What is Prep Check?

What is “Prep Check” ?

(OK, formerly I called it Stuff Check, which I like a lot better, but the darn English teachers wanted to chop me up into ugly pieces, pour gasoline on them, burn the pile, place the sizzling morsels in a weighted barrel and drop it in a swamp. All for using the word “stuff”, which evidently isn’t sufficiently descriptive. OK, fine. I’m not bitter. No, really.)

What is it?

Usually at the beginning of class (especially at the beginning of the year), I will do a quick check to see if you have the basic items you need to be ready for class. You will earn points toward your grade . . . or you won't if you don't have all your basic materials.

Here’s what you need to have on your desktop (in your backpack doesn’t count as having it ready) at the beginning of each class.

a.) A three-ring binder with a section for this class. If you are using this binder for more than

one class, there needs to be a divider.

b.) Loose-leaf paper (that's individual, hole-punched sheets) in your binder. Not just a piece or

two....have 50 sheets or so at least.

c.) A zip pocket that clips into your three-ring binder.

d.) Multiple pencils (with useful erasers) in the zip pocket. More than one is necessary. We all

lose pencils sometimes, so have some back-ups. Definitely have pencils, but you can also

include some pens.

e.) Your netbook, charge-cord, and case. (Or your own laptop.)

Is Prep Check really necessary?

For ALL of you, not really; you already do this automatically. For SOME of you, it helps you out a lot. Even if you and I get cranky at each other because you aren’t prepared for class, it is definitely worth doing. So, I’ll keep bothering you.

Does it affect my grade?

Yes, in at least two ways. 1.) Your Prep Check scores are little grades, so yes, they affect your grade directly. 2.) Also, whether or not I check your basic organization or not, being reasonably organized helps you have the resources you need to learn the science, which will affect your grade a HUGE amount!

How will it be graded?

It’s easy. If you have EVERYTHING, you get 5 points. If you are missing ANYTHING, you get 0 points. Yup, 5 or 0. I’m mean. Also, if you don’t have it out quickly enough, 0 points. Told you I was mean.