8th Grade Science
Welcome to our class! It is my goal that all of you feel successful in science and in life. If I can do anything to help you achieve this success, please let me know!
School Address: West Wilson Middle School
935 North Mt. Juliet Rd.
Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
School phone: (615) 758-5152
Website: http://teacherweb.com/TN/WestWilsonMiddleSchool/MrJoshDavis/
Policies and Procedures:
R-E-S-P-E-C-T- here is what it means to me. Respect is a two-way street. You show me respect, then I will show respect to you in turn- simple as that. Please and thank you go a long way- as do Yes/No ma’am or sir! I am here to teach and educate you about science, life and your future. You can make semester as hard or as easy as you want to make it- the choice is yours.
1) PLEASE BE HERE
That means, be at school, be in class and be on time. I take tardiness very seriously. Now, when I say be here, I do not mean come in, put your books down, go to the bathroom and come back tardy. If you are not in our room when the bell rings you are tardy… Another thing, DO NOT hang outside our door during the class change.
2) PLEASE BE NICE TO EACH OTHER
We all know what nice is. We know what it looks like. We know what it sounds like. Some of us also think it is funny to be un-nice. I do not think it is funny and those being un-nice will see me un-nice. If you need clarification on whether something is nice or not think, “Would I want my grandmother knowing about what I am saying or doing?” Because when worst comes to worst, I can call grandma and see how she feels.
3) PLEASE BE REALLY NICE TO ADULTS
This should be number one in order of importance. While in the eighth grade, you will address anyone above the age of 18 as Dr., Mr., Mrs., or Ms. followed by their name. There are no exceptions to this rule. When speaking to an adult, you will be polite at all times. You will say “please” and “thank you”. You will never raise your voice and will always follow instructions the first time they are given. You will not roll your eyes, huff/sigh, talk under your breath or use any other non-verbal mannerisms to show disrespect toward an adult… Any questions refer to the last part of #2.
“IT IS O.K. TO BE UPSET.”
How you deal with being upset will determine a lot about how your 8th grade year at WWMS will be. If you need time to gather yourself before having an adult conversation just ask. I will be happy to oblige you. However, don’t let bad decisions mess up your last year in middle school. We really do like you.
4) PLEASE BE REALLY NICE TO OUR STUFF
This is a science lab. I have lots of neat stuff. I have lots of breakable stuff. I have lots of expensive stuff. I have lots of dangerous stuff. The only things, in my room, that you are allowed to touch without permission are: your desk and the floor. The “Student Station” is your supply area—use things there as needed, but please put them back the way you found them. If you break something, it’s gone for the year. Please sharpen pencils before class begins and have more than one sharpened pencil with you at all times. My desk, lab tables, and the areas around my desk and lab tables are off limits! My closet is off limits, thus the sign! Don’t break these rules.
5) PLEASE BE IN YOUR SEAT
Unless I tell you otherwise, you should be glued to your seat while you are in here. You may not get up to sharpen a pencil or throw something away. You may not go and visit with your friend. You may not go to the bathroom (you have 5 minutes between classes to take care of personal issues.) Referring back to rule 4, I have a lot of dangerous stuff in here. The less we move the safer we are. Granted we will have science activities on a regular basis that requires moving, but unless I say otherwise, you stay seated.
6) PLEASE BE QUIET
If you rearrange the letters in the word “listen”, you get the word “silent”. If you are talking, other students can’t hear me. Most of the time, what I say is important. You will be completely silent when the PA system comes on. I will warn you once about talking during announcements.
7) PLEASE FOLLOW ALL SCHOOL AND DISTRICT RULES
The district has rules. I enforce them. The school has rules. I enforce them. My class has rules. I enforce them. I take all of them seriously. It is my job. We do not get to pick and choose which rules to follow. I do not get to choose which rules to enforce. I especially enforce the dress code, cell phone and gum policy. If I see a cell phone during school hours, I will confiscate it, log it in and store it in the office for a parent to pick up. As for gum, if you have it, I will see it.
Everything we do in here depends on you and your maturity level! You- by class- are 8th graders, which says to me you should be the most mature and responsible students in this building. If you show me that you cannot be responsible, we will not be able to do labs, experiments, demonstrations, or anything other than read, copy, and answer questions from the textbook!
Classroom Space:
Please keep all things out of the aisle ways and off your desk. You cannot concentrate on the task at hand if you have a mountain of books and folders in front of you. Please place all personal items UNDER your desk. I like to walk around- a lot- and do not want to trip over and damage any of your personal property or myself! If a “purse” is large enough to hold a textbook, it is considered a book bag and should be placed in your locker!
Notebook Paper:
As pretty as they may look I do not allow colored notebook paper or colored pens/pencils for any assignment that I will look at- this means every assignment! In addition, if you have a spiral notebook- throw it away! I hate spirals, they make a mess and make papers that are turned in to me look trashy. Be proud of your work- make it something you want to be hung on the frig at home!
Dismissal:
The bell ringing does not dismiss you, I DISMISS YOU! I promise I will not make you late to your next class or for your ever-important five minutes of social talk with your friends in the hall. I might have one very important announcement right before you leave the room- like that I decided to NOT give you homework! Before leaving the classroom, make sure that there is no trash on your table or around your seat! If I find some, you will be cleaning the entire room! No one will leave until the floors are clean!
These and any other rules and regulations are subject to change
at any time by the discretion of Mr. Davis
How to Head You Paper for Science Class
Your Name
Date
Mr. Davis
Class Name (example: A4)
Skip a line
1.
2.
This is how any paper that is handed into me should look. Beginning in the middle of the page on the first line, your FULL name, next line the date, next line Mr. Davis, next line class name. Skip a line, and then begin your paper on the left side!
All papers handed in must be folded in half length-wise. On the back of the paper must be the same information as listed above. Please do not write any information other than what is listed above on the back of your paper. Major assignments must have a cover page with the same information listed above. Any questions, ask me. Any paper that I receive that does not follow the guidelines in this handout will have points deducted from your paper!
When in doubt, write it out! If I ask you to write a paragraph or give me an explanation of something I want it- IN YOUR OWN WORDS! I know what the book says- I have read it! I want to know what you think- show me! Do not plagiarize- I will find out! If we are answering questions, you always need to write the entire question and your answer in a complete sentence.
Topics we will cover this year include:
- Technology and Engineering
- Biodiversity and Chance
- Interactions Between Living Things and Their Environment
- Diversity and Adaptation Among Living Things
- Forces in Nature
- Interactions of Matter
Again, any time an adult is in the room, please be respectful. Through out the semester there will be numerous individuals coming in to observe me as a teacher and you as a class! When these individuals come into the classroom I will not stop teaching nor should you stop learning! DO NOT let them interrupt what you are doing. I am being evaluated as to your performance and mine- please be respectful!
Grading Scale: A=93-100 B=85-92 C=77-84 D=70-76 F=69 and below
Course Grade:
I grade on a point system. Everything I assign will be worth a certain predetermined number of points. When you receive papers back the number of points possible for the assignment will be listed at the bottom and the total number of points your earned will be listed above that. At any time through the year, you can determine your current grade my dividing the number of points earned by the number of points possible. Generally, I use the following number of points for assignments:
Tests: 100 points
Projects: 200 points
Labs: 50 points
Homework: points vary
Notebook Checks: 25 points
Menu Choices
At the beginning of each nine weeks, students will be given a menu of choices for projects. Nine weeks projects are required and must be completed within the due dates assigned to each. Students MUST complete 200 points worth of assignments—this can be completed in any number of ways and more will be discussed in class. Students can complete an additional 50 points which will be applied as extra credit towards the final grade. Extra credit is added into the total number of points, not on to the final grade.
5-Minute Drill
Every class is begun with a 5-Minute Drill. Upon entering the classroom, there will be 3-5 questions displayed on the front screen. The questions may come from our current unit of study, past units of study, general science trivia questions, or current events. Upon entering the classroom students should get a scrap piece of paper from the basket on the corner of the side lab table—questions are to be answered on this. All students need to write is 1-3, 4 or 5 and the letter choice of the correct answer. Students then need to fold their piece of paper once and turn it into the correct location beside Mr. Davis’ desk. During the 5-minute drill, students are also responsible for turning in homework assignments (which will be listed on the board), writing the day’s schedule and homework into their agenda, and organizing their notebook. Once the 5 minutes are up, we will go over the questions.
Board Questions
Board questions are a great resource to you as a student. They generally come from our previous labs or upcoming or previous tests. We will go over the correct answers to each question at the end of each 5-Minute Drill. I will then pull two slips of papers that contain the correct answers, those students will immediately get candy from the class candy jar. Once class is over I will then go through all the papers with correct answers and give them a smiley face stamp. These will be returned to the student the next class period. After a student collects 10 stamps, they may trade those in for a “Get Out of Homework FREE” Pass. Teacher’s discretion applies to the pass and exclusions do apply.
Notebooks
Each nine weeks, every student will keep a Science Notebook! Everything we do (tests, projects, papers, homework, class work, etc.) will be placed in this notebook. Notebook Checks will always occur on days we take a major test. Each notebook check will be worth 25 points and I will be looking for the following things:
- Are all items in the prongs (nothing in the pockets, unless told specifically to do so)
- All items in the correct order (the order should be chronically as we go through the material)
- Table of Contents completed (I will provide a new Table of Contents sheet for you at the beginning of each nine week.)
- Grade Sheet filled out correctly
- All items in the notebook (EVERYTHING should be in your notebook unless told otherwise. At the beginning of each 9 weeks we will clean out notebooks and start new ones.)
Finally
If at any point through out the year, you have questions or a problem with the material, please feel free to let me know! I am here to make sure that you are successful! The stupidest question is the one NOT asked!
I am looking forward to a wonderful, exciting year with each of you!
If you ever have a question
do not be afraid to raise your hand and ASK!
