COVID-19 Addendum
In the event of absence, illness, extended leave, or soft school closure, all lesson material and assignments will be continue to be available through Canvas, which is the default source of information and assignments for this course. (If you have trouble accessing your Canvas account, contact the LPHS main office.)
When you are absent, you are expected to review the lesson material for the day(s) you missed, complete/submit any assignments on time, and otherwise be prepared to return to school ready for the next lesson(s).
Face masks. Under executive order of the Utah governor, face coverings (masks) must be worn at all times in the classroom, until further notice. Students who do not wear masks (or do not wear them correctly, covering both mouth and nose) will be asked to leave. Our classrooms and class sizes do not permit social distancing. You should anticipate no exceptions to the face covering policy in this course. Neither the teacher, principal, nor Alpine School District made this rule, but it will be rigorously enforced in this class.
When you are absent, you are expected to review the lesson material for the day(s) you missed, complete/submit any assignments on time, and otherwise be prepared to return to school ready for the next lesson(s).
Face masks. Under executive order of the Utah governor, face coverings (masks) must be worn at all times in the classroom, until further notice. Students who do not wear masks (or do not wear them correctly, covering both mouth and nose) will be asked to leave. Our classrooms and class sizes do not permit social distancing. You should anticipate no exceptions to the face covering policy in this course. Neither the teacher, principal, nor Alpine School District made this rule, but it will be rigorously enforced in this class.
LPHS Chemistry
Course Description: In this course, you will learn about the physical world around you. Substances can be described by their chemical structure or properties. Substances can be made of molecules and these molecules are made of atoms. When parts come together, the whole often has properties that are very different from its parts. The formation of compounds results in a great diversity of matter from a limited number of elements. When matter combines, energy is absorbed or released and matter is rearranged to make new substances with new properties.
Secondary Math 2 is prerequisite/co-requisite for this course. We will be using algebra as a tool to help us analyze and understand the world around us. Lone Peak students who have successfully completed Physics and/or are currently enrolled in Secondary Math 2 should have the necessary skills to succeed in this course. The text we will occasionally use in class is Modern Chemistry, by Davis. You may go to the book depository and check out a copy of this textbook to keep at home if you wish, but you are not required to. You may also use the USOE OER chemistry text (free online or pdf version) as a resource.
What You Will Learn: Chemistry is organized around major concepts of matter, structure, energy, and change. Students will be taught how to think scientifically as they conduct experiments and analyze data. Students will learn the content of the Utah Core Curriculum for Chemistry. The core may be viewed here.
How You Will Show What You Learned: Students will demonstrate their understanding of Chemistry through their lab reports, assignments, projects, quizzes, and unit tests. Work is generally submitted online, and missing class does not change the due date for an assignment. If you turn in an assignment late, be sure to turn it in on or before the unit Late-Work Deadline listed on the online calendar. After that deadline you may not receive credit. If your absence is unexcused, you will receive a zero for the work you missed.
What To Do If You Don’t Learn It: If you begin to feel overwhelmed, or if you think you may need some help, please come see your teacher as soon as possible!!! (Before school/after school.) The sooner you come in for help, the better off you will be. You may also visit the class website and class Canvas page for additional help, to ask questions in a Discussion Thread, or to download copies of notes, assignments, etc. Chemistry can be a lot of fun, but if you start to get behind, it is easy to feel lost-- and it will quickly get worse if you don’t take action immediately. Make it a priority to stay caught up in this class and to come in for help when you need it.
For the 2020-21 school year, the 30 minutes immediately before and after the four-class-period-block are the times when teachers are particularly available to help students in person in their classrooms. (The time later in the afternoon is for helping online students and those is isolation or quarantine.) Please take advantage of the intervention opportunities provided during these times! In some units your teacher may stop to quickly reteach prior concepts during every lesson. In other units there may be one specific day on which your teacher offers the opportunity to improve an assignment score or a day when the teacher provides a mini-lesson on a study or review skill or strategy we think will help you. Make it your priority to focus and get the maximum benefit from these opportunities.
Due to the shortened bell schedule for 2020-2021 classes, it may be necessary for you to view narrated notes or tutorials as part of your homework in order for us to make the best possible use of in-person class time. We will adjust plans as needed to keep your learning experience efficient.
