Contact Me: lafoon@fultonschools.org or t.lafoon@gmail.com

Life Science Class

7^th Grade Life Science Syllabus

2009 - 20010 

Course Overview:  Seventh grade students will study the structure and function of living things.  Topics include Ecology, Diversity of Organisms, Classifying Life, Cells, Human Body, Heredity, and Evolution.                                                                                     

Life Science Concepts and Skills:

Throughout the year we will focus on a variety of concepts that are not only important in science, but have life skills adaptations as well.

v      Organizing information

v      Thinking Critically

v      Practicing scientific process

v      Representing and applying data

The chart below identifies the specific skills we will focus on in Life Science.

Teacher/Academic Expectations:

Ø       Students are expected to be prepared for class with all necessary materials.  Agendas and accelerated reader (AR) books should be brought to class everyday.

Ø       Students should be polite and considerate of others.

Ø       Students should be willing to participate in class in an appropriate manner raising his/her hand, refraining from blurting out, staying focused and on task, sharing relevant material/ideas.

Ø       Students should complete all assignments in a timely manner.

Ø       All student assignments should be brought to class in a neat and organized manner.

Ø       Students are expected to act in an appropriate manner.  You should refer to the student handbook and the behavior expectation form for a complete listing of the rules.

Extra Help:

Students may work with me in the morning prior to homeroom between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

Make-up Policy:  It is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher for make-up work due to an excused absence.  The student will have the same amount of time as the absence to complete and turn in all make-up work.

Homework:

Homework is generally assigned approximately three nights per week.  Assignments are written on the board in class.  Some projects will be assigned during the semester which will require students to schedule and budget their time.  Students will be provided with specific requirements and due dates for all long-term assignments.

Homework is intended to reinforce the concepts learned at school.  Homework will be reviewed the day after it is assigned unless I am absent.  In that case, it will be checked in a timely manner upon my return or with the supply teacher.

Assignments should not take more than 15-20 minutes for MOST students. 

Grading Scale:

v      Tests/Projects                              50%

v      Labs/Quizzes                                35%

v      Homework/Classwork                 15%

Parent-Teacher Communication:

• Conferences may be scheduled by appointment.
• Parent Connect will allow frequent access to student’s progress.
• Parents will receive a grade report approximately every four and a half weeks.
• Mandatory use of agenda by the student.  Parents are encouraged to check the student’s agenda each day.
• Parents may email or phone the teacher.

Provision for Improving Grades:

1.    Opportunities designed to allow students to recover from a low or failing cumulative grade will be allowed when all work required to date has been completed and the student has demonstrated a legitimate effort to meet all course requirements including attendance.

2.    Teachers will determine when and how students with extenuating circumstances may improve their grades.*

*Fulton County Board of Education, Procedure IHA, page 4

Parent/Guardian Conferencing:

Conferences may be requested by the teacher or parent.  Conference times to choose from are

 M, T, TH   between 2:00 p.m. – 3:00pm.

"You haven't failed, until you stop trying."  ~Unknown