Classroom Rules and Procedures

Classroom Rules and Procedures Mrs. Campbell’s Class

Introduction • Welcome to Mrs. Campbell’s biology class! Mrs. Campell is your new permanent teacher. • In this course, we will gain a deeper understanding of life. We will study living things at all levels, from the all the way up to the level of the whole world! As the year progresses, we will also work to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the classroom throughout the rest of high school and college. Furthermore, we will build the thinking skills required for success in life outside of the walls of any classroom. I am excited to work with you this year and see all of you develop as biologists, young adults, and citizens of our community, country, and world.

Class Vision • I will become a biologist. • Biologists are not the people who always know the answer, but are the best problem solvers. Excellent biologists can analyze a situation and figure out what is the most useful question to ask. Then, they create a plan to answer their question. Biologists can apply this skill to scientific problems like creating new medicines as well as to problems outside of the laboratory like getting into college.

Class Vision (Continued) • The class will average at least a 3on all assessments. • I will average 3 or higher, demonstrating that I have mastered the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a college course. I will help those around me to do the same so that we will all finish the year prepared for the rest of high school and college. • I will become a self and communityadvocate. • While it is our goal to live in a world in which all people are treated equally, we must acknowledge that this is not our current reality. Each of us is born with both privileges and disadvantages that come from where we are born, how much money we have, the color of our skin, our gender, our sexual orientation, etc. It is our moral duty to create a school, community, country, and world where diversity is respected rather than used as grounds to treat people unfairly. As such, I will work relentlessly in this class to develop the biology knowledge and life skills I need to better myself and the world around me.

Classroom Policies and Procedures • Materials • Staying Organized • Absence Policy • Electronics Policy • Leaving the classroom • Food, drinks, and gum • Behavior Expectations

Class Materials • You are expected to bring the following to class every day: • 1. Pen or pencil • 2. 1.5” 3-ring binder dedicated to biology must be brought to class no later than Friday, December 6th. From that point on, the binder will need to be completely up to date with all the appropriate content. Missing content from your binder (notes, handouts, etc.) is unacceptable. • 3. 3-hole punched lined paper for note taking (kept in binder)

Staying Organized • All students will use their binders to stay organized. You must have a folder to bring your homework to and from class; your binder will stay in the classroom. Binders must be kept as follows: • 1. Write your name, the date, and the class period on every piece of paper you use in this class (this includes notes!) • 2. All handouts, notes, and graded work will be kept in your binder in chronological order. • Example: On August 9th, I got one handout, took two pages of notes, and got a graded quiz back that I took on August 5th. I should put the quiz with all my other materials from August 5th and put the handout and notes after my material from August 7th. • 3. If you lose anything, it is your responsibility to replace it. First, check the tray on the counter by the door. If there are no more copies of the paper you need there, you can either print yourself another copy or make a copy of a classmate’s paper. You can also look on the Stern MASS website (explained below) Mrs. Campbell will only provide one copy of each handout per student.

Handouts, Classwork, and Homework • 4. All class materials will be posted on the Stern MASS website. • Go to http://www.sternmass.org • From the Students drop down menu, select Classes/Homework • Click on Science • Click on Mrs. Michelle Campbell • Under Classes, click on your class period (3 and 5 or 2,4, and 6)

The Do Now • The Do Now is a warm-up exercise that gets your brain ready to learn the day’s lesson • You are expected to get out your notebook and start the Do Now as soon as you sit down in your seat • Even if you do not know the answer, write something • Always do your best, even if that means guessing

Absence Policy • 1. Check the class website for the PowerPoint and any handouts from the day you missed. • 2. When you return to class, check the tray by the door for any handouts. • 3. Ask Mrs. Campbell what you missed. • 4. If an assignment was given on the day you were absent, you will have one extra class day to complete the assignment. • Example: I was sick on Monday. The class got a homework assignment that is due Wednesday. I will have until Friday to hand in the assignment. • 5. If a quiz or test is given on the day you are absent, you must be ready to take it as soon as you come back. You can take assessments before school, during nutrition, during lunch, or after school. If you do not take the assessment before or during the first class after you are absent, you will receive a zero (unless you have made other arrangements with mrs. Campbell). • 6. If your absence was due to truancy, you will receive a zero for any work or assessments we took.

