General Classroom Info
Classroom Expectations
1. Be on time - You should be in your seat before the bell rings. Visting with friends and going to the restroom need to be done before the bell rings.
2. Bring all materials to class - You should have all of your materials with you every day. Your materials include textbook, paper, pencil, ink pen (blue or black ink only!), assignments, and your folders.
3. Respect yourself and others- This means that everyone is expected to give 100% effort in class. Respect yourself enough to do the best that you can and seek out extra help when it is needed. This also means that you should show respect to your classmates and Mrs. Martin by paying attention and participating in class activities. Remember: Treat others as you would like to be treated.
4. Safety - It is very important that you follow all safety rules when working in the laboratory setting. Failure to do so will result in a ZERO for the lab and a 24-hour removal.
5. Follow all school rules - All school rules apply in the classroom as well. School rules are listed in the student handbook.
6. Homework policy - Homework is to be turned in on time. If assignments are turned in late, you will lose one letter grade for each day it is late. (After 4 days it will no longer be accepted.) If you are absent, it is your responsibility to check with Mrs. Martin for the assignments you missed. You will have as many days to make up an assignment as you were absent.
7. Folders - Students are to have 2 folders for this class. One folder should be kept in the classroom. (If you wish to take the folder home with you, you must remember to bring it with you to class or you will lose points.) The other folder is a take-home folder but should be brought to class.
8. Participation Points - Each six weeks you have the possibility of earning 100 participation points. Everyone automatically starts the grading period with these points. Points can be lost or deducted for the following reasons: not bringing materials to class, disruptive behavior, not following directions, goofing around during activities, and substitute teachers leaving name behind for disruptions. Points will be deducted at 5 point intervals with the exception of causing problems for a substitute (10 points). Students will be warned prior to a point loss and will be notified when a loss of points occurs.
Choice Assignments & Portfolio - I believe middle school is a time when students should be allowed to explore and discover new things. You should also have choices in order to find what learning style you might possess and to learn what works best for your individual needs. To that end, I have devised a method to enhance your learning. I call these assignments "Choice" assignments because the students have a choice as to what they may do to earn the points.
One Choice is worth 50 points and 8th grade students are required to turn in two 50-pt assignments during each 6 weeks grading period. You may choose any science topic. Some of the variety of acceptable choices are the following (most of the following forms may be obtained on the Class Projects page:
*Depending on the severity of the offense, the teacher has the right to skip any of the consequence steps.
*Please see the Five Step Discipline Procedure (p. 9-11) in the student handbook for further details.
M. Martin JCMS Green Team
Updated: June 7, 2005