Eighth Grade Science

Instructor:  Mrs. Townsend                

School Phone and Homework Hotline:  (570) 655-2836   Ext. 2250

Course Description:  This class is the second integrated curriculum 
of four major scientific areas:  Biology, Chemistry, Physics and 
Environmental Science.  Class work includes practicing methods of 
science such as observing the natural world, designing/ conducting 
experiments and problem solving. The course content is in accordance 
with the PA Academic Standards for Science and Technology, Ecology 
and Environment as well as other academic standards pertinent to the 
course.  


Homework:  Homework will be assigned to review concepts, facts, and 
to prepare for quizzes, tests and laboratory research.  Homework as 
well as other assignments will be posted on the Homework board in 
the front of the classroom.  Students that are absent must check 
missed assignments on the homework board.  If a student does not 
fully complete an assignment or copies and an assignment, he/she 
will receive a homework grade between 0 and 4 based on completeness 
of the assignment.  
(0 = no attempt to do the assignment, 4= fully completed assignment)


Notebooks: A Science Notebook must be brought to class everyday.   
Note taking is essential for test preparation and homework.  There 
will also be supplemental notes that are NOT in the text book in 
which students will be required to know for their tests.  All 
notebooks must be maintained for a quarterly notebook grade.  Any 
note handouts given must also be kept and turned in with the 
notebook for the quarterly notebook grade. If a student loses any 
note handouts, he or she many hand copy (not photocopy) the note 
handout from another student.  The notebook and handouts will count 
as one test grade.  If a student is absent, he or she is responsible 
for making up or obtaining the notes.    


Quizzes/Tests:   All tests will be announced several days in advance 
(usually 5 school days).   Quizzes may be announced or 
unannounced.   There will always be a review day before every test.  
No new material will be given the day before a test.  Students 
absent on a test review day only will be required to take the test 
with the rest of the class on the day of the test.  If the student 
is present for review day and absent on the test day, he/she will be 
required to take the test the first day he/she returns.  If a 
student is absent more than one day, he or she will be given as many 
days as he/she was absent to make up the test.  If the student fails 
to make up the test within that period, he/she will receive a zero.  
Once a test is announced, it is the student�s responsibility to take 
home his/her notebook and study materials everyday.   This ensures 
that the in the event of a student absence prior to the test, the 
student will not use a lack of a study materials at home as an 
excuse for not taking the test with the rest of the class.
Lab reports:  Each experiment will require a legibly written or 
typed lab report. The lab must be completed in the required lab 
format (I will give a handout of the lab format within the first few 
days of school). If the lab is performed in a group, each student 
must hand in his/her own report.   If a student is absent for a lab, 
then the student must complete a 100 word written or typed report on 
the topic of that lab.  

Class Participation:  A class participation point will be awarded 
daily for students that are on time, prepared, paying attention, 
directly participating and cooperating in class.

Extra credit: 1. Extra credit vouchers will be given for tasks 
completed and good class participation.  
2. There is also an optional Article Summary/Critique for two extra 
credit points onto the quarter grade.  Students are to find a 
scientific article related to a topic presented within each marking 
quarter.  There must be a typed summary of the article which must be 
a minimum of 100 words.   There must also be a critique (opinion 
section) of the article which must be a minimum of 100 words. The 
due date will be two weeks before the end of the marking quarter.


Science Bellringer Journal:  For the first five minutes of class, 
students will write a short paragraph containing the most important 
information that they have learned from yesterday�s lesson.  They 
can also write any questions they may have about material learned in 
yesterday�s lesson.  Students need to have yesterday�s notes on hand 
for reference as they are completing the journal entry.  If the 
student is absent, this assignment(s) must be made up.  There will 
be no entries on a test day or the day after a test.  At the end of 
the quarter, I will choose 5 random entries.  This will count as one 
test grade.  

Course Outline

1st Quarter =   Biology
2nd Quarter=   Environmental Science
3rd Quarter=    Chemistry
4th Quarter=    Physics

Ms.  Townsend�s Expectations

*I expect you to be on time to class everyday.
*I expect you to be prepared for class by bringing your textbook, 
notebook, note handouts, homework and a writing utensil everyday.  
*I expect you to pay attention to and follow directions.
*I expect you to listen to lectures, videos or presentations without 
causing any disruptions.
*I expect you to follow school rules (dress code, cell phones, gum, 
conduct, ect.)