1. Seventh Grade Science Meghan Cassady St. Mary School 2015-2016

2. Contact Information mcassady@smsph.com (preferred contact)mcassady@smsph.com –Note: email is not checked after 5:00 p.m. or on weekends Can find links to my email and teacher website on SMS website Hotline Extension to leave a message –Ext. 8312 –My hotline extension can be used for you to leave a message, all homework assignments and announcements can be found on my website. For updates on your child’s grades please see Option C.

3. Curriculum Science Inquiry and Application –Steps of conducting scientific investigations (Scientific Method) –Advantages of the International System of Units –Relationship among science, math, technology and engineering –Steps of the engineering design process

4. Curriculum Earth and Space Science –Hydrologic Cycle –Weather and climate –Laws of Conservation of Energy and Mass –Greenhouse Effect –Tides, tidal range, spring tide, and neap tide –Explain the alignment of Earth, the moon, and the sun that causes a spring tide and neap tide

5. Curriculum Life Science –Cellular Respiration –What determines where a population is capable of living –Producers, decomposers, consumers –Ecosystems

6. Curriculum Physical Science –Physical vs. chemical change –Elements and the Periodic Table –Balancing chemical equations –pH, acids, bases –Kinetic and potential energy

7. Textbooks This year students will be using consumable textbooks Students must keep these in the best condition possible as they will use them all year These books also serve as their primary notebooks

8. Homework Homework assignments are written down each day on the classroom whiteboard. I do my best to remind students of homework at the end of each class. Homework is also posted on my webpage each day.

9. Homework Students will have regular homework involving finishing notes and reading Worksheets that either review and reinforce the information learned in class, or enrich students’ thinking will also be given. This year, our textbooks have great online components. Students’ assignments will also consist of completing activities from the book’s website.

10. Science In The News This is a current events assignment on a Science topic of the students’ choice! Students will have 6 assigned throughout the year. Students have been given the rubric and due dates for all 6 assignments. They were given time to record all due dates in their planners. A copy of the rubric, examples, and sites to find articles can all be found on my webpage.

11. Quizzes and Tests Quizzes  Will be given 1-2 days notice for quizzes  Typically matching or multiple choice Tests  Culminating (Big Picture) ideas of unit of study  Will do my best to give a week's notice for tests  Multiple choice, true/false (and correct the false), completion, short answer, and extended response  Study guides will be passed out in class and posted to my website.

12. Science Labs Labs will be conducted in class to give a hands-on opportunity with the material we are learning about in class. Questions and graphs may be required to be completed at home for labs.

13. Grades and Expectations I will follow all grading policies found in the handbook. Science assignments are graded using the point system rather than weighting assignments. Late work policy:  If not turned in on due date, assignments can be turned in the next day for 70% of the grade earned. After that next day, it will be entered as one point to indicate that it was turned in, but full credit or partial credit will not be given.  If additional time is needed on an assignment, please let me know as soon as possible!

14. Questions?