1. Welcome to 7th Grade Life Science Mrs. Silvis

2. Course Texts This year we will use the following texts:
Science Fusion Holt McDougal
Books can also be accessed online (

3. How Grades Will Be Determined:
Grades will be entered into 4 categories :
Tests/Quizzes - 45% of total grade all year
- (No Cheating)-if caught automatic ZERO!
Homework – 10% of total grade
- H.W. is check randomly and is graded as full credit, half credit, or no credit at all. It will NOT be accepted late for advanced students. Regular can turn it in up to 1 day late for ½ credit.
Classwork – 20% of total grade
-class work is collected. Sometimes grades for completion, but mainly for accuracy. Not accepted late.
Labs/Projects – 25% of total grade
-for each day late a lab report or project is turned in, the grade drops one letter grade

4. Notebook
-A personal Composition Notebook will fall under the labs/projects category. All students will be required to keep a composition notebook with them at all times that will include notes (using the Color Note Taking System) from the lessons, diagrams about the lesson, lab reports, visual aids, and any other graphic organizers that I assign about the lesson.
- I will check this at the end of every Quarter for a project grade. Check my website for more info about this notebook and “The Color Note Taking System”.

5. eCybermission Check my website for info on this.
All advanced student required to complete this.

6. Classroom Rules: 1. Be in your assigned seat when the bell rings.
Stay in your seat at all times unless given permission.
Raise your hand to speak, unless we are in a classroom/group discussion.
No gum, food, or drink (water is ok if you ask) in the classroom.
Respect others.
Cell phones off at all times or on silent.

7. Consequences: Pre-detention: get signed by parent.
Detention: must serve in the am wherever teacher specifies.
Pre-referral/Parent Conference: Parent will be requested to attend a conference and a form goes home to get signed.
Referral: sent to administration for chronic violations and they will follow the discipline matrix. After 4 rules are broken you get this.

8. Suggested Supply List 3 ring binder OR folder Composition Notebook
Pencils
Loose leaf paper
Pens: blue, black, red, and green
Optional: colored pencils and/or markers (for diagramming)
Optional: small calculator, ruler, glue

9. My Wish List Paper Towels Tissues Wipes Glue sticks
Dry Erase Expo Markers
Printer Copy Paper
Markers & Crayons
Tape
Loose Leaf Paper
Hand soap or dish soap
2 supplies = 1 H.W. Pass
4 supplies = 2 H.W. Passes
Each quarter this starts over again.

10. Restroom Policy:
Restroom breaks should be used during the 5-minute transition between class periods. If restroom passes are needed the students must take a yellow pass.
Guidelines for using restroom passes are as follows:
One person at a time
Can not go during a quiz or test
Can not go when we are correcting homework
Can not go out more than once during a period
Must return within five minutes
Can not go everyday
**Any student that abuses these guidelines or the classroom rules will lose the privilege of obtaining passes during class**

11. Make-up work policy
Students have 2 days to make up work for every day they are out. The work that was assigned before or on the day they were present is still due the day they return. This includes taking a test or quiz. Please check my website for assignments being missed.

12. Absence Policy:
Upon return, it is the student’s responsibility to check with the teacher about the assignment (s) they missed and complete all necessary assignments within the allowed time period (2 days from the date of return to classes). In accordance with School Board Policy, the student will have two days to complete these assignments and place them in their period’s homework box. In addition, it is the student’s responsibility to get lesson notes and worksheets that may have been missed from a fellow student or me.

13. Tardy Policy:
Students are required to be in the classroom and are required to be sitting in their assigned seat and copying their homework or working on their warm-up assignment when the tardy bell rings. Any student not in their appropriate seat, when the bell rings, will be given a consequence. 3 x’s late = Detention

14. Plagiarism Policy:
Students need to complete their own work and will not copy work and identify it as their own. Any work that is plagiarized or copied from another student or resource will result in a zero for that activity and consequences will be determined according to the Broward County Code of Conduct.

15. Cell Phone Policy
No picture taking (of the board too) and/or video taping in my class without permission.
All phones off or on silent and put away during class time.
If these rules are not followed I will confiscate your phone and send it to 7th grade center.

16. Other procedures…Copy This!
No lining up at the door before the bell rings. Stay in your seat until the bell, then push chair in and exit the room.
Do not touch any sink in the room without permission. The only sink ever used is the back sink.
Do not touch the emergency shower.
Turn in completed work to the bin/box of your period against the wall.

17. Copy This!
You can receive a H.W pass through bringing in supplies or a competition in class.
-You win extra credit through the review game. 2 points added onto your test grade = about 7%
-Hall pass is kept in the pink bucket up front by sink.
-Clinic passes are kept in the purple folder in the front right corner of the room.

18. Other Things… 6th period- put chair up on desk 1 minute before bell.
Books stay in the cabinet all year. Once you rip out the Unit you cannot go back in the cabinet.
People that sit in the front row are in charge of organizing their row’s papers into a neat pile.
The pencil sharpeners are located in the back of the room by my desk.

19. WHAT WILL ONE LEARN? Scientific Thinking & Methods Life Science

20. Curriculum
1ST QUARTER
Unit 1: The Nature of Science (continued throughout the year)
Unit 8

21. 2ND QUARTER
Unit 9
Unit 2

22. 3rd Quarter
Unit 6
Unit 7
Unit 5

23. 4th Quarter
Unit 3
Unit 4
FAMILY LIFE/HUMAN SEXUALITY
HIV/AIDS

24. How to contact me?
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me by or call the 7th grade center directly.
School Phone #:
Website:

25. Thank you!