Name of Course: Living Environment Teacher: Gil S. Ferrer, Jr. Email addresses: gferrer@schools.nyc.gov, gilsferrerjr@gmail.com Phone: 1-718 387 2800, ext 3521 School Year: 2012-2013 Textbook: (New York State) by Miller and Levine; Prentice Hall I. Course Description and Goal The Living Environment Curriculum primary goal is to develop concepts and skills needed by students to meet New York State Standards and New York City Performance standards. Equipped with the concepts and skills, the students can be successful in completing the States Regents Assessment. Through this course students will develop important insights into the components, processes and interactions that make up our Living Environment. Students will also transfer their acquired knowledge and skills to real life situations and contexts. Projects are added to units to allow students to demonstrate what they know in a variety of ways as they strive to solve real life problems. II. Units of Study First Semester Unit 1 Scientific Inquiry Unit 2 Origin of Life Unit 3 Ecology Unit 4 Organization (Cells) and Patterns of Life Unit 5 Homeostasis (Human Body) and Immunity (Part I) Second Semester Unit 5 Homeostasis (Human Body) and Immunity (Part II) Unit 6 Reproduction and Development Unit 7 Genetics and Biotechnology Unit 8 Evolution Unit 9 Human Influence on the Environment Unit 10 Review III. Formal Assessments The following assessments shall be included to determine student s grade per marking period. 1. Class Participation. The students are expected to keep a binder with a science section with loose sheets and take notes every day. Binders will be graded, periodically, throughout the semester. giferjun 1
The students are expected to be active and participate in class discussions and work. The students should complete the daily do now and activities or worksheets required for the day. 2. Class Work. Class work may either be done individually or in groups. It is important that the students have to complete the task that has been given to them. All class work must be done and hand in before they leave the classroom. If the students did not finish the class work, inform the teacher so that they may be allowed to complete them anytime of the day. 3. Homework. Homework assignments will be given regularly; at least three homework assignments per week. All homework must be handed in on the due date for full credit. All homework assignments to be hand in are to be neatly written on loose-leaf, or digitized. Late homework will be accepted up to two days after it was assigned, but keep in mind that full credit will not be given. 4. Periodic Examination and Unit Tests: Tests will always be announced in advance. The students will be given three major exams per semester; one exam per marking period. They must be in class on test days. Make-up tests will only be allowed if they have a valid excuse (signed note by the students parent/guardian, doctor, etc.). 5. Quizzes: The students will be given once a week formal quizzes a total of five quizzes per marking period. All quizzes will be scheduled on a day which shall be agreed upon. There will be no makeup quizzes unless the students have a valid excuse. 6. Projects: Two science projects shall be required to be completed this school year. One project due during the end of the First Semester and the other project due at the end of the Second Semester. The nature of the project shall be agreed upon by the class and the availability of resources. The second semester project maybe an investigatory project, which may qualify for the Campus Wide Science, Mathematics and Technology Fair. Projects maybe done individually or in groups. 7. Essays: The students will be required to write a two page research paper each marking period. All essay assignments must be digitized. The rubrics criteria shall be agreed upon with the class. 8. Laboratory. All laboratory reports must be handed in personally to the teacher at the end of the laboratory period. The students should not bring home or leave them anywhere in the room. It is expected that they must turn in completed reports at the end of the laboratory session. Laboratory reports shall be graded on the following criteria; Performance Quality (of Answers) giferjun 2
Completeness and Neatness The New York State requires a student to perform a minimum requirement of 1200 minutes of actual laboratory hands-on satisfactorily before being admitted to take Science Regents Examination. The School for Legal Studies Science, Mathematics, and Research, Technology (SMART) Department requires a student to perform minimum 27 satisfactory laboratory reports to qualify for the Science Regents. For Living Environment, included in the 27 labs are four State mandated laboratories which must be satisfactorily completed. IV. Grading Policy Science Department Grading System. Student s grade per marking period shall be based from the following major criteria a. Class work and class participations (20%) b. Homework/Essays and Projects (15%) c. Quizzes (10%) d. Tests (40%) e. Laboratory (15%) As mentioned in the formal assessment section, the following are the required number of works per marking period a. Quizzes a minimum of 4 b. Exams a minimum of 2 c. Laboratory a minimum of 4 d. Homework a minimum of 18 NB: All Assignments (Class work, Homework, Essays, Projects, Quizzes, Tests and Laboratory Performance and Reports) are graded on effort, quality of answers, completeness. Rubrics will be used to rate major assignments. Email addresses: gferrer@schools.nyc.gov, gilsferrerjr@gmail.com 1-718 387 2800, ext 352 giferjun 3
General Classroom Routines and Procedures Upon entering the classroom 1. Arrive at class before the late bell. 2. Walk inside the classroom and be seated on your assigned seats quietly. 3. Open your science notebook or binder and copy the Aim, Homework and start the Do Now. 4. Have your homework ready to be read or hand in When you come in late 5. Log in your name on the logbook and proceed immediately to your assigned seat quietly. Do not disturb the class. When you want to speak or need my help 6. Raise your hand. I will be attending to your needs on a first come first serve basis. When someone (student or teacher) is given the opportunity to speak to the class 7. Stop whatever you are doing, all eyes to the speaker, refrain from talking, listen attentively and follow instruction. Use of bathroom 8. You will be allowed to use the bathroom between10 minutes after the late bell and 10 minutes before the first bell. 9. You have to log in your name, the time you left and time you came back to the classroom 10. You may not be allowed to go to the bathroom when the teacher or student is giving instructions or discussing a topic. During group activity or group work 11. Work cooperatively with your group mates. 12. The focus of your discussion should be the topic or problem handed to your group 13. If your group is warned three times due to a high level of noise, or you are out of focus, your group will not receive full group credits/points. 14. Each group should present their outputs to the class for a full credit to be added to your classroom participation During Exams and quizzes 15. Work independently and silently. 16. Be honest at all times. 17. If you have some clarifications raise your hand and I will attend to your needs. Before leaving the classroom 18. Be sure you turn in all your assignments 19. Clear your tables from any mess you might have made 20. Return the books wherever you took them, 21. Return all other materials you used during the session 22. Pick up all your trashes including those on the floor and throw them in the trash bin giferjun 4
Dear Parents/Guardians, Greetings! Attached are the Living Environment Syllabus, Classroom Routines and Procedures and Science Standards. Please take time to read and understand the contents, then post them on an accessible part of your home for your reference. I am expecting that you will help me remind your child/ward to abide by to these set of rules, for these will promote a safe learning environment and quality classroom instructions. I look forward to working with you to educate your child/ward become productive to him/herself and reach whatever goals s/he has set forth for this school year. Yours truly, GIL S. FERRER, JR Science Teacher gferrer@schools.nyc.gov 1-718-387-2800 ext. 352 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please Sign, detach along the perforation, and Return. Homework No. 1 Classroom Routines and Procedures Science Standards We have read and understood the Classroom Routines and Procedures and Science Standards. We promise to abide by to these set of rules. Printed Name of student Signature of student Date Printed Name of Parent/Guardian Signature of Parent/Guardian Date Contact numbers: Home Phone Cell Phone giferjun 5