Class Rules

Chemistry

Classroom Rules and Grading

 

Introduction:

Chemistry is a college prep course and will be taught as such.  Students will be responsible for doing their work and getting it checked off or turned in correctly and in a timely manner.  To help assist students there is a website for this course, www.mrfischer.com additionally, grades will be posted on Power school.  At www.mrfischer.com you will be able to check the calendar to find out what we are going to do in class or if you are absent you are expected to get the missing work from the website.

Materials:

Three ring binder with sections.  You will need to have at least four sections for Notes, Study Guides/Homework, and daily practice questions (DPQ), and labs.  Binder checks will be done at least once per quarter and will count as a homework grade.

Tardy Policy:

For the purpose of this class, a “tardy” is defined as not being physically present in your assigned seat at the time the tardy bell rings.  The first tardy will result in a warning, unless it is clear that is was intentional, in which case 30 minutes detention will be assigned and the tardy will be documented in power school.  A second tardy will result in 30 minutes detention.  A note will be put in power school and your parents will be contacted.  Additionally, Saturday school will be assigned on the fifth tardy and all subsequent tardies.

Daily Practice Questions

You are expected to come into class ready to work.  Most days will begin with daily practice questions, (DPQ’s).  You will be given the first five to eight minutes to work on the DPQ.  If you are tardy you will not be allowed extra time, so be on time.  If you are absent on a day we did a DPQ then you will need to come in and makeup the missing DPQ.

15 Minute Rule

Here at Bullard we will be following the “15 Minute Rule” which means that no one will be allowed to leave class during the first or last 15 minutes of the class period.

Participation:

Participation points will be given to students on a unit or chapter basis for participation in class.  Participation is defined as being in class and on task, meaning working on whatever activity the class is working on.  DPQ’s will generally count as participation points.  If the class is taking notes and the student chooses not to take notes, he or she will not be awarded participation points for that day.  Additionally, if the class is working on homework and the student chooses not to work on their homework, the student will not be given participation points.

If a student is being disruptive and will not behave, the student will lose the participation points for that entire unit.

Homework:

Homework will consist of study guides and other assignments that pertain to the area that is being studied.  If a student is found in possession of another students’ work, both students will be given a zero for the assignment, the papers will be destroyed, a “F” will be recorded in power school reflecting that the student cheated on an assignment and will not be allowed a make up assignment.  Additionally, the students will lose their participation points for that unit.

Homework will only be passed out once.  If the student loses, misplaces or forgets his or her papers, he or she will not receive a second copy.  If the student loses the homework then he or she loses the points.  Homework will generally be available at www.mrfischer.com

Solutions and answers to homework will also be made available at www.mrfischer.com

Cheating:

Cheating will not be tolerated.  If you cheat, you will receive a failing grade (zero) on the assignment and I will schedule a conference with your parents.  Cheating includes helping someone to cheat (giving answers or papers to copy INCLUDING LABORATORY REPORTS DONE BY LAB PARTNERS).  Continued cheating will result in a note in your school records and referral to the vice-principal.

 

Labs:

All labs must be written neatly.  If I am unable to read what you wrote you will receive no credit for the lab.  The lab must look professional and presentable at all times.  You must keep the binder and you need to have a table of contents at the front of that binder section.  The table of contents must be current and complete in order to receive credit for your lab.  Lab scores will be marked in the table of contents.

It is your responsibility to understand all instructions and procedures before attempting a lab.  Lab reports will be available at www.mrfischer.com

Labs are work that needs to be done in class and will consist of projects that relate to the area that is being studied.  If a student is absent on a lab-day, he or she will have an “M” put into power school reflecting that the student was not present during the lab time.  The student will be allowed no more than one week to makeup the missing lab assignment.  This means the student will have to make arrangements to come in after school to complete the lab assignment.

Because of the nature of the class, safety during labs is important.  Since chemicals are going to be used and safety is very important, any student not following safety rules is deemed a hazard to himself or herself and to others.  This can result in warning for the behavior, i.e. for something like not wearing goggles.  The student must comply or he or she will be given a zero for the assignment.  For the misuse of chemicals, fire, or another serious infraction the student will be immediately removed from the class and will receive a semester “F.”  Since the safety of all students is important, there will be no appeal of this process.

Tests and Quizzes:

Quizzes may be given at any time to assess learning and to gauge understanding.  Students should expect a weekly progress quiz every Friday.  The Friday quizzes will cover the material covered in lecture, lab and on the homework, however since much of the material builds on previously learning concepts all quizzes may be cumulative from the beginning of the school year.

The tests will be announced and will generally be over a larger unit of material.  There will be no notes allowed on the major tests. Calculators will not be allowed on these tests.  Talking is not allowed during tests.  If a student is talking during a test he or she will be considered to be cheating and will receive a zero on the test and an “F” will be recorded on power school.

Students who are absent during tests or quizzes will have one week to make-up the missing work.  Exceptions to this can be made on a case-by-case basis at the teacher’s discretion.

Late Work:

Late work will lose half credit the first day it is late and will not be accepted after that.

Absences:

The school policy on absences is that parents have five days to clear an absence.  Absences that are not cleared within this time will be counted as a cut. Please remember to get your absences cleared as soon as you can.

Extra Credit:

Extra credit will be available for almost every unit.  In order to qualify for extra credit the student must receive at 100% of the participation points available for the unit.  Extra credit cannot be turned in late.  For example, occasionally class notes count for extra credit on major test days, but the student must show the notes the day of the test in order to receive the points.

Grading:

This class uses a category points system.  This means that 10 homework points do not equal 10 test points.

Category Percent of grade

Homework                              15%

Participation                            5%

Labs                                        30%

Tests and Quizzes                   50%

Grading Scale

A         =          90.0%              and higher

B         =          80.0%  –           89.9%

C         =          70.0%  –           79.9%

D         =          60.0%  –           69.9%

F          =          59.9% and below

Check your grades on a regular basis on Powerschool.

I have read and understand the class rules for Mr. Fischer’s class.

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