Geometry Course Syllabus

Mrs. Jones, Grades 9-12

wjones@bcbe.org

**  All school procedures and policies from the student handbook will be followed.  Accommodations for students with Individual Education Plans (IEP's) or Personalized Education Plans (PEP's or 504's) or English as a Second Language (ESL Plan) will be followed.  Conferences may be scheduled upon request.

Course Rationale - Geometry provides students with knowledge about shapes and properties and assists with the development of spatial sense, critical for further study in mathematics and for everyday life.

Proposed Objectives - All objectives stipulated in the Alabama Course of Study for Geometry will be covered.  Material covered will also satisfy the objectives for the Alabama High School Graduation Exam.

Student Resource Title - McDougal Littell "Geometry"

Materials Needed -      1" - 2" 3-ring binder                    Loose Leaf Paper                       Composition book

                                    Pencils                                     Graph Paper

                                    Optional:  Scientific Calculator (Students will need a calculator for homework.)

Assessment - A variety of assessment styles will be utilized including but not limited to formal chapter tests, quizzes (announced and unannounced), daily class work assignments, homework checks and special projects. 

Graded Determination Precedes -

Term Average:                           Homework/Daily work                 15%

                                                Quizzes                                    25%

                                                Chapter Tests                            50%

                                                Exam                                        10%

Final Course Grade:                   First Quarter Avg.                       50%

                                                Second Quarter Avg.                  50%

Make-up Work - Absent students should contact another student when possible or refer to STI home for the homework assignment.  Students will consult the classroom calendar for missed homework assignments upon return.  If a student misses a quiz, the chapter test grade will count as the quiz grade.  If a student misses a Chapter test, the student is required to take a make-up test.  Should a make-up test become necessary, they may differ from those given at regular test time.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all work is made up when he/she misses class.  Students will be allowed time to make up work as specified in the handbook.

Discipline Policy - One of the most important lessons educators should teach is discipline.  The purpose of my discipline policy is to insure the rights of each student to attend Gulf Shores High School in a safe, positive, and productive learning environment.  Improper behavior is the choice of the individual and he/she will be expected to accept the consequences of that behavior.  Likewise, proper behavior is a choice and will be rewarded appropriately.

Conferences - I look forward to working with each of you and hope that you will contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  You are encouraged to call the office and leave a message to schedule an appointment for before or after school.  You may also contact me by using the above listed email address.

Classroom Rules

Be on Time

Be Prepared

Be Respectful

Consequences

First Offense:  Warning

Second Offense:  Break Detention (Practice Multiplication Tables)

Third Offense:  After School Detention

Fourth Offense:  Office Referral

Severe disruptions will be handled on an individual basis and may result an immediate office referral.

Rewards

Praise (daily)

Positive email home (random)

Positive phone calls home (random)

Classroom Procedures

•1.       Homework - As in every math class, it is imperative that students practice every night the objectives covered in class.  In order to encourage students to do their homework, I will be checking homework everyday.  Students are to have their homework on their desk as they complete the warm-up.  Homework may be turned in one (1) day late with a deduction of ten (10) points.  However, I will only accept three (3) late homeworks per nine-week grading period.  For homework to be counted, all work must be shown.

•2.       Warm-up - Every class will begin with a warm-up exercise.  Once a student has entered the classroom, he/she is expected to begin working on the warm-up exercise immediately.  Students should not wait for the tardy bell to ring.  After a limited amount of time (five to ten minutes), we will go over the answers.  Students are required to correct warm-ups in a different color pen.  I will take up the warm-ups as a set (10 at a time).  Absent students are required to indicate they were absent on their warm-ups.  Students will receive a daily grade for each set.  Students are expected to copy the problems, attempt the problems and show all work.  Failure to do so will result in points deducted.

•3.       Journals - On Fridays, I will give the students a topic and ask them to write in their journal their feelings concerning the topic.  This will be a quiz grade.

•4.       All Tests, Homework, Classwork and Quizzes must be completed in pencil and done on LOOSE LEAF NOTBOOK PAPER or standard copy paper.  Sheets torn from spiral notebooks will not be accepted.  All papers must have the following information in the upper, right hand corner:  FIRST and LAST name, Date, Chapter and Page number (if applicable).  Any paper turned in without this information, will be considered incomplete and points may be deducted. 