Lab Experiments: You will be assigned a lab team of 2 or 3 students for most experiments, but each student is responsible for completing and turning in his/her own lab report/assignment. For some experiments you are expected to write a formal report. If your teacher notices that one member of a lab team seems to be doing most of the work, the report grade for all team members will be lowered. While some elements of the lab report (such as data and graphs) may be the same for all members of a lab team, we expect each individual to write his or her own report. Students and parents must read and sign the Lab Safety Rules & Contract. Students unwilling or unable to commit to the lab safety contract must transfer to a different course. A student found violating any of the lab safety rules may receive a failing grade for the term.
Dry Lab: students who miss lab activities (due to regular absences, isolation, quarantine, etc) will be given access to a “dry lab” with which to complete their lab report. This is due to the difficulty & inconvenience of recreating the lab setup after the original lab days have been completed. In some cases the dry lab will include images from which students can make their own measurements and observations. In other cases the measurements/observations will already be complete, and data will be provided directly. In either case, students doing the dry lab are expected to complete all the other sections of the lab just as they would have done had they been in class.
Quizzes: We may have a quiz as class begins every day. Students who are tardy (for whatever reason) may not take the quiz. The quiz will usually consist of questions from the previous lesson. Except for rare circumstances—e.g., element memorization quizzes— these bell-quizzes are intended to be open note. Be IN YOUR ASSIGNED SEAT, paper & notes on your desk, ready for the quiz when the bell rings, and you will be allowed the privilege of using your notes on the quiz.
Unit Tests: We will take an average of four unit exams each term. You will always be provided with a "clean" periodic table to use during the test. Please bring a pencil on test day. You may use a calculator on tests. Bring your own– sharing calculators will not be permitted. The use of your mobile phone as a calculator is not permitted. On most unit tests you may also use one-side of a 3”x5” note card with any information on it you would like, provided that (1) you prepare it yourself, and (2) it is handwritten. Students must complete all tests given to be eligible to pass a given term.
Each unit will be relatively short, and the exams will not take the entire class period for most students. There will always be an assignment to be completed after the exam on test days. (These generally introduce the next unit.) Those students who use most of the class period working on the test should expect to do the post-test-assignment(s) as homework. Everyone is expected to stay SILENT while working on post-test assignments so that others can complete their tests. Students talking during this time will have their test scores docked and may receive a zero on the test if talking continues after a warning. Phones and music players are prohibited (as always) during these times. Those using any electronic device other than a calculator on test day will receive a zero even if the test has already been submitted.
There are always multiple versions of a unit test. Students who do not record the appropriate test version ID will not receive scores. No-name bubble sheets are automatic zeroes. These issues result in a forced retake which will only be allowed to earn partial credit.
Test Remediation:
Term Grades will be given on a total points basis using the following grade scale:
Secondary Math 2 is prerequisite/co-requisite for this course. We will be using algebra as a tool to help us analyze and understand the world around us. Lone Peak students who have successfully completed Physics and/or are currently enrolled in Secondary Math 2 should have the necessary skills to succeed in this course. The text we will occasionally use in class is Modern Chemistry, by Davis. You may go to the book depository and check out a copy of this textbook to keep at home if you wish, but you are not required to. You may also use the USOE OER chemistry text (free online or pdf version) as a resource.
What You Will Learn: Chemistry is organized around major concepts of matter, structure, energy, and change. Students will be taught how to think scientifically as they conduct experiments and analyze data. Students will learn the content of the Utah Core Curriculum for Chemistry. The core may be viewed here.
How You Will Show What You Learned: Students will demonstrate their understanding of Chemistry through their lab reports, assignments, projects, quizzes, and unit tests. Work is generally submitted online, and missing class does not change the due date for an assignment. If you turn in an assignment late, be sure to turn it in on or before the unit Late-Work Deadline listed on the online calendar. After that deadline you may not receive credit. If your absence is unexcused, you will receive a zero for the work you missed.
What To Do If You Don’t Learn It: If you begin to feel overwhelmed, or if you think you may need some help, please come see your teacher as soon as possible!!! (Before school/after school.) The sooner you come in for help, the better off you will be. You may also visit the class website and class Canvas page for additional help, to ask questions in a Discussion Thread, or to download copies of notes, assignments, etc. Chemistry can be a lot of fun, but if you start to get behind, it is easy to feel lost-- and it will quickly get worse if you don’t take action immediately. Make it a priority to stay caught up in this class and to come in for help when you need it.
For the 2020-21 school year, the 30 minutes immediately before and after the four-class-period-block are the times when teachers are particularly available to help students in person in their classrooms. (The time later in the afternoon is for helping online students and those is isolation or quarantine.) Please take advantage of the intervention opportunities provided during these times! In some units your teacher may stop to quickly reteach prior concepts during every lesson. In other units there may be one specific day on which your teacher offers the opportunity to improve an assignment score or a day when the teacher provides a mini-lesson on a study or review skill or strategy we think will help you. Make it your priority to focus and get the maximum benefit from these opportunities.
Due to the shortened bell schedule for 2020-2021 classes, it may be necessary for you to view narrated notes or tutorials as part of your homework in order for us to make the best possible use of in-person class time. We will adjust plans as needed to keep your learning experience efficient.
Lab Experiments: You will be assigned a lab team of 2 or 3 students for most experiments, but each student is responsible for completing and turning in his/her own lab report/assignment. For some experiments you are expected to write a formal report. If your teacher notices that one member of a lab team seems to be doing most of the work, the report grade for all team members will be lowered. While some elements of the lab report (such as data and graphs) may be the same for all members of a lab team, we expect each individual to write his or her own report. Students and parents must read and sign the Lab Safety Rules & Contract. Students unwilling or unable to commit to the lab safety contract must transfer to a different course. A student found violating any of the lab safety rules may receive a failing grade for the term.
Dry Lab: students who miss lab activities (due to regular absences, isolation, quarantine, etc) will be given access to a “dry lab” with which to complete their lab report. This is due to the difficulty & inconvenience of recreating the lab setup after the original lab days have been completed. In some cases the dry lab will include images from which students can make their own measurements and observations. In other cases the measurements/observations will already be complete, and data will be provided directly. In either case, students doing the dry lab are expected to complete all the other sections of the lab just as they would have done had they been in class.
Quizzes: We may have a quiz as class begins every day. Students who are tardy (for whatever reason) may not take the quiz. The quiz will usually consist of questions from the previous lesson. Except for rare circumstances—e.g., element memorization quizzes— these bell-quizzes are intended to be open note. Be IN YOUR ASSIGNED SEAT, paper & notes on your desk, ready for the quiz when the bell rings, and you will be allowed the privilege of using your notes on the quiz.
- IF you are seated and prepared when the bell rings, you may use your notes.
- If you do not already have your quiz-paper ready and your notes out when the bell rings, you will not be allowed to use notes on the quiz.
- Students may NOT share notes on quizzes.
- Students talking during the quiz will receive zero (regardless of what they are talking about).
- “Helping” a classmate during a quiz is the definition of cheating and may result in a zero that is ineligible for makeup.
- A five-minute timer will be visible during the quiz. The quiz ends when the timer ends.
Unit Tests: We will take an average of four unit exams each term. You will always be provided with a "clean" periodic table to use during the test. Please bring a pencil on test day. You may use a calculator on tests. Bring your own– sharing calculators will not be permitted. The use of your mobile phone as a calculator is not permitted. On most unit tests you may also use one-side of a 3”x5” note card with any information on it you would like, provided that (1) you prepare it yourself, and (2) it is handwritten. Students must complete all tests given to be eligible to pass a given term.
Each unit will be relatively short, and the exams will not take the entire class period for most students. There will always be an assignment to be completed after the exam on test days. (These generally introduce the next unit.) Those students who use most of the class period working on the test should expect to do the post-test-assignment(s) as homework. Everyone is expected to stay SILENT while working on post-test assignments so that others can complete their tests. Students talking during this time will have their test scores docked and may receive a zero on the test if talking continues after a warning. Phones and music players are prohibited (as always) during these times. Those using any electronic device other than a calculator on test day will receive a zero even if the test has already been submitted.
There are always multiple versions of a unit test. Students who do not record the appropriate test version ID will not receive scores. No-name bubble sheets are automatic zeroes. These issues result in a forced retake which will only be allowed to earn partial credit.
Test Remediation:
- See the Test Remediation page for full details about the Gatekeeper/Retake process.
- Retakes for a given unit test are only available until the posted retake deadline. Plan ahead!
- The final unit test each term may not have a test retake option, or will have a very short window, due to the end of term.
- It is the student's responsibility to make time for the two-step remediation process (Gatekeeper & Retake) before the unit late-work-deadline. If you want the chance for a retake you need to make it a priority!
- There is a 90% ceiling on retakes. The retake uses up only one punch on your slacker pass, whether you retake every unit standard or just one unit standard.
- Your retake score will replace your original score even if it is lower. If you are going to do a retake, you need to STUDY first.
- The same tools (Periodic table, pencil, calculator, 3x5 card, etc) are allowed as with a regular exam. The same rules (no talking, no phones, no calculator-sharing, write name, period & test ID) apply as with a regular exam.
Term Grades will be given on a total points basis using the following grade scale:
|
A: 100-93%
A-: 92-90% B+: 89-87% |
B: 86-83%
B-: 82-80% C+: 79-77% |
C: 76-73%
C-: 72-70% D+: 69-67% |
D: 66-63%
D-: 62-60% F: 59- 0 |
Please note that Skyward does NOT round decimal places, i.e., 92.9% is an A-, not an A.
You will do online homework and submit paper assignments via Canvas, but the overall grade (letter, points or percentage) shown in Canvas is NOT your grade for this class.
Your course grade is managed by SKYWARD, not Canvas.
Grading In Class: From time to time we may grade assignments or quizzes in class. Students may be required to grade or review the work of others, and have their work graded or reviewed by other students. (Student aides also may grade some work.) Any student found purposefully mis-grading assignments will have his/her grade docked and may be referred to the administration for further consequences.
Progress Reports: You may check your grades on the Skyward website. The teacher may post grades by student ID number in the classroom if necessary. It is the student's responsibility to notify the teacher of any errors (including zeroes which may be the result of no-name-papers) within one week of posting. This is also the case for term grades. Any problem not addressed within a week may no longer be eligible for redress. Check Skyward. Check it early, check it often.
In addition to Skyward, this course will use the Canvas Learning Management System. Every student will need internet access to complete the course. Parents/Guardians should update their acceptance of the Alpine District Acceptable Use Policy at the beginning of the school year so that students can access necessary materials throughout the year. (This is done via the Parent Skyward login.) Students must become familiar with their Skyward and Canvas accounts for this course. All students are required to have the AUP signed to participate in this class. If at any time the student’s permission is revoked, the student must transfer to another course.
Starting 8/11/2020, parents/guardians will be able to use the Canvas Guardian App via the ASD Parent Resources Website (www.alpineschools.org/parent-tech) to observe assignments and progress in Canvas. This will particularly helpful and important if/when students are working strictly online due to isolation/quarantine/outbreak.
Contact Information: The best way to communicate with the teacher is via email. The teacher may send emails via Skyward to the entire class with important announcements or reminders. The teacher may also send individual emails regarding grades and assignments. Don't risk missing opportunities because messages were delivered to an email address that has not been used in several years. It is your responsibility to make certain that you will receive information sent to the address(es) associated with your Skyward account within 48 hours. Set your Skyward-associated email account to alert your phone (or forward that email account to an account you already access regularly). You will not be granted extensions if you do not read your Skyward email in a timely manner.
Check your Skyward account now and make certain that both the student and guardian email addresses listed are valid.
Materials: You will need the following with you each class period: A 3-ring binder or folder, lined paper, a pen or pencil, and a scientific calculator. (And an appropriate face-covering/mask, worn correctly.) A good scientific calculator that does trig functions and exponential (scientific) notation can be purchased for about $14. A graphing calculator is not required in this course, but may be used if you have one. (Many math courses at LPHS require a graphing calculator-- check with your math teacher.) A cell phone may NOT be used as calculator. (A small number of calculators are available in the classroom to borrow, but using them is not at all recommended. Borrowing classroom calculators is done at your own risk-- both in terms of order-0f-0perations-errors and in terms of germs.)
You are strongly encouraged (but not required) to keep a set of wired (not blue-tooth) headphones/earbuds in your backpack for use in this class. This will allow you to listen to narrated notes and tutorials using a Chromebook when class time is available for student work. (There is a classroom set of headphones available, but most students prefer not to use them.)
Attendance:
If you feel ill, have a high temperature, or are experiencing any symptoms of the novel coronavirus, please stay home.
You will do online homework and submit paper assignments via Canvas, but the overall grade (letter, points or percentage) shown in Canvas is NOT your grade for this class.
Your course grade is managed by SKYWARD, not Canvas.
Grading In Class: From time to time we may grade assignments or quizzes in class. Students may be required to grade or review the work of others, and have their work graded or reviewed by other students. (Student aides also may grade some work.) Any student found purposefully mis-grading assignments will have his/her grade docked and may be referred to the administration for further consequences.
Progress Reports: You may check your grades on the Skyward website. The teacher may post grades by student ID number in the classroom if necessary. It is the student's responsibility to notify the teacher of any errors (including zeroes which may be the result of no-name-papers) within one week of posting. This is also the case for term grades. Any problem not addressed within a week may no longer be eligible for redress. Check Skyward. Check it early, check it often.
In addition to Skyward, this course will use the Canvas Learning Management System. Every student will need internet access to complete the course. Parents/Guardians should update their acceptance of the Alpine District Acceptable Use Policy at the beginning of the school year so that students can access necessary materials throughout the year. (This is done via the Parent Skyward login.) Students must become familiar with their Skyward and Canvas accounts for this course. All students are required to have the AUP signed to participate in this class. If at any time the student’s permission is revoked, the student must transfer to another course.
Starting 8/11/2020, parents/guardians will be able to use the Canvas Guardian App via the ASD Parent Resources Website (www.alpineschools.org/parent-tech) to observe assignments and progress in Canvas. This will particularly helpful and important if/when students are working strictly online due to isolation/quarantine/outbreak.
Contact Information: The best way to communicate with the teacher is via email. The teacher may send emails via Skyward to the entire class with important announcements or reminders. The teacher may also send individual emails regarding grades and assignments. Don't risk missing opportunities because messages were delivered to an email address that has not been used in several years. It is your responsibility to make certain that you will receive information sent to the address(es) associated with your Skyward account within 48 hours. Set your Skyward-associated email account to alert your phone (or forward that email account to an account you already access regularly). You will not be granted extensions if you do not read your Skyward email in a timely manner.
Check your Skyward account now and make certain that both the student and guardian email addresses listed are valid.
Materials: You will need the following with you each class period: A 3-ring binder or folder, lined paper, a pen or pencil, and a scientific calculator. (And an appropriate face-covering/mask, worn correctly.) A good scientific calculator that does trig functions and exponential (scientific) notation can be purchased for about $14. A graphing calculator is not required in this course, but may be used if you have one. (Many math courses at LPHS require a graphing calculator-- check with your math teacher.) A cell phone may NOT be used as calculator. (A small number of calculators are available in the classroom to borrow, but using them is not at all recommended. Borrowing classroom calculators is done at your own risk-- both in terms of order-0f-0perations-errors and in terms of germs.)
You are strongly encouraged (but not required) to keep a set of wired (not blue-tooth) headphones/earbuds in your backpack for use in this class. This will allow you to listen to narrated notes and tutorials using a Chromebook when class time is available for student work. (There is a classroom set of headphones available, but most students prefer not to use them.)
- Willful damage to laboratory, computer, or other classroom equipment, or damage due to student negligence will result in fines.
- Food and chewing gum are not permitted in this classroom at any time.
- Drinks are not permitted when Chromebooks are in use nor are they permitted during labs.
- After using Chromebooks, students will be asked to spray an alcohol solution on a cloth and wipe down the keyboard and touchscreen. Students who wish to do so may choose to do this before using a Chromebook as well.
- Classroom and lab tables will be wiped down at least once per school day. Students may be asked to wipe down chairs or tables at the end of class. Students who wish to wipe down their own table before class begins will be welcome to do so.
Attendance:
If you feel ill, have a high temperature, or are experiencing any symptoms of the novel coronavirus, please stay home.
The chemistry team has worked hard to add narrated lectures to our online content in order to make it easier for students to stay up to date or work ahead even if/when they must miss class. Nearly everything we do this year will be submitted digitally, and our course notes and handouts are already online so that we will be able maintain the same schedule even if many of us (teachers and/or students) must quarantine or isolate. We will continue to communicate via email, Skyward, and Canvas Announcement/Discussion threads, so student learning should not be interupted even if we are forced to go all-online as we did last spring. Expect that we will continue to follow the online calendar even if we cannot attend school in person.
Because of the need for an online component of our classes, this class may be filmed by the teacher for use on Canvas or Google Classroom. It is possible that your student may appear these recordings.
When students are absent, parents should contact the attendance office (763-7064) to verify the absence within 2 weeks. This is the only way to excuse an absence.
When attendance is taken, the teacher can choose from only three options:
If there is an error with a teacher-generated attendance mark (T or X) the student is responsible to inform the teacher in writing (or via email) within one week of the occurrence in order to have the mark changed.
Tardy Marks: Students who are not in their seat when the bell rings must sign in on the Tardy-Log clipboard by the door. Students failing to give the required information on the Tardy-Log will be left with an Absent (X) mark. Students arriving late (checking in) with a note from a parent or doctor must check in through the attendance office for the note to be taken into account. The teacher cannot enter parent/doctor excuse notes into the system.
Homework Policy:
Paper "Upload" Assignments
Assignments are due at the beginning of class, when the teacher calls for them. Some assignments will be corrected in class, some corrected by the teacher. This year nearly all paper assignments will be submitted as digital images uploaded through Canvas. Only jpg, png, and pdf files are acceptable. (If the file is not readable, the teacher will not be able to give the student credit for it.) Most students create and submit images of Upload Assignments with a smartphone, but this can also be done using the camera app of a Chromebook in the classroom. Occasionally the teacher will go over one or more problems at the beginning of class on the day an assignment is due-- during this time, students are encouraged to follow along and adjust their papers accordingly. If students wish to take/upload new pictures of an assignment at this time, they are welcome to do so. If you are absent when an Upload Assignment is due, you should still take a picture/scan and submit it electronically on time.
Upload Assignments that are submitted LATE will be assessed a 2.0% penalty for each extra day. Late Upload Assignments will not be scored as quickly as those that are submitted on time and therefore may not be graded in time for students to attempt a redo if the score is low. The teacher has the right to refuse to score any Upload Assignment that is submitted more than one week late.
Each unit will have a late work deadline on the day of the unit exam. No Upload Assignments or Quizzes from the unit will be accepted for credit after 2:45 pm on that date. (All of the test dates/unit late-work deadlines are already posted on the online calendar.)
Online Homework (Canvas)
In this class, Canvas Online Homework can be distinguished from others assignments by its naming convention. Work of this kind always has a name beginning with "U# HW#" and is always due at 7:45 am on the class day following the day it was assigned. (E.g., U1 HW1: Disclosure Quiz is assigned on "Day 1" (the first day your chemistry class meets) and due at 7:45 am on "Day 2" (the second day your chemistry class meets). In Skyward, these will always appear in the "Homework" category.
Online Homework gives the student immediate feedback. Students should always click the score report to see which questions are marked wrong-- Canvas indicates correct answers with a green check-mark and incorrect answers with a red X. Students are allowed multiple attempts on Online Homework-- Canvas will automatically report the best score from multiple attempts. It is VERY common for problems from online homework to appear on unit tests.
Online Homework that is not completed by its due date will be assessed a 2.0% penalty for each extra day. Students may continue to redo Online Homework (to improve the score, student understanding, or both) up until the unit late-work deadline. At 7:45 am on the day of a unit test, all Online Homework for that unit will lock, and students will no longer be able to submit it. Not being in class on test day does not change this deadline.
If you have technological difficulties, email your teacher immediately. You will not be granted lenience or an extension due to tech issues unless the teacher received an email from you before the assignment was due.
Late Work Deadlines:
The day on which a unit test is scheduled is the unit Late Work Deadline.
Your absence on that date will NOT excuse you from the deadline.
Use the calendar on the class website & the Unit Summary Pages in Canvas if you need to look up dates. All test & late work deadlines for the 2020-2021 school year are already posted on the calendar.
Absences DO NOT change due dates in this class. The dates are provided on the website and calendar well in advance. Plan ahead. Assignments are submitted online and lessons are posted online, therefore your work should be submitted on time even if you are not in class when it is assigned/due. (In the case of emergency/unplanned extended absences, it is the responsibility of the student to email the teacher ASAP to come to a case-specific agreement about missed work and deadlines.)
Slacker Passes / Extra Credit: Students begin each term with a limited number of “punches” on their theoretical "Slacker Pass." (There is not a physical pass you need to keep track of-- the teacher maintains a record for the entire class.) The number of punches available may decrease each term. Punches can be used for any of the following: using the Hall Pass during class, asking the teacher to look up your grade for you, loan of a calculator, taking a missed (tardy) quiz, redoing a low-scoring Upload Assignment, retaking a test, etc. On the last day of each term, unused punches on the Slacker Pass may be applied to the grade as bonus points. That is the only guaranteed extra credit in this course—be careful how you use your Slacker Pass. No bonus points of any kind will be applied to your grade if you do not yet have a passing grade based on your own merits. Any assignment not turned in will cost a punch on your pass. If you do not have an appropriate calculator, you may be charged a punch to borrow one—whether you want to borrow it or not.
Final Exam: We may have a comprehensive state end-of-level test fourth term. Questions for the comprehensive exam may be taken from anything topic covered during the entire year. It is strongly encouraged that you keep your notes organized so that you can use them to review for this exam at the end of the year.
Participation: We expect you to follow the Knight Code of Conduct:
· Treat fellow students with respect and consideration.
· Treat school staff members with respect.
· Attend school regularly.
· Be honest.
· Keep illegal substances away from the school.
· Be ON TIME to class.
Cell phones and music players (iPod or otherwise) are forbidden in this class, unless your paper "practice" work has already been completed and your teacher has given you permission to begin your online homework. If I see it, if I hear it, if someone else sees or hears it– participation points may be deducted. The device may be confiscated and/or the student may be referred to administration if your phone is an ongoing distraction from your education. (The same applies to Smart Watches, if they are a source of distraction.) Your attention should be on what the class is learning-- not on the latest app/game.
Closed-circuit cameras record the science classrooms, lab areas, emergency exits, and storage areas at all times. This footage may be used for security, behavioral, educational or disciplinary reasons at the discretion of the teacher or administration.
School Dress Code is enforced.
Because of the need for an online component of our classes, this class may be filmed by the teacher for use on Canvas or Google Classroom. It is possible that your student may appear these recordings.
When students are absent, parents should contact the attendance office (763-7064) to verify the absence within 2 weeks. This is the only way to excuse an absence.
When attendance is taken, the teacher can choose from only three options:
- No mark = the student was present in class, and on time
- T = the student was tardy (not seated in the classroom before the bell)
- X = the student was absent (and unexcused), arrived more than 15 minutes after the starting bell, or left more than 15 minutes before the final bell
If there is an error with a teacher-generated attendance mark (T or X) the student is responsible to inform the teacher in writing (or via email) within one week of the occurrence in order to have the mark changed.
Tardy Marks: Students who are not in their seat when the bell rings must sign in on the Tardy-Log clipboard by the door. Students failing to give the required information on the Tardy-Log will be left with an Absent (X) mark. Students arriving late (checking in) with a note from a parent or doctor must check in through the attendance office for the note to be taken into account. The teacher cannot enter parent/doctor excuse notes into the system.
Homework Policy:
Paper "Upload" Assignments
Assignments are due at the beginning of class, when the teacher calls for them. Some assignments will be corrected in class, some corrected by the teacher. This year nearly all paper assignments will be submitted as digital images uploaded through Canvas. Only jpg, png, and pdf files are acceptable. (If the file is not readable, the teacher will not be able to give the student credit for it.) Most students create and submit images of Upload Assignments with a smartphone, but this can also be done using the camera app of a Chromebook in the classroom. Occasionally the teacher will go over one or more problems at the beginning of class on the day an assignment is due-- during this time, students are encouraged to follow along and adjust their papers accordingly. If students wish to take/upload new pictures of an assignment at this time, they are welcome to do so. If you are absent when an Upload Assignment is due, you should still take a picture/scan and submit it electronically on time.
Upload Assignments that are submitted LATE will be assessed a 2.0% penalty for each extra day. Late Upload Assignments will not be scored as quickly as those that are submitted on time and therefore may not be graded in time for students to attempt a redo if the score is low. The teacher has the right to refuse to score any Upload Assignment that is submitted more than one week late.
Each unit will have a late work deadline on the day of the unit exam. No Upload Assignments or Quizzes from the unit will be accepted for credit after 2:45 pm on that date. (All of the test dates/unit late-work deadlines are already posted on the online calendar.)
Online Homework (Canvas)
In this class, Canvas Online Homework can be distinguished from others assignments by its naming convention. Work of this kind always has a name beginning with "U# HW#" and is always due at 7:45 am on the class day following the day it was assigned. (E.g., U1 HW1: Disclosure Quiz is assigned on "Day 1" (the first day your chemistry class meets) and due at 7:45 am on "Day 2" (the second day your chemistry class meets). In Skyward, these will always appear in the "Homework" category.
Online Homework gives the student immediate feedback. Students should always click the score report to see which questions are marked wrong-- Canvas indicates correct answers with a green check-mark and incorrect answers with a red X. Students are allowed multiple attempts on Online Homework-- Canvas will automatically report the best score from multiple attempts. It is VERY common for problems from online homework to appear on unit tests.
Online Homework that is not completed by its due date will be assessed a 2.0% penalty for each extra day. Students may continue to redo Online Homework (to improve the score, student understanding, or both) up until the unit late-work deadline. At 7:45 am on the day of a unit test, all Online Homework for that unit will lock, and students will no longer be able to submit it. Not being in class on test day does not change this deadline.
If you have technological difficulties, email your teacher immediately. You will not be granted lenience or an extension due to tech issues unless the teacher received an email from you before the assignment was due.
- You can't log in to Canvas?
- You think the assignment is keyed incorrectly?
- The question or assignment is ambiguous?
- The link isn't working?
- The assignment gave you the same question multiple times?
- The assignment gave you "empty" (blank) questions?
- You cannot locate the assignment?
- The assignment says it is already locked, but your teacher said it wasn't due yet?
Late Work Deadlines:
The day on which a unit test is scheduled is the unit Late Work Deadline.
Your absence on that date will NOT excuse you from the deadline.
- Online homework will lock at 7:45 am on that day.
- Upload Assignments can be submitted until 2:45 pm on that day.
- Quizzes can be submitted until 2:45 pm on that day.
Use the calendar on the class website & the Unit Summary Pages in Canvas if you need to look up dates. All test & late work deadlines for the 2020-2021 school year are already posted on the calendar.
Absences DO NOT change due dates in this class. The dates are provided on the website and calendar well in advance. Plan ahead. Assignments are submitted online and lessons are posted online, therefore your work should be submitted on time even if you are not in class when it is assigned/due. (In the case of emergency/unplanned extended absences, it is the responsibility of the student to email the teacher ASAP to come to a case-specific agreement about missed work and deadlines.)
Slacker Passes / Extra Credit: Students begin each term with a limited number of “punches” on their theoretical "Slacker Pass." (There is not a physical pass you need to keep track of-- the teacher maintains a record for the entire class.) The number of punches available may decrease each term. Punches can be used for any of the following: using the Hall Pass during class, asking the teacher to look up your grade for you, loan of a calculator, taking a missed (tardy) quiz, redoing a low-scoring Upload Assignment, retaking a test, etc. On the last day of each term, unused punches on the Slacker Pass may be applied to the grade as bonus points. That is the only guaranteed extra credit in this course—be careful how you use your Slacker Pass. No bonus points of any kind will be applied to your grade if you do not yet have a passing grade based on your own merits. Any assignment not turned in will cost a punch on your pass. If you do not have an appropriate calculator, you may be charged a punch to borrow one—whether you want to borrow it or not.
Final Exam: We may have a comprehensive state end-of-level test fourth term. Questions for the comprehensive exam may be taken from anything topic covered during the entire year. It is strongly encouraged that you keep your notes organized so that you can use them to review for this exam at the end of the year.
Participation: We expect you to follow the Knight Code of Conduct:
· Treat fellow students with respect and consideration.
· Treat school staff members with respect.
· Attend school regularly.
· Be honest.
· Keep illegal substances away from the school.
· Be ON TIME to class.
- Take care of equipment & school property (do not write on desks, etc.)
- Horseplay in the lab area is forbidden, as is playing with any equipment set up in the room. Do not touch lab equipment without permission.
- Leave class only when dismissed (or by permission of the teacher). Leaving class early will result in being marked truant (even if it was near the end of class).
- The teacher may assign participation points at his/her discretion. Students who are disrespectful or disruptive to the educational process may receive negative participation points.
- Any student who continues to negatively affect the learning opportunities of other students after receiving a warning and/or negative participation points may be forced to transfer out.
- If the teacher suspects students of cheating or other dishonest behavior on any assignment (homework/lab/quiz/test) the student may be required to complete a second (alternate) version to verify the ability to do the assignment on his/her own. In most cases this will mean fill in the blank questions will replace multiple choice questions.
Cell phones and music players (iPod or otherwise) are forbidden in this class, unless your paper "practice" work has already been completed and your teacher has given you permission to begin your online homework. If I see it, if I hear it, if someone else sees or hears it– participation points may be deducted. The device may be confiscated and/or the student may be referred to administration if your phone is an ongoing distraction from your education. (The same applies to Smart Watches, if they are a source of distraction.) Your attention should be on what the class is learning-- not on the latest app/game.
Closed-circuit cameras record the science classrooms, lab areas, emergency exits, and storage areas at all times. This footage may be used for security, behavioral, educational or disciplinary reasons at the discretion of the teacher or administration.
School Dress Code is enforced.
- Sleeves must have a cap. Sleeveless shirts are not acceptable. Most cold-shoulder shirts are not acceptable.
- Shorts must end closer to the knee than the bend of the hip.
- Leggings are NOT pants. They must be covered by a shirt or skirt that ends closer to the knee than the bend of the hip.
- No cleavage should be visible.
- No part of a bra should be visible.
- No underwear should be visible.