Quiz and Test Procedures • No talking. If you are caught talking about ANYTHING during a quiz, Mrs. Campbell will give you a zero. If you talk during a test, it will also be taken away, and you will have to finish it after school that day or the next day. • Keep your eyes on your own paper. If you are caught looking at another student’s paper, you will earn a zero. • Cheating will be handled according to school policy. See pages 8 and 9 of your Stern MASS agenda book for the full policy on plagiarism

Electronics Policy • 1. No personal electronics are permitted in class unless you have explicit permission to use them for research. If I see them, I will take them.

Leaving the Classroom • You must ask for permission before leaving the classroom for any reason. You may use the hall pass to go to the restroom any time besides the first and last ten minutes of class. Mrs. Campbell will keep track of the time you leave and the time you return. All restroom breaks must be under five minutes.

Food and Drinks • No food, drinks, or gum are allowed during class. You may drink water. No juice, milk, sports drinks, or any other beverages are allowed

Entering the Classroom • Pick up any handouts from the tray by the door • Enter quietly and respectfully • Sit in your assigned seat • Look on the board for important information, such as the Do Now, the agenda, the Exit Ticket, and the homework

Expected Classroom Behaviors • Be respectful of all people and things in the classroom at all times. This means: • Stay in your seat unless you have permission to get up • Respect the teacher or your fellow classmates when they are talking • Raise your hand if you have a question, comment, or concern

Use Polite Language • No profanity or other foul language will be tolerated • Pretend someone you look up to is in the room listening to you. Would you use that language in front of your grandmother, in church, or in front of our principal? If not, do not use that language in the classroom

Borrowing Pens or Pencils • You may borrow a pen or a pencil if you need one. • In order to borrow a pen or pencil, you must trade something with Mrs. Campbell. This is called collateral. For example, you might give Mrs. Campbell your school ID in exchange for a pencil. You will get your ID back when you give the pencil back.

Don’t ever say I don’t know • Saying “I don’t know” is giving up. DO NOT ever give up on yourself. Write something. Make an educated guess or a wild guess. • A blank answer is always a wrong answer.

Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior • First Offense: Verbal warning • Second Offense: Seat change • Third Offense: Phone call home and conversation with Mrs. Campbell outside the classroom • Fourth Offense: Referral

Grading Scale • The grading scale is not changing. See your syllabus if you have any questions about grading

Test Corrections • Tests are chances to learn. After each test, you will correct all of the problems that you answered incorrectly. You may be able to increase your test score by 0.5 if you turn in your test corrections on time.

Late Work Policy • Absolutely no late work will be accepted. If you will not be able to complete an assignment on time, you must speak with Mrs. Campbell at least 2 days before the due date for an extension.

Homework • You will have homework most days. If you do not have something that you need to hand in during our next class, your homework is to read for a minimum of 30 minutes (in addition to reading for any other class). Students with the strongest reading skills consistently perform the best in biology

Office Hours • Mrs. Campbell will hold office hours immediately after school every Monday and most Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:30. Office hours will always be posted on the board. Appointments can be made outside of these hours. Everyone is welcome to come to office hours at any time for help with anything. If you will attend office hours, you must do the following: • Decide the topic(s) you want to review before getting to office hours. • Bring all of your class materials related to the topic you want to study and prepare questions to ask.

Retakes • If you are unhappy with your grade on any standard, you may do a retake of the assessment for that standard. You will have the opportunity to do two retakes per semester. The questions will not be the same, but they will cover the same material. In order to do a retake, you must do the following • Schedule the retake time with Mrs. Campbell within two days of receiving your grade. Your retake must be completed within 10 calendar days of your meeting with Mrs. Campbell. Retakes may not be done during class time. • Complete your test corrections for the original test before you take the retake.

Contacting Mrs. Campbell • My email address is listed in your syllabus. Feel free to contact me for any reason.

Student/Parent Acknowledgement • Take your syllabus home tonight and review it with your parents • You and your parents must sign the syllabus, and you must return it to Mrs. Campbell the next time class meets

Classroom Rules and Procedures