A notetaking guide is used to detail the important concepts of each section.  These books will be checked once every 9 weeks.  The notetaking guide is due on the last day of new classwork in the quarter and will be graded for completeness.  All vocabulary, examples and checkpoints must be completed.  This will be counted as a test grade. 

At least one project will be assigned per semester.  Projects will be worked on in class as well as at home.  Projects will be counted as a quiz grades.

•5.       Passes - Each student is allowed three (3) passes per quarter.  These may be used for whatever is deemed necessary.  They should, however, only be used for emergency situations.  Emergencies do no happen FOUR times in a quarter.  I will sign off on their pacing chart to indicate a pass was used.  Students who choose not to use their passes will be rewarded with up to 30 bonus points added to their lowest daily grades.  Any student, who uses all their passes but feels they must leave the room anyway, will be assigned break detention.

•6.       Tardies - A student is tardy if they are not in the classroom when the tardy bell rings.  All tardy students will be required to return with a tardy pass from an administrator.  All tardies will be handled according to the Student Handbook.

•7.       End of Class - Whenever possible, students will be given an opportunity to begin homework in class.  Students are expected to use their time wisely.  Students, who do not will be warned once, then assigned break detention.  The teacher, not the bell, dismisses students.  Students should not "pack up" until told to do so.

Please stress to your student the importance of being organized and doing homework every night.  It is important that students come to class prepared to work.  Please see that they have an ample supply of notebook paper and pencils at all times.  I hope these procedures will encourage students to cultivate good study habits as well as improve grades.  I thank you in advance for your support and cooperation in these matters.  Please sign below.

Thank you,

Mrs. Wendy Jones

Geometry Course Syllabus and Class Procedures

Student Name ____________________________________                       Block ________________

I have read and understand what is expected of me/my student.

__________________________________________                                   _____________________

Parent/Guardian Signature                                                                      Date

Parent's email address:  ______________________________________________

__________________________________________                                   _____________________

Student Signature                                                                                  Date

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am honored to have your child in my Geometry class this semester.  I am excited to work with you and your student throughout this semester.  I know that we will have a successful, exciting and productive semester in Geometry.  I look forward to being a part of the academic progress your student will make.

Geometry will be different from any other math course that your student may have taken.  Geometry deals with properties, measurements and relationships of points, lines, angles, surfaces and solids.  Geometry is not simply a collection of techniques for calculating sums, products, slopes, etc.  Geometry has content.  It has a vocabulary of defined and undefined terms.  It has a collection of postulates and theorems.  It will challenge your student to use everything they have learned to date in mathematics.

Your student will find that I am tough but fair.  I have extremely high academic and behavioral expectations for my students.  I require that students are on time to class, come prepared and respect both myself and their fellow students.  Disruption of class learning will not be tolerated.

I expect every student will learn to the best of his or her ability and achieve more in one semester that they ever thought possible.  To aid in this achievement, please note that I require each student to have a note book with loose leaf paper, a marble composition notebook, a protractor, a ruler and a compass.

I am sending home a class syllabus and pacing guide for this semester.  I have laid out the semester so that each Friday your student will have a quiz or a chapter test.  We will also be completing at least two projects during this semester - one of which will require work outside of class.

Because you are an integral part of your child's education, I feel home-school communication is of vital importance.  I normally send home progress reports every two weeks during the semester.  I would like to extend an invitation for you to contact me at any time.  I can be reached through the main office at school, 968-7392, or via email, wjones@bcbe.org.  If you would like to talk to me in person, I am always available to schedule appointments before school, after school or during my prep period, 1:30-3:06.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

There are several ways you can help your child succeed in my challenging Geometry class:

•·         Ask your student what he or she learned in school each day.  This simple routine will help them review and find holes in their understanding.

•·         Emphasize the importance of homework and hard work and monitor whether your student is completing his or her homework each night.  I grade homework on completion and I given homework Monday thru Thursday of each week.  Please help your student establish a regular time and place to complete their homework.

•·         Encourage your students to ask questions in class and come in for extra help when they need it.  I tutor every Thursday from 3:06 - 4:00.  Tutoring is also available in the library after school on Tuesdays thru Thursdays.  Finally, there is an online website that is available for free:  http://www.homeworkalabama.org/.  Praise them for doing well ... they deserve it!

•·         Please use the STI system that Baldwin County utilizes to track your students progress.  If you need your students STI code, please contact Jeannie Colburn at 968-4747.

I look forward to working with you and your students!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Wendy Jones