8thGradeScienceMr.

Brinkman
jbrinkman@wcpss.net
9198567929
http://brinkmanscience.weebly.com/

Welcometo8thgradescienceclass.Listedbelowareimportantthingsyoushouldknowtohaveasuccessful
starttoyour8thgradeyear.

Topicscoveredthisyearinclude
:Matter,Energy,Disease,Biotechnology,Hydrosphere,Ecosystems,
Landforms,NaturalResources

Supplies
:Theseareitemsthatyoumustbringtoclasseveryday:
notebook
pencils
coloredpencils
gluestick
sciencetextbookstaysinroom
Onlinetextbook
ck-12.com

Homework
:Assignmentsnotfinishedinclasswillalmostalwaysbeconsideredthatnightshomeworkunless
otherwisestated.Itistheresponsibilityofthestudentstoseekoutandmakeupmissedassignments.Any
assignmentmissedforanyreasonwillbemarkedmissing(azerograde)inthegradebook.Therearealways
expectedtobemadeupinatimelymanner.

Grades:Homework,activities,projects,quizzes,andtestswillallbeapartofyourgrade.Yourmasteryof
topicsintheunitswillbetrackedaspartofyourgrade.Thepercentagesthatwillmakeupyourgradeare:

50% - tests and major projects

40% - quizzes and small projects

10% - homework and classwork

Gradesarecalculatedbyaccumulatingpointsdividedbythetotalpointsineachcategoryandthenmultiplying
thepointsbytheweightedpercentagetimes100.Pointswillvaryduetosizeandimportanceofthe
assignment,quiz,ortest.Allquizzeswillgenerallyrangefrom1520pointseach.Everytestwillalwaysbe
100points.Allothergradepointswillvary.

Example:
Category
Tests
Quizzes
Homework

%
TotalPoints
50200
40
80
10
100

Student'spoints
CategoryScore
170(170/200)x50%x100=42.5
70(70/80)x40%x100=35
80
(80/100)x10%x100=8

Totalgrade=85.5%

ScienceNotebook
:Yournotebookisrequiredeveryday.Allassignmentsandpaperswillbesavedinthe
notebookfortheentireschoolyear.Periodicchecksontheupkeepofthenotebookwillbepossible.Your
notebookwillbeusedtotakenotes,completelabs,graphs,anddiagrams.

BYOT
:Studentshavetheopportunitytousetechnologyinclass.Technologymayonlybeusedwhengiven
permissionbytheteacher,attheappropriatetimes.Studentsshouldsavetheirworkonadiskandmakesure
toalwaysusetheirownemailaccounts.

GeneralExpectations
:
ROAR
Essential8

DailyEntranceProcedure:
walkinquietlyandgrabanymaterialsattheentrytable(ifnecessary)
sharpenpencilsifneeded
quicklygotoyourseatandbeginreadingtheagendaforthedaywritedownthehomeworkinyour
agenda
completethedailywarmupinyoursciencenotebook
beginthenexttaskorquietlywaitforclasstobegin

ClassProcedures:
Absent/latework
Alllateworkisexpectedtobemadeupbythestudent.Noassignmentswillbe
skippedandonlyunderspecialcircumstanceswillMr.Brinkmanexcuseanassignment.Workshould
beturnedindirectlytoMr.Brinkman.20%offforfirstdaylate,additional10%eachdayfollowing.
Attention/Listening
Whentheclassneedstobebroughttoattention,Mr.Brinkmanwillstandinthe
frontoftheroomandsimplyraisehishand.Studentswillbringtheirconversationsimmediatelytoa
close,turnwithkneesforward,pencilsdown,andattendwitheyesandearsontheteacher.Callsto
attentionwillalwaysfollowthisprocedure.
Bells
Atthebeginningoftheclass,beinyourseatandreadytolearnaspreviouslystated.Whenthe
bellringstoendclass,youmustwaittobedismissedbytheteacher.Wewillmakesuretheroomisin
orderandsayanyfinalwordsbeforewearedismissed.
Classroomsupplies
Thereisadesignatedareawherestudentsmayusethepencilsharpener,
stapler,tape,holepuncher,andgetsupplieslikepaper,coloredpencils,etc.Studentsmayusethese
suppliesasneeded,butmakesuretoreceivepermissionbeforegettingoutofyourseat.Supplies
mustbetreatedwithrespectandcleanedup/putbackafteruse.
Drills/Emergencies
Allstudentswillfollowtheinstructionsoftheteacherduringdrillsandespecially
emergencies.ForfireyouwilllineupatthedoorandquietlywalktotherighttoexitwhenMr.Brinkman
instructs.Foranydrillandemergency,itisimportanttoremainquietatalltimestohearandrespondto
instructions.
Dojo
Pointscanbeearnedforpositivebehaviorsbythewholeclass,groups,orindividuals.
Enteringtheclass
Youareexpectedtobeontimeandreadytolearn.Thismeansthatyouarein
yourseatandpreparedwithallofyourmaterials.Pleasemakesuretohavepencilssharpenedand
youbeginthedailywork.Readoverthedaysagendaontheboardandthenbeginthedailywarmup.
Leavingtheroom
StudentsmusthaveahallpassatalltimesfastpassorLigonhallpass.All
studentsmustsignoutandinonthesheetnexttothedoor.
Phone/Intercom
Ifthephoneringsoracallontheintercomisreceived,allstudentsmustbequietso
thattheteachermayspeakwiththepartycalling.Ifyouareinclassforannouncements,thenyoumust
remainquietfortheentiretyofannouncementssothatallstudentsandtheteachermayhearthem.

Poorgrades
Poorandfailinggradesarenotacceptableinscience.Itismyjobtomakesureyou
learnallyoucanthisschoolyearandinreturnitisyourjobtomakesureyourealwaysdoingyourbest.
Formajorgradessuchasquizzes,projects,andtests,youalwayshavetheopportunitytoseeme
before/afterschool,orlunchtoworkoutaplantoimproveyourgrade.
Questionsandparticipation
Mr.Brinkmantriestogetallstudentsinvolvedduringaclassperiod.
Studentsshouldbepreparedtoanswerandparticipateatanytime.Volunteersarealwayswelcomed,
buthandsmustberaisedandwaitforMr.Brinkmantocallonyou.Donotcalloutinclass,be
respectful,andgiveallstudentsachancetoparticipateandlearn.
Refocus
Studentswhohavecontinuedtobeadisturbanceinwillfindthemselvesinarefocustime.
Mr.BrinkmansclasswillhavearefocusinMs.Lewisroom.
Tardy
seestudenthandbook
100%
8thgradesciencerequiresyourbesteffort100%ofthetime.100%ofthestudentswillfollow
directionsandprocedures.
Yourfirstlesson:Chemicalreactionsalwaysproducesomethingnewwithnewproperties.
Somechangesrequireenergyinordertotakeplace.Whenwecombineyouwithyourbest
effortandenergy,itwillyieldasuccessfulyear.
Students+Effort+Energy>Success

Pleasekeepthispapertoreferencethroughouttheschoolyear.Youcanalwaysfindonlinetextbook
informationandclasswebsiteshereonthissyllabus.Makesureyoureadoverthissyllabusandthatyouand
aparentunderstandalltheinformation.

StudentSignature:________________________________________________

ParentSignature:_________________________________________________