Arcadia Learning Community Commitment:

The Arcadia Community will increase collective capacity by providing a focused vision for a diverse
community to a culture of respect for education integrity through Action, Academics, and Accountability.

EARTH SCIENCE SYLLABUS

Arcadia High School
Mrs. Kathy McKee
Room 5609
kmckee@susd.org
Welcome to Earth Science! This class offers a hands-on laboratory in which students will
explore the ever-changing natural world around them. Through the Earth Science curriculum,
we will examine scientific discoveries including earths evolution, active volcanism,
earthquakes, natural disasters, and ocean and space exploration. We will be learning under
the four main topics in Earth Science. These topics include Geology, Meteorology,
Oceanography and Astronomy. Students in Earth Science will be held to high academic
and social standards. Above all else, students are expected to treat everyone with respect.
Many of the laboratory activities will involve student collaboration and cooperation. Students
will be encouraged to share new ideas, interact, and debate controversial scientific concepts.
Each student will be expected to contribute equally and work as a team.

MATERIALS:
Text: Earth Science McDougal Littell
3-Ring Binder (notebook) with college-ruled paper
Pencils or Pens (preferably blue or black ink)
Pack of Colored Pencils
Highlighter
Quad-ruled (Quadrille Composition Notebook)
Student Planner (to keep your assignments written down).

HOMEWORK:
Homework will be assigned on a regular basis. Homework will be due on the date stated. If
you are absent you will have exactly as many days as you were absent to turn in your work.
LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED, BUT FULL CREDIT WILL NOT BE GIVEN!! All
assignments are due when you get to class on the due date. Students may submit late work
for credit within 1 school day of the assigned due date with a penalty of 30%. After that time,
students will receive a NS and calculated as a zero for failure to submit the assignment. If
you are absent, it is your responsibility to make up the missing work.

INTERACTIVE SCIENCE NOTEBOOK:

We will be using a quad-ruled composition notebook this year to keep all of our work (notes,
labs, activities, handouts, diagrams etc). You will also need a 3-ring binder. The notebook
must have college ruled paper. Please see the example that Mrs. McKee has in her classroom.
You will need this notebook by Thursday, August 13 th. We will be going over the procedures
associated with the notebooks on this date. If you do not have this notebook, you will be lost
and fall behind in the class. This will be your key to success. The more organized you are the
more successful you will be in this class.

LABS:
Earth Science is a lab-based science. We will work on lab activities on average once per week.
I will assign you to new lab groups once every quarter. Lab assignments will be either handson or Internet based. When working in lab groups, you must respect your classmates and
contribute to the group. The hands-on labs require special care and will involve working with
glassware, microscopes, computers, equipment that must be respected. If I observe anyone

Arcadia Learning Community Commitment:

The Arcadia Community will increase collective capacity by providing a focused vision for a diverse
community to a culture of respect for education integrity through Action, Academics, and Accountability.

off task in the lab, it will lead to an automatic deduction in his or her lab grade. Labs will be
included under the assessment category with a formal lab write-up once per quarter.

Arcadia Learning Community Commitment:

The Arcadia Community will increase collective capacity by providing a focused vision for a diverse
community to a culture of respect for education integrity through Action, Academics, and Accountability.

ASSESSMENTS (68% of semester grade):

This category will include the following: tests/quizzes, projects, labs, current events, quarter
notebook checks and anything else that measures what the student knows at the end of each
learning cycle. Tests and quizzes will vary and may include a combination of multiple choice,
true/false, short response, and essay questions. We will be taking quizzes on a regular basis
on the information being covered in class. We will have a test at the end of each topic of study
and this will encompass all the information that was studied throughout the unit. Current
Events are another form of assessments that we will use this year. This assignment will also
include presenting it orally to the class once per semester. Please refer to your notebook for
the guidelines on how to complete a current event. This course also requires a pre-test in
the fall and post-test in the spring on dates to be determined. These tests are
exams reviewed and/or written by SUSD teachers. The post-test will count as an
assessment grade at a point total to be determined by the teacher in collaboration
with department colleagues.
TEST Corrections: I believe giving students the opportunity to make test corrections is a
valuable learning experience and as such I do allow test corrections as long as students
have turned in all assignments prior to taking the test. I believe this reinforces the
value and importance of completing and turning in all assignments.

CHECKS FOR UNDERSTANDING (17% of semester grade):

The purpose of checks for understanding is to measure student progress during a learning
cycle. This will include weekly notebook checks, class packets, review assignments or any
other work done in class and handed in to the basket.

FINAL EXAM: At the end of each semester you will take a final exam. The final will be

counted as a separate 15% of your grade in the class, it is very important that you keep notes,
pay attention, and be prepared for the end of the semester.

