-enhanced items.

Supplies:

·         Pen or Pencils (not Red)

·         Notebook Paper

·         9 Pocket Folders

·         Colored Pencils

Standardized Testing:

·         NC End of Grade Test of Science

o   The Grades 5 and 8 End-of-Grade (EOG) Science Tests measure students’ proficiency on the North Carolina Essential Standards for Science, adopted by the North Carolina State Board of Education (NCSBE) in February 2023.

o   Test results will be used for school and district accountability under the accountability model and for federal reporting purposes.[2]

·         NWEA Map Test

Part III: Course Policies:

Attendance:

             Missed Class:

Any student who misses class is responsible for learning the material from that day, regardless of the reason, excused or not. Students generally have 1 day to make up work for every 2 days missed before late points are taken off.

             Make Up Work:

It is the responsibility of the student to get any assignments he or she misses and have it done within the correct timeline. Mr. Aiken will always let a student receiving makeup work when it is expected to be in before counting it late.  

             Make Up Exams:

If it is necessary for a student to miss an exam, it will be made up during encore the day the student returns to school.

Late-Work

Work is considered late if the student does not present the assignment for grading at the time it is taken up or collected by Mr. Aiken. For everyday an assignment is late, there is a 5% reduction in the grade of the assignment, with a max deduction of 35%.

Discipline:

Champ

Champ is a classroom management system that tells students what their behavior expectations are without having to go over a different set of rules for different classroom activities. Champ stands for Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation.

Conversation tells students who they are allowed to work it, if anyone. Help tells students how they are expected to get help from me or other students if needed. Activity tells what kind of activity we are doing. Movement tells students if they are allowed to move about the classroom or lab, and participation tells students if they are expected to participate or if the activity is not required.

Consequences

Students who cause a disruption in class by not following the CHAMP guidelines will be dealt with depending on the severity of the infraction. Most of the time I will follow this protocol:

1.      The first infraction is a warning.

2.      Second time is two days (1 hour) of lunch detention. Minor referral is issued.

3.      Third time is a major referral and student is removed from the classroom. Major referrals are issued, and administration is involved.

Communication:

Email:

 It is my preference to communicate with parents and guardians via e-mail at Robert.aiken@bcsemail.org. I will do my very best to answer e-mails within 24 hours. If you send an email on a Friday or a day we get out for a break, I do not check e-mail once I leave campus for the day. It may be the day after we get back before I can answer it.

Apps:

I will not be using any communication apps like Band or Remind this year. Please e-mail me at Robert.aiken@bcsenmail.org if you need to reach me.

Cellular Devices:

Policy:

Students must keep their electronic devices, including cell phones and non-school-issued devices, silenced and away during the instructional day, except during lunch (if lunch usage is deemed allowable).[3]

Implementation:

If I see a student on or using a personal device of any kind for any reason without my expressed, explicit permission, it will be confiscated:

1.      Verbal Warning: Teacher asks student to put phone away. (Minor Referral)

2.      Major referral written & admin confiscate phone. Phone returned to student at the end of day.

3.      Major referral written & admin confiscate phone. Phone returned to parent at end of day.

4.      Major referral written & admin confiscate phone. Phone returned to parent at end of day. Student serves 1 day of ISS. Additional violations may result in loss of cell phone privileges on school grounds.

If you need to contact your child during the school day, please don’t text or send them some kind of message (text or voice) on their phone, It WILL get them in trouble! Please call the front office at 828-686-7739 and your message will be delivered to your child in a timely, discrete manner.

Laptops:

Policy

Each student at Owen Middle School is issued a device to be used throughout the year. The Buncombe County Schools (BCS) 1:1 device allows student access to educational applications, web-based tools, and many other useful resources. All users will be expected to follow Buncombe County Schools’ Technology Responsible Use policy (3225/4312/7320) and Internet Safety policy (3226/4205) as well as all other state and federal laws, board policies and school rules.

