How do you succeed in science class?
In Mrs. Andersen’s science class, you will see that being successful and getting an ‘A’ is easy. If you simply come to class each day with a positive attitude, good behavior, and be willing to try your best, you will not only succeed and get an amazing grade, but you will have so much fun!
Students need to understand that in middle school, they need to start becoming more independent and responsible for their work, and the only way this can happen is if they begin to work on their own, at home.
So let’s talk about the dreaded word, “HOMEWORK”. Mrs. Andersen hates the word “homework” because everyone always moans about it, but students need to look at it as “work being done or finished at home” instead. Mrs. Andersen believes that students at this age shouldn’t have hours of work at home, but instead, they simply need to either practice what they learned that day in class or prepare for the next lesson.
So, almost al science work will be done in the classroom, with very little homework. But when “work done at home” is assigned, it will be:
Work not completed in the classroom and needs to be finished at home.
Studying for a quiz or assessment.
Completing an independent assignment, lab or project.
This year, Mrs. Andersen will be following the high school grading system, which will better prepare her 8th graders for what will be expected of them as they get older. She will use the 90% - 10% grading system:
90%* will focus on Academic Achievement:
Performance and application (assignments graded for correctness)
Includes: assessments (tests, quizzes, projects), class activities and labs, daily warm-ups, worksheets, digital notebook assignments (PocketLab), participation in science circle discussions - pretty much everything done in the classroom.
Assignments have due dates - work turned in late will NOT receive full credit.
10% will focus on the middle school "Habits of Work": (a copy of how this is scored can be found below)
Engagement: Demonstrates engagement and self-directed learning while participating and contributing to the classroom environment in a positive way
Focused on what is being taught
Participates in science group or whole class activities or discussions
Works well in groups
Shares ideas appropriately
Be encouraging & kind to all in the classroom
Respectful behavior
Raises hand (don’t call out)
Sitting up in class - not putting your head down
On task - Doesn’t have to be told over and over to start/complete work
Productivity: Demonstrates responsibility in completing assignments and the ability to push through academic challenges
Completes high quality classwork/homework
Submits work on time on due dates
Doesn’t give up when an assignment is too difficult
Has No missing assignments
Accepts feedback
Learns from mistakes
Does redo/retakes to improve my learning
Gives best effort
Asks for help when needed
Readiness: Demonstrates reliability by having the tools, mindset, attitude and behavior that is needed to learn and contribute to the school environment
Comes to class prepared with materials
ALWAYS starts the Do Now Assignment when entering the classroom
Hoods off, hats off, nothing in ears
Meets behavioral expectations
Accepts responsibility for behavior
Recognizes areas for improvement
Good Attendance
On time - NO tardies
And, because it is important to track a student’s performance and understanding, weekly assessments (aka quizzes) will be given. Students will need to STUDY/REVIEW for these at home using their science notebook and/or their digital notebooks and google classroom slides.
Wooster has a "Reassessment" Policy, where students are allowed to retake an assessment if they feel they didn't perform their best. BELOW, you can view the policy, along with the Assessment Retake Form that is required to be filled out by the student and teacher, signed off by a parent, and returned, in order to start this process.
Copy of Reassessment policy.docxCopy of Reassessment Policies & Procedures
Copy of Reassessment Form.docxCopy of the Assessment Retake Form
Why is "In-Class Work and Group Labs & Activities" worth so much of the science grade?
Students will notice that Mrs. Andersen's science classes are taught much differently than what many elementary students are used to. Almost nothing is done on your own, except for weekly quizzes and home prep work. Everything we do to explore science phenomena - ask questions, create models, perform experiments, discuss and analyze observations and data, build engineering projects - requires students to work together.
Students will learn how to work together in small groups and as a whole class. If you want to achieve success in science (and in life, really), you have to be willing to try your hardest, put your equal amount of effort into your group's work, and learn to cooperatively work with others.
Students will learn how to communicate with each other in "science circles", and they will see that EVERYONE will be required to answer questions, give their predictions, present their information and models, ask others questions, and even learn to have scientific arguments using data.
What supplies are REQUIRED for ALL students in Mrs. Andersen's science classes?
Interactive science notebook: this will be THE most important thing to have each day in science class, which is why it stays in the classroom most days. Your science notebook will contain ALL in-class work, notes, labs, reflections, 'flip notes', and more. It will be collected and graded throughout each marking period. If a student loses their notebook, they will need to replace and stay after as long as it takes to replace the work from the current marking period or science unit.
Daily use of Google Classroom (and having access to the internet at home): In the first weeks of school, students will sign onto their specific science Google Classroom page. Assignments, class notes, tests/quizzes - pretty much everything is posted here on a daily basis by Mrs. Andersen. Students are allowed to have conversations with each other and ask questions SPECIFICALLY about science work - it is NOT to be used for social media. When it comes to grades and being prepared, students who check and use the resources on their science Google Classroom page go above and beyond students who choose to not use it. There is also an app students should download onto their phone.
Something to write with: You would think that all students would be prepared and come to class with a pen or pencil, but it surprises Mrs. Andersen each day how unprepared her students are. She has every material you may need in her classroom - markers, colored pencils, crayons, rulers, calculators - but students are required to have their own pen or pencil.
"Homework" versus "Prep-Work" in the Science Classroom
"Homework" has gotten such a bad rap in the past few years, and yes, many teachers give homework just to give it. But in Mrs. Andersen's science class, doing work at home to get prepared for the next day's lesson or science experiment is really important. Not only does homework help students to learn to work independently on their own at home to prepare for the next day 'on the job', but it can help students to review what was taught that day in class, and help them to reflect on whether or not they understood the material.
So what type of science work is done at home by the students?
Finishing in-class work: Most of the time, students will need to take home the assignment they were working on in class to finish it up for the next day, or by the end of the week. Most assignments involve in-class science investigations, where students are using equipment and working with their lab partners to make observations and communicate their ideas, but further independent work is required, and this is to be done at home if not completed in the classroom.
Review work and studying for assessments: If you want to learn something and be good at it, you need to practice that skill, so yes, there are times when if Mrs. Andersen feels the topic learned in class that day is more difficult and challenging, she may assign a short review assignment. Again, in order for Mrs. Andersen to make sure all of her students are mastering the content and skills taught in class, she does give 1-2 small assessments each week, where students will need to go home and review for on their own.
So, think of this work not as a 'stupid homework' assignment, but as a task that will get you ready to be better at the job you will be doing in science class the next day. Read the quotes to the right, because really, without some practice, or "prep-work", you just can't be excellent at what you do.