GRADING:

Course grades will be based on a standard grading scale:

(90-100=A; 80-89=B; 70-79=C; 60-69=D; 0-59=F).
Semester grades are cumulative and are calculated based on the following contributions:
ASSESSMENTS..68%
CHECKS FOR UNDERSTANDING17%
FINAL EXAM...15%

DAILY PROCEDURES:

When you enter the room sit in your assigned seat and prepare yourself for class. You are
to be in your seat by the time the bell rings. If not, you will be marked tardy for the day.
Check the front board for the essential question and write the question and the answer in
your science notebook.
Have all materials out and be ready to begin class. If there are no instructions assume that
we will be taking notes. Prepare yourself with pencil or pen and your science notebook.
You must bring your science notebook to class EVERY SINGLE day we will be adding
information to it on a daily basis so make sure to keep it in a safe place.
If you were absent please see Mrs. McKee at the appropriate time to see what you missed.

Arcadia Learning Community Commitment:

The Arcadia Community will increase collective capacity by providing a focused vision for a diverse
community to a culture of respect for education integrity through Action, Academics, and Accountability.

CLASSROOM POLICIES:

BE RESPECTFUL to Mrs., McKee, other students, and school property.

BE RESPONSIBLE: Come prepared for class, turn in all assignments on time, study for
quizzes and tests, and avoid the office.
BE PROMPT: Part of your responsibility involves making it to class on time. You should be
seated and prepared for class when the bell rings.
BE ORGANIZED: Dont forget your homework on the day that it is due. You are expected
to have all of your materials with you when you arrive to class.
BE PREPARED: Bring all materials listed above on a daily basis especially when you know
that you will need them. Do not expect me to supply you with pencil on the day of a test.
BE HONEST: No cheating will be tolerated. I think this is a given.
BE COURTEOUS: Do not interrupt other students or classes. Whether in the room, in the
hall, or out on campus you are expected to act appropriately. Furthermore, if you need to
see me for extra help or to discuss any concerns do not interrupt another class to do so.
Speak to me before or after class.
NO FOOD, GUM OR BEVERAGES OTHER THAN BOTTLED WATER WILL BE ALLOWED.
NO WRITING ON DESKS: If you are caught writing on the desks you will clean the desks
and also serve detention. Please leave this classroom a nice environment to learn in for all
of us.
ARCADIA CODE OF CONDUCT will be strongly enforced.

ABSENCES:

PLEASE TRY NOT TO BE ABSENT. If your absence is excused, however, you will be granted
the same number of days to make up any missed assignments as the number of days you
were absent. IF YOU ARE ABSENT THE DAY OF A TEST, you will be required to take the test the
DAY OF YOUR RETURN.
If your absence is unexcused, you will not receive credit for delinquent work. If you are
unexcused on a test or presentation day, you will not be permitted to make up the missed
assignment and will receive a zero greatly hindering any attempt to pass this class. The
district policy will be followed on absences this year, so please refer to the policy for details on
absences.

TARDINESS:

It is your responsibility to be on time for class. If you come to class late without a pass you will
be considered tardy. We have a district policy in place this year for tardiness, so please make
sure that you understand that each and every tardy will count against you for my class and for
all of your classes. The district policy will be followed for tardiness, so please refer to this
policy for details on tardiness.

CELL PHONES/ELECTRONIC DEVICES:

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in my classroom. Now that you are in high school, it is
time for you to take responsibility and choosing when it is a good or bad time to use your
phone. There will be certain consequences for repetitive violations, but please dont let it go
that far, use your best judgment when it comes to electronic devices. THANK YOU!!!

FINALLY:

This is NOT AN EASY CLASS. My expectations for you are high. Homework is assigned
regularly and LATE WORK WILL NOT BE GIVEN FULL CREDIT. Keep up with the work
when it is assigned; organize all information and assignments in your notebook, and study,
study, study. The more you study along the way, the less you will have to study for the big
tests!!

Arcadia Learning Community Commitment:

The Arcadia Community will increase collective capacity by providing a focused vision for a diverse
community to a culture of respect for education integrity through Action, Academics, and Accountability.

Arcadia Learning Community Commitment:

The Arcadia Community will increase collective capacity by providing a focused vision for a diverse
community to a culture of respect for education integrity through Action, Academics, and Accountability.

PLEASE VERIFY THAT YOU HAVE READ THE 4-PAGE EARTH SCIENCE SYLLABUS AND
UNDERSTAND WHAT EXPECTATIONS ARE REQUIRED.
Please return to Mrs. McKee by Friday, August 14th!!!
________________________________
Student Name (please print)

________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature

________________________________
Student Signature

________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Email Address

The Vision of Arcadia High School:

Arcadia is a
Rigorous
Collaborative
Atmosphere
Dedicated to
Integrity and
Achievement