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Course Description:
6th Grade Science - This course is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to apply science concepts to their everyday life. Along with being able to ask questions and solve problems, students are able to collect and organize data and draw conclusions based on their findings. While much of the focus is on physical science, the course is built on the following strands: scientific investigations and reasoning; matter and energy; force, motion, and energy; earth and space; and organisms and environment.

6th Grade Science Pre-AP - 6th Grade PreAP Science curriculum studies the same topics as 6th grade on-level but with more depth and complexity. In 6th grade PreAP science there is a focus on students doing inquiry-based science by designing and conducting their own investigations, learning to use and develop critical thinking skills, and problem-solving methods. The course is intended to ground students in the inquiry skills of science and encourage thinking and acting like a scientist. In addition, the course will assist in preparing students for the high school Advanced Placement program.

Course Goals:
Students who complete this course successfully will be able to:

• Use structures to identify cell types.
• Explain the interactions of energy, forces, and motion.
• Understand how the layers of the Earth affect plate tectonics.
• Identify the elements present on Earth and recognize how they are organized in the Periodic Table of Elements.
• Comprehend the movement of thermal energy and energy transformations.
• Identify the parts of our solar system.
• Seek answers to questions and draw conclusions from investigations.
• Think and act like a scientist.

Student Evaluation: 
The grading system for this course is as follows:

• Middle School (on-level and Pre-AP) – 60% Major, 40% Minor
• Major grades – tests (including District Common Assessments, six weeks assessments, projects, essays, research papers, presentations); minimum three per six weeks
• Minor grades – quizzes, daily assignments, journals; minimum four per six weeks
• Semester exams will count 1/7 of the semester grade
• A letter system (S, N, U) is used to report a student’s conduct based on proper/responsive conduct.

Tutorials

• Tutorials are offered 5 days a week from 7:45-8:15 in my classroom #219
• Coming to tutorials is a student’s option/responsibility
• Come to tutorials as soon as you do not understand a concept, don’t wait!
• Please don’t wait until the day before a test to come to tutorials. Allow yourself more time to understand fully the concepts you might struggle with.
• “Showing Up” to tutorials does not determine if a student’s grade will be raised; it is their understanding and daily commitment to producing quality work that effects the grade the most

Teachers are not responsible for a student’s choice to show up or not to show up to tutorials

The corrections policy applies only to initial identified major grades (i.e., summative assessments, projects, and other identified major grades, and does not apply to daily assignments, quizzes, six-week test given, and semester final examinations).

Corrections

• A student will not be allowed to redo an assignment for which he/she received a zero or to retake a test for which the student received a zero. In addition, the student must have made an attempt on the initial assignment/assessment. This decision is at teacher discretion.
• The teacher will only notify the students, as a class, that corrections are available for a test. The teacher will not single out students to remind them of their individual grade, or that it might be in their best interest to do the corrections.
• The student must make the choice to come to tutorials to make their corrections for which he/she earned a failing grade within the 3 days that the teacher provides to students. If the student does not complete their corrections the first day, they must come till they complete the correction process.
• The student is required to attend tutorials to complete corrections.
• If the corrections protocol is not followed or not completed the student will not receive correction credit, their original grade will stand.
• The teacher will determine the corrections due dates and post them in the classroom.
• The highest available grade on the corrections for a failing grade of 69% or below is a 70%.
• If a student receives a 70%-84% they may correct up to an 85%
• The opportunity to complete corrections is a one-time offering per assessment. If the protocol is not followed / not completed within the 3 day time frame provided to all students, then the student’s original grade stands as previously mentioned.

Late Work:

Late work is defined as any assignment not turned in on the assigned date unless the date is altered by the teacher.  Work must be complete before it will be accepted for grading.  An assignment will have 10 points deducted for each day it is late.  After three school days, a zero will be recorded.  A student will not be allowed to redo an assignment for which he/she received a zero or to retake a test for which the student received a zero.

Class Assignments, exams, expectations outside of the classroom:

• Class Assignments not completed during class time are expected to be completed on student’s time and ready for the next class.
• Students will be assigned projects that may require work to be done outside of class

(Research) and are major grades.

• Students will be provided with study guides or a review for exams and are expected to study outside of the classroom as needed for their understanding. Journals go home as needed; students are expected to have them for the next class as we work in them daily.

Attendance/Tardy Policy/Make-Up Work:

When a student is absent, he or she should come to tutorials and find out what they missed and what specific work they need to catch up on. Class time is not the time to have this conversation. Students have one day for each day missed plus one additional day in which to complete all make-up work. If there are special circumstances I must have written notification via email, from a parent/guardian and decisions about any extensions will be discussed at that time.

Any assignments given before the absence are due the first day the student returns to school.

As much as possible, assignments may be given and completed ahead of time. Any assignments given before the absence are due upon the student's return to school. Please feel free to contact the front office to arrange for any work your student needs for any of their classes and we will be happy to accommodate you.

Students who are absent on the day that a test is given should be prepared to take the test upon their return to school.  Make-up tests need to be completed at tutorials so that your student does not miss more instruction time.

Students are required to be in their assigned seats at the beginning of class as determined by the tardy bell ready to engage.  All personal business (bathroom/drink of water) should be taken care of during their 4 minute passing period and Before walking into the classroom. When the student enters the classroom, the teacher assumes that they have taken care of their business and are ready to work.

Classroom Expectations:

• Upon entering the classroom, students should complete the Question of the Day and be prepared to discuss their answers.
• Students should maintain a detailed and organized Interactive Science Notebook.
• Students are expected to participate in classroom discussions and complete classwork as instructed.
• All assignments should be completed with integrity and to the best of each student’s ability.
• Appropriate behavior is expected from all students to maintain a safe and respectful classroom atmosphere as well as a safe lab experience.

Academic Integrity: (taken from the ×îÉ«µ¼º½ ISD 2018-2019 Grade and Reporting Handbook)
Academic integrity values the work of individuals regardless if it is another student’s work, a researcher, or author.  The pursuit of learning requires each student to be responsible for his or her academic work.  Academic dishonesty is not tolerated in our schools.  Academic dishonesty, includes cheating, copying the work of another student, plagiarism, and unauthorized communication between students during an examination.  The determination that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty shall be based on the judgment of the classroom teacher or other supervising professional employee and considers written materials, observation, or information from students.  Students found to have engaged in academic dishonesty shall be subject to disciplinary and/or academic penalties.  The teacher and campus administrator shall jointly determine such action. 

Preliminary Schedule of Topics, Readings, and Assignments: