WELCOME TO MRS. PLETTING’S SCIENCE CLASS

ABOUT ME THIS IS MY 4 TH YEAR TEACHING SCIENCE AT TIMBERWOOD. I AM ONE OF THE ECOBOTS FACILITATORS ALONG WITH MRS. WEST I GRADUATED FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK STATE. I AM MARRIED AND HAVE A 10 YEAR OLD SON NAMED JOSEPH. WE HAVE PETS: A TURTLE NAMED “SPIKEY” AND AN ALGAE EATER NAMED “SUCK’A”. WE HAVE A CLASS PET: A CORN SNAKE NAMED “CANDY CANE”. MY HOBBIES INCLUDE READING, TRAVELING AND HIKING. I LIKE TO DO LABS AND HANDS-ON LEARNING BUT THAT REQUIRES LISTENING AND MATURITY.

I TRAVELED TO NEW YORK CITY THIS SUMMER

ASK ME ABOUT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

NATURE PICTURES

PETS

WHY DO WE TALK ABOUT RULES, PROCEDURES AND EXPECTATIONS? MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A VERY IMPORTANT TRANSITION (TIME OF CHANGE) FOR YOU. YOU ARE GROWING AND PART OF THAT GROWTH IS GAINING MATURITY AND LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL PART OF THE WORLD. RULES ARE PUT IN PLACE TO: MAINTAIN ORDER SO THINGS FLOW SMOOTHLY KEEP PEOPLE SAFE PROCEDURES ARE PUT IN PLACE TO: SHOW PEOPLE HOW TO FOLLOW RULES IN A GIVEN PLACE/SITUATION SAVE TIME (LABS TAKE TIME) EXPECTATIONS EXIST BECAUSE: EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE THAT RULE BREAKING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED

SCHOOL/CLASS RULES BE RESPECTFUL BE RESPONSIBLE BE SAFE

WHAT FALLS UNDER RESPECT? SHOWING KINDNESS TOWARD: CLASSMATES TEACHER SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS GUESTS PARENTS SCHOOL PERSONNEL SCHOOL PROPERTY/SUPPLIES BASICALLY, TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED…AS LONG AS THAT MEANS YOU DON’T LIKE GETTING TREATED BADLY (PUNCHED IN THE FACE, YELLED AT, BULLIED OR IGNORED). LISTENING- MANY PEOPLE (KIDS AND ADULTS) SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING AND NOT ENOUGH TIME LISTENING. YOU MISS THINGS WHEN YOU DON’T LISTEN. I ONLY REPEAT INSTRUCTIONS ONCE.

WHAT FALLS UNDER RESPONSIBILITY? BEHAVIOR- YOU HAVE A CHOICE. IT’S UP TO YOU: FOLLOW RULES AND PROCEDURES AND HAVE MORE LEARNING CHOICES AND FREEDOM IN CLASS DON’T FOLLOW THE RULES AND PROCEDURES AND HAVE LESS LEARNING CHOICES AND FREEDOM IN CLASS CLASSROOM INCENTIVES INCLUDE: MORE LABS, SIT WHERE YOU WANT, EARN 2-5 MINUTES OF “FREE CHOICE” ACTIVITIES AT THE END OF CLASS, “CHEW GUM” DAYS BEING PREPARED- YOU NEED TO BRING THE FOLLOWING SUPPLIES EVERY DAY: PENCILS SCIENCE JOURNAL- ONE PER SEMESTER COLORED PENCILS SCISSORS GLUE BINDER/AGENDA TURNING WORK IN ON TIME- IT IS 10 POINTS OFF PER DAY IF YOU DON’T. SCHOOL POLICY.

1.Warning 2.Parent Contact 3.Visit with AP 4.Teacher Intervention 5.Detention 6.Office Referral  If I have to ask you to change your behavior more than one time, you will have a mark in your behavior log.  3 marks in one class period will result in a office referral Behavior Log System

CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR AT TMS, WE FOLLOW THE BEHAVIOR LOG SYSTEM. I WILL TALK WITH YOU PERSONALLY OR STAND OVER YOU DURING CLASS AND JUST AWKWARDLY STARE AT YOU. I WILL CALL YOUR RELATIVES AND GUARDIANS UNTIL I REACH THE ONE WHO CAN TURN YOUR BEHAVIOR AROUND. INVITE GOOD INTO YOUR LIFE SO THAT THERE IS NOT ROOM FOR THE BAD.

WHAT FALLS UNDER SAFETY? HORSEPLAY PROHIBITED (NOT ALLOWED). EACH LAB/ACTIVITY HAS A SPECIFIC SET OF PROCEDURES. WE WILL GO OVER THESE BEFORE COMPLETING. FOLLOW THEM. FOOD/GUM ARE PROHIBITED (NOT ALLOWED). SHARP OBJECTS ARE SOMETIMES USED. ANYTHING SHARP MUST BE AIMED AWAY FROM YOUR OWN BODY AND THE BODIES OF YOUR CLASSMATES. LISTEN!!!!!!!!! TO INSTRUCTIONS TO PROCEDURES FOR TIMERS/TEACHER COUNTDOWN

PROCEDURES ENTRY (BEFORE BELL): HAVE SUPPLIES OUT AND READY HW SHOULD BE READY FOR COLLECTION START “I CAN” AND “DO NOW” EXIT (NOT BEFORE BELL OR EVEN AT BELL): WAIT FOR INSTRUCTIONS TO CLEAN UP/PACK UP TEACHER DISMISSES YOU BY SEAT OR ROW

TURNING IN WORK ALL CLASSWORK FIRST NAME, LAST NAME DATE AND CLASS PERIOD ASSIGNED NUMBER LATE WORK (-10 POINTS PER DAY) PUT ALL OF THE ABOVE ON YOUR PAPER TURN INTO ME I WILL DATE STAMP IT I forgot- can I turn it in at the end of class? You may but it will still be 10 points off!!

ABSENT WORK ABSENT WORK = YOUR RESPONSIBILITY ASK TABLE PARTNER BORROW JOURNAL FROM FRIEND CHECK CUBBIES IN BACK OF ROOM FOR WORKSHEETS TEACHER WEBSITE ATTEND TUTORING *WRITE DATE TURNED IN AND TURN INTO THE CLASS PERIOD DRAWER AT BACK OF ROOM

RETESTING POLICY YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO RE-TEACH AND RE-TAKE 2 TESTS PER NINE WEEKS. YOU MUST ATTEND A RE-TEACH SESSION THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RE- TAKE THE TEST THURSDAY MORNING OR AFTERNOON. THE AVERAGE OF THE 2 TESTS WILL BE TAKEN FOR THE NEW GRADE.

RESTROOM 3 PASSES PER 9 WEEKS PUT YOUR NAME ON THEM AFTER FIRST 10 MINUTES BEFORE LAST 5 MINUTES BUYING PASSES FROM YOUR FRIENDS DOES NOT MEAN YOU GET TO GO MORE THAN 3 TIMES. IF YOU LOSE THE PASSES, YOU WILL NOT GET TO GO

PENCILS SHARPEN BEFORE BELL RAISE PENCIL IN HAND IF POINT BREAKS OR DULLS DURING CLASS I DO NOT GIVE OUT PENCILS SO BRING ONE EVERY DAY

TUTORING IF YOU NEED TO ATTEND TUTORING, YOU MUST SIGN UP IN THE TUTORING BINDER. MONDAY: MRS. SKINNER (710) TUESDAY: MRS. PLETTING (713) THURSDAY: MRS. WEST (714)