There are three grade categories in each class: the Assessment grade (40% of total grade), the Content Progress grade (40% of total grade) and the Work Habits grade (20% of total grade). The Assessment and Content Progress components are for measuring knowledge, understanding, and skill in the subject area. The Work Habits component reflects effort, work completion, participation, and other non-academic areas.
All work is expected to be turned in during the class period that it is due, except in case of an absence. All students have two additional days to make up missed work for every day they are excused. Because all work is turned in when it is due, the only time work will be late is when a student has been absent. Aside from the Safety Contract, there will be no homework in science, though there may be occasional ungraded activities that will be assigned outside of class.
The grades that are entered in Content Progress and Assessment will be specific to the learning goals for each unit, and each assignment will be connected to one or more learning goal. The score will reflect the level of proficiency in that learning goal. Every student will have multiple opportunities to improve their score on each learning goal throughout the unit by revising their work and having it rescored or completing another assignment to demonstrate proficiency.
Because the Content and Assessment grades are based on mastery of learning goals, and opportunities to revisit these goals will be embedded throughout each unit, there will be no redos of assignments. Assignments are learning activities to support students in reaching proficiency. Our focus will be on making sure that every student has the ability to reach each learning goal, and their grades will reflect growth throughout the trimester. Work habits grades may not be redone.
Students are expected to bring their materials to class each day, and to enter the classroom on time and ready to learn.
During work time, students are expected to remain on task and to complete their assignments in class. When graded learning goal assignments are completed, they will usually be submitted in Google Classroom and graded. All grades will be entered in Infinite Campus.
Obviously, students are expected to engage in classroom behavior appropriate to the activities of the day. We have covered lab safety, so students know what is expected in the classroom.