Welcome to 7th Grade Science! Spring 2013 Ms. Ettling and Ms.

Glass

A Note from Your Teachers: Welcome back from the holiday break, Falcons! This semester, is going to be full of fun as we finish up learning about the brain and discover water and soil interactions together.

Spring 2013 Topics: -Finish brain function -Earth History- Water/Soil interactions Office Hours: -Come in to get help from Ms. Ettling and/or Ms. Glass any day before school or during lunch. -Ms. Glass is also available every day after school.

Classroom Rules: Respect others -There will be no put-downs or insults allowed in this class. Instead try to encourage each other. Try to notice and acknowledge the good things that your teammates do. Respect yourself -Strive to do your personal best. Help your team -In your Science Support Teams, you should be performing your job to the best of your ability. Help other teammates with questions, and ask questions you have to your teammates. Remain seated -You should remain in your seat at all times unless given permission to get up. Follow school rules -This includes being on time, wearing school appropriate clothing, no gum or food, no electronics, and so on.

About Ms. Ettling: Ive lived in Tucson for 5 years, and before that I lived in Phoenix, Arizona. I have a Bachelors of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the U of A. I used to do research on snails, and I think they are cute. I am currently working on my Masters in Education. In my spare time I like to play video games and read.

Classroom Procedures: No cell phones, iPods, or other electronics are allowed in class. If seen, your electronic device will be taken. Be on time! This means you should be in your seat, doing the Do Now, when the bell rings. If you have an unexcused tardy these are the consequences: First offense - Warning Second offense - Phone call home Third offense - Phone call home with lunch detention More than four offenses After school detention If you are absent, you need to talk with your teammates to see what you missed. You will be responsible to make up your missed work. For every day that you are gone, you will lose a participation point. This is because you are not in class to participate. All assignments are due on time. Assignments that are handed in complete and on time, can be reworked for more points. Late work will be docked 10% of the grade for each school day it is late, for up to a week. On the second week after the due date work will not be accepted. You will have 2 restroom passes per quarter. Remember to use them wisely.

Consequences: Every action has a consequence in life, and that is also true in our science classroom. If you choose to break classroom rules or if you choose not to follow the classroom procedures there will be negative consequences. If you choose to follow the rules and procedures of the classroom, and/or if you exceed our expectations there will be positive consequences. The consequences for actions in our classroom are described below, and may not happen in that order depending on the situation: Negative Consequences: 1. Warning 2. Loss of P.A.T. points 3. Discussion with the teacher 4. Lunch detention 5. Call home 6. After school detention Positive Consequences: 1. Feelings of accomplishment 2. Praise 3. Falcon buck / gaining P.A.T. points

P.A.T.: Preferred Activity Time (P.A.T.) is a program that allows your class period to have one Friday every two weeks to do activities that strengthens the frontal lobe of your brain. Every period has the opportunity to earn or lose P.A.T. points based on their behavior. Each class starts the period having 1 point for the categories of On Time, Do Now, No Food/Gum, Respect, and Following the Rules. Each late person docks the class 0.5 points. If the class is not doing the Do Now, they lose the point. Each incident of food or gum will cost the class 0.5 points. Lack of respect and not following the rules will also lose P.A.T. points at the teachers discretion. Alternatively, being very on-task as a class and/or being very respectful as a class will earn extra P.A.T. points. If, at the end of 2 weeks, if your class has 20 P.A.T. points, your class can have 20 minutes of P.A.T. on that Friday. If your class has 50 points, you can have P.A.T. for the entire Friday period. Any extra points above 50 points will roll over to count towards the next preferred activity time. Grading: 1. There will be both group and individual assignments in this class. Both will be worth 35% of your grade. 2. Participation will count as the last 30% of your grade. Every 2 weeks you will be receiving a class participation grade. You start with 50 points, and then lose or gain points depending on your behavior. Heres how: Lose points by: Gain points by: -Being absent -Your whole group working very -Being tardy hard and/or being on task -Not doing your work / not being on task -Breaking the class rules -Disrupting others learning 3. We will also be continuing participation grades that your teammates give you on group assignments. It takes several scientists to work together to accomplish science in the real world, and we are practicing that in our science class. Were looking forward to another awesome semester in our science class! Go Falcons!