F.A.Q.s

1. F.A.Q.s Frequently Asked Questions

2. What do I do when I come into the classroom each day? • Each day when you come in there will be a PowerPoint presentation on the screen. Follow the directions on the PowerPoint. • This is a good time to also sharpen pencils or to get supplies you need.

3. What do I need for this class? • For this class you need the following things EVERYDAY: A 1 to 2 inch three-ring binder A spiral notebook with holes so that it can lock in the binder A pencil, bring an extra if you have it

4. What textbook will we use? • We will use many different books throughout the year so you will not be assigned a textbook. • Any book work that we do will be done in class

5. What will we learn this year? • Measurement – review of how to • Potential & Kinetic Energy – think Roller Coasters • Earth’s Layers • Plate Tectonics • Rock Formation • Physical & Chemical Weathering of Earth • Soil – what is it made of & how does it form

6. What else will be learn? • Geologic time • Fossils • Ecosystems • Interaction between living things • Food webs & food chains • Humans and their impact on Earth

7. How will we be graded? • I grade based on points • Homework is 10 points unless otherwise stated • Other assignments will have different point values

8. How do I know what my letter grade is? • You can find your letter grade by dividing the number of points you earn by the number of points possible. • For example if you get 8 out 10 points you would get an 80% or a B. The chart is on the bulletin board.

9. Homework • All homework is due the next day. If it is assigned on a Friday (I really try not to do that) it will be due on the next Monday. • Homework should be ready to be turned in or corrected as soon as you get to class.

10. Where do I turn in work? • Usually we all turn in our work at the same time, but if you need to turn something in please put it in the green plastic bin on the demo table.

11. Late Work • I will only take late work for one week. If for some reason you do not turn in it within that time you will lose those points. • If you are absent you have the number of days you were absent plus one more to turn in any work.

12. What do I do if I am absent? • If you are absent you should check the board in the front of the room to see what we worked on while you were gone. • Extra copies of worksheets and hand-outs can be found in the daily folders on the demo cart. • If you are gone for three or more days call the office and request work that can be picked up.

13. Can I get up during class? • The short answer is yes. • The better answer is yes, but if the teacher or another student is speaking wait until they are finished if at all possible.

14. Ms. Dunlop’s Pet Peeve If you must get up while someone is speaking and you walk in front of that person I will give you a hard time about it. To walk between a speaker and their audience is unacceptable. Please do not do walk in front of your fellow students or me if we are talking.

15. Will we work in groups? • Yes, we will work in groups some of the time. Some of the time we will work alone and some of the time we will work as a whole class. It will depend on what we are doing.

16. What do I do if I need a pencil? • Since we only use pencils in science class you need a pencil everyday. • If you forgot your pencil you have three choices: 1. You can borrow a pencil from a friend. 2. You can borrow a pencil by writing your first name and last initial on the board and then asking me for a pencil. 3. You can purchase a pencil from me for 10 cents. I also have small erasers and pencil sharpeners for 5 cents each.

17. What do I do if I finish my work? • If you finish your work you may do one of the following: Find something to read or read something you brought Work on the class puzzle if there is one out Work on word searches or word puzzles if they are available • The one thing you cannot do is talk to or disturb others.

18. What do I do if I need a tissue? • Tissues are near the waste baskets. • If you need a tissue please try to wait until the teacher or other students are finished talking before you get up. • If the tissue box is empty please get a new one out for all of us to use. • Bringing in a box of tissue gets you 10 extra credit points!

19. What do I do if I need to use the restroom? • Students are not allowed to leave the room during class unless it is an emergency. You should use the restroom or take care of business between classes. • If it is an emergency, sign out on the clipboard near the door being sure to fill it out completely. Take the pass and put it around your neck. When you come back to the classroom return the pass and finish filling out the information on the clipboard.

20. What if I want to tell the teacher something? • If you want to tell me something privately, you can do any number of things: Leave a note on my desk, include your name in case I have further questions E-mail me at hdunlop@lsps.org Contact me through my web page at https://hdunlopscience.weebly.com Call me at 285-8842

21. Can I have a water bottle in class? • Yes you can have a water bottle in class, as long as it is not a distraction to you or your classmates. • Please recycle your water bottle in the white recycle bin when you are finished.

22. Can I have gum in class? • Sorry, NO GUM in science class. • We do too many things using science equipment and we do not want gum stuck in places it should not be.

23. Can I have my phone, iPod, MP3 player, or reader in class? • School policy says that your phone must be off and in your locker during the school day. So you can not have it in our classroom. • iPods, MP3 players, and readers are allowed in some classes. Each teacher gets to decide what is best for their class. In my class you may have it and use it when I say that it is OK.

24. FOURTH HOUR ONLY • Bring your lunch to class with you each day. We have lunch in the middle of the hour and we will not be going back to the lockers. • Silent Reading will be done a few days each week. Bring a book or borrow one of mine, everyone reads. • Writing Tracker will be done a few days each week. Writing journals will be kept here in the classroom.

25. What do we do if there is an emergency in the classroom? • If there is an emergency in the classroom I will have people do one or all of the following: Go across the hall to get Mr. G or go next door and get Mrs. Malloy or Go to the office and get help or Go to the custodians office and get help or Leave the room and go to the library

26. What do we do if there is a fire drill? • If there is a fire drill we go out the door and turn left. • We go out the outside doors and walk all the way to the fence. • We turn around and face the building and wait for the signal that we can return to the building. • REMEMBER: There is NO TALKING and NO RUNNING during a fire drill.

27. What do we do if there is a severe weather announcement? • In the case of severe weather will go out the door and across the hall to the Teacher Workroom. • We will sit on the floor, facing the wall. • We will be really close to one another due to the small space. • REMEMBER: There is NO TALKING and NO RUNNING during a severe weather drill.

28. What do we do if there is a Code Yellow? • Code Yellow means that for some reason they do not want anyone in the hallways. It is usually because someone is sick or hurt and needs to be moved. • Code Yellow means that we stay in the classroom until we are told we can leave. • We will keep working unless we are told to do something differently.

29. What do we do if there is a Code Red? • Code Red means that there is an emergency of some kind. • Code Red means that we will lock the doors and windows. We will turn off the lights and the equipment. • We may move to an area of the room that will be safer if needed.

30. What if I am in the hallway and there is a Code Yellow or a Code Red? • If you are in the hallway during a Code Yellow, return to the classroom as quickly as you can. If a staff member tells you differently, follow their directions. • If you are in the hallway during a Code Red, go to the closest classroom. If the door is locked, knock and tell them who you are and which classroom you are from. The teacher will let you in and you will stay their until the Code Red is over. When the Code Red is over return to the classroom so that I know you are safe.

31. Where is the safety equipment in this classroom? • The phone is behind Ms. Dunlop’s desk on top of the bookcase. • The first aid items are located near the door we use to enter and exit the room. • The fire extinguisher is located near the door on the south end of the room. • The fire blanket is located near the door on the south end of the room. • The window can be used as an exit if we need to.