The Student Device User Guide provides students and families with information about the general use of technology, ownership of the BCS 1:1 device, rights and responsibilities for possession of the device, care of the BCS 1:1 device, its educational use, and digital citizenship.[4]

Implementation:

A student without their device is basically dead in the water. Almost all classes have 50-75% of their course work and assessments online or on a digital platform, this class is no exception. Some assignments can’t be printed. If a student forgets his or her laptop, then they will lose instruction and not be able to participate in class. All work will be expected to be done at home and brought in and submitted the next morning.

There is absolutely no expectation of privacy on the student devices. Every webpage, keystroke, and action are captured, logged, and analyzed, regardless of who is on or using it. This is for your student’s safety. However, anything inappropriate that is done with a BCS Laptop will be logged to the county office as soon as the device connects to a BCS network.

Part IV: Laboratory Experiences:

Laboratory experiences are an integral part of science education. It is expected that all participants follow all posted rules, follow my directions, and never play with chemicals or other equipment without my explicit permission. Labs are considered classwork and cannot be made up. If a student misses the lab, then they are excused in the gradebook.

All students and Parent/Guardians are expected to sign a lab contract acknowledging all the lab rules and consequences before participating.

Some labs may require that I enforce a separate dress code in order to participate in labs. Students will be made aware of this change at least 5-6 days before the lab activity. Any student not dressed appropriately for a lab will not be allowed to participate.

Part V: Learning Management Systems

Canvas is my chosen LMS for this school year. I will not use Google Classroom. All assignments (paper, lab, and digital) are delivered through canvas. Grades are updated nightly from canvas to PowerSchool.

Parent/Guardian Access:

Parents and Guardians may access their child’s Canvas course. To do this, please make an appointment with me and be sure to bring a smartphone with your email on it.

Non-School Based Device Access:

Canvas can be access from any internet connected device at https://my.ncedcloud.org.

Part VI: School Based Policies

Student Dress Code

Policy:

Per Buncombe County School Board policy #4316, the board believes that the dress and personal appearance of students greatly affect their academic performance and their interaction with other students. The board requests that parents/guardians and/or other caregivers outfit their children in clothing that is conducive to learning. Generally, dress and grooming standards as determined by the student and their parents, guardians and/or caregivers to be appropriate, will be deemed acceptable. As part of our school culture, the OMS dress code has been designed to ensure safety and security, creating an effective and respectful environment for learning. *All medical and 504 accommodations related to dress will be honored and must be documented prior to approval.

Do Wear/Can Wear

·         Clothing that covers from one armpit across to the other armpit.

·         Tops and bottoms that meet in the midsection.

·         Bottoms that come to at least mid-thigh.

·         Shoes must be worn at all times. Hats or toboggans.

·         Clothing that is opaque (not see-through) within the zone.

Dress Code Restrictions

·         Mesh clothing must have clothing over or underneath that fits the coverage rules.

·         Students may not have hoods pulled up.

·         Students may not wear sunglasses.

·         No bandannas can be worn or visible anywhere on your body.

·         Blankets are not allowed.

·         Students may not wear jewelry or clothing that attack or demean other persons due to race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, religious affiliation, or physical, emotional, or intellectual abilities or characteristics.

·         Students may not wear jewelry or clothing that displays abusive, sexually suggestive, and/or profane language or pictures, symbols of illegal drugs, alcohol, weapons or gang activities, or any words or symbols that “are otherwise, in fact, deemed by school officials to be reasonably likely to create a substantial and material disruption to the educational process or to the operation of the school, including but not limited to items that are reasonably expected to intimidate other students on the basis of race (for example the Confederate flag, swastika, and Ku Klux Klan or KKK or affirmations of white supremacy), gender, gender identification, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, religious affiliation or physical, emotional or intellectual abilities or characteristics;[5]

[1] (North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, 2024)

[2] NCDPI Accountability and Testing

[3] Student and Parent Handbook, OMS

[4] Student and Parent Handbook, OMS

[5] Student Handbook, OMS