Mrs. Susan Greenfield, Science, 2017-2018

August 21, 2017

Dear Students and Parents,

Welcome back to the 2017-2018 school year. I hope that this year will be a very productive year for all. We have an exciting year ahead of us. I believe learning should be fun. With your best behavior, our classroom will be fun and engaging.

We will use Pearson’s Interactive Science workbook for Florida, and we will continue to follow the MDCPS Pacing Guide for Science. Your Science books will remain in school and you have access to the online textbook through your student portal. If you are unable to access the online book, please let me know and I will issue a separate book for home use.

The following is a quick summary of some of my classroom procedures:1. This year I will be maintaining a classroom website. I will be posting my procedures, classwork and

homework on the website. I would like for you to check frequently to see the work that you either will be doing or have done. The website address is: mrsgreenfieldscience.weebly.com.

2. We will be making interactive notebooks this year. There are specific procedures for using the notebook. I will be distributing those procedures to you as we go. I will also be posting them on my classroom website.

3. During class, when we take notes, or when I assign reading a section, notes will be taken in your interactive notebook. This will be kept in class. I will usually allow you to use your interactive notebook and textbooks for quizzes and tests, so make sure you have everything you need.

4. You will be required to find a SCIENCE current event article every other week and write a one paragraph summary of the article. The directions and process is the same as for Ms. Carr, the reading teacher. In fact, if you have Ms. Carr, we are allowing you to use the same article for both of us, you just need to copy or print out the form twice. The directions for doing the article is at the end of this letter. There is a description of this assignment on the website and at the end of this letter, along with sites that you can go to for the article.

5. Everyone will be required to complete a science fair project. I will be handing out the format and the instructions soon. This project will count for a minimum of 10 grades. A rubric for grading will be included in the handout for the science fair.

6. This year we will be working hard on the vocabulary of science. The words will come from the 8 th Grade Pacing Guide provided by the county. You will have a full week to complete the assignment. You will put each word on an index card and these will be held together with a binder ring. The directions will be handed out separately, but are also included in this letter.

7. We will be working toward taking the 8th grade exam at the end of the school year. There may be times that I work on math problems or do writing assignments. All work pertains to Science and I will have a review of all science topics that are on end of course exam prior to the exam.

8. The following activities will help you earn Extra Credit. Extra credit may consist of any of the following items (free homework pass, add 10 points to a quiz or test score, listen to music while you work, get two free answers on a quiz or test, or complete only ½ of an assignment). The homework pass and the ½ assignment pass do not apply to projects or quizzes or tests.

a. Independent research on a topic I have discussed or that interests them (with approval)b. Lab or classroom set up or tear down; assisting in the classroom before school.

c. Assisting a student who might need additional help during class.

d. Bringing the following supplies to assist the class (you many choose up to 5 extra credit items for bringing in items):

i. A ream of paperii. A box of tissues

iii. a roll of paper towelsiv. low odor dry erase markersv. A bottle of hand sanitizer

vi. Box of colored pencils (for the room)vii. Pack glue sticks

9. The following are the required materials for our Science class:a. Folder for your backpack for scienceb. Loose leaf paper c. Composition notebook (the black and white type) to be left in classd. Glue Sticks (to be used daily)e. Pencils/pens (to be used daily) (pens are any color but red, pink or orange; please bring a red pen or

pencil also)f. Colored pencils (your own personal set) (to be used daily)g. Highlighters (to be used daily)h. Pack of 3 x 5 white index cardsi. Single binder ring j. Agenda (to use for writing in homework assignments – I DO AGENDA CHECKS!)k. There is a $6 science lab fee. Please send this in as soon as possible so that we may purchase the

materials for labs and STEAM/STEM projects.l. If there is anyone who cannot obtain or purchase these supplies or pay the lab fee, please see me

privately and I will arrange for the supplies through the science department. Everyone deserves a right to learn.

10. Home Learning:a. Read the boards for homework, notes, etc. EVERYDAY.b. Make sure you write the weekly assignments in your agenda every Monday.c. Home learning – two assignments per week.

1. One will be the science current event. Science articles are due every other Thursday. Directions for science current event:

1. You must find an article about some subject relating to science. Articles regarding war or politics or crime usually do not involve science. If you have any questions about this, please see me before doing the assignment.

2. Find the news article on a website (nbcnews.com/science; foxnews.com/science; sciencenews.org; sciencedaily.com/news; nature.com; or any other website that has sciences news. You may also use a newspaper or magazine article about science.

Format for the science current event:

2. The other assignment will be stated on the board weekly, with it occasionally being the vocabulary project.

Below is an actual copy of the assignment page with the vocabulary words for the first quarter.

DIRECTIONS FOR VOCABULARY WORDS.

1. ALL WORDS MUST BE PUT ON INDIVIDUAL INDEX CARDS. IF THE TOPICS DUPLICATE SOME WORDS (THEY ARE HIGHLIGHTED), PLEASE JUST MOVE THE WORD FROM THE PRIOR TOPIC TO THE CURRENT TOPIC.

2. THE WORD SHOULD BE ON ONE SIDE OF THE CARD AND THE DEFINITION SHOULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CARD.

3. ALL CARDS MUST BE HOLE PUNCHED IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER AND ATTACHED TO A BINDER RING.4. YOU MUST HAVE ONE CARD THAT STATES YOUR NAME AND PERIOD ON IT – MAKE IT PRETTY.5. YOU MAY DECORATE YOUR CARDS… I WILL BE GIVING OUT EXTRA CREDIT CERTIFICATES IF THEY LOOK

GREAT!!!6. I WILL POST THE DUE DATES FOR THE VOCABULARY WORDS ON MY HOMEWORK BOARD.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE WORDS FOR THE FIRST TOPIC (8/21-8/28): TOPIC 1science, experiment, scientific investigation, observations, inference, hypothesis, test variable, outcome variable, controlled variable, data, inquiry, claim, empirical evidence, reasoning, predicting, trial, repetition, replication, support, fail to support, analyzing

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE WORDS FOR THE NEXT TOPIC (8/29-9/14): TOPIC 2matter, solid, liquid, gas, thermal, density, mass, energy, temperature, heat, melting, solubility, conductivity, solute, solvent, saturation, physical property

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE WORDS FOR THE NEXT TOPIC (9/15-10/4): TOPIC 3matter, substance, solid, liquid, gas, fluid, temperature, thermal energy, heat, melting point, freezing, vaporization, evaporation, boiling, boiling point, condensation, particle

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE WORDS FOR THE NEXT TOPIC (10/5-10/18): TOPIC 4matter, chemistry, substance, element, atom, Atomic mass, periodic table, nucleus, proton, atomic number, neutron, electron, mass number

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE WORDS FOR THE NEXT TOPIC (10/19-11/2): TOPIC 5Periodic table, atomic number, chemical symbol, period, group, metal, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, reactivity, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, nonmetal, halogen, noble gas, metalloid, mass number

I look forward to having a great school year together!

Susan Greenfield (mrsgreenfield@dadeschools.net) 305-932-3810 x2118