Rutan, Rachel | Earth Science & K-8 P.E.
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Class Expectations
Earth Science Course Information
Earth Science Course Information
General Overview
The curriculum in this course follows Deer Valley USD and State of Arizona standards. These standards can be viewed here. Throughout this course students will:
- Acquire, and then apply, appropriate scientific knowledge to interpret the natural world by manipulating instruments and materials of Earth Science.
- Develop integrated thinking skills through science experiences and experiments.
- Understand how Earth Science plays a vital role in society.
Course Organization & Content Mastery
Each lesson in the course has it's own module. You will need to work through all assignments in sequential order. You will not be able to move forward in the course until each assignment is submitted. This is because science is all about discovering information. Each assignment provides a small "piece of the puzzle" for you to discover and when you get to the end of a lesson, you will "put all of the pieces together" to show what you've learned. If you skip an assignment, you're skipping some of the information that you need, which is why ALL assignments must be turned in.
As you work through each assignment, make sure to READ ALL INFORMATION provided, watch all videos, and run all simulations. This course is designed for you to complete on your own, but you will need each piece of information provided to be successful. When you see information written in BLUE TEXT, it is part of your notes. Make sure to stop and write these pieces of information down in your science notebook as you go. DO NOT skip this step. You will need to reference specific assignments (including the assignment number) often when providing evidence to support your claims. If you do not have the notes and assignment numbers written down, you will have to go back and search for them - this will take you a lot of extra time.
Assessments
When you reach a "check point" you will need to earn a 100% in order to move forward. You have two attempts to do this, and if you have not earned a 100% after two attempts you will need to schedule a time to meet with me to discuss the concepts you are struggling with before a third attempt will be given. This meeting can be a quick zoom call, and does NOT need to be in person. These checkpoints are designed to ensure you're learning what you are supposed to as you go, so that you are prepared for the larger assessments such as lesson tests and district exams.
When you reach a "lesson test" assessment, you will have to make sure you use a school provided computer or IPad, as you will take these assessments in lockdown browser. You only have one attempt for these assessments as they are cumulative and demonstrate your progress towards the standards. It is important to study ahead of time for these tests.
There are two "district exams" in this course, these exams cover each unit of study, and will be taken in-person at the Innovation center. Dates for these exams will be shared via announcements and the course agenda as we get closer.
Grades
Grades will be given at the end of each semester. There is no extra credit in the course.
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- All assessments (checkpoints, tests, and district exams) will count towards 80% of the course grade.
- All other coursework assignments will count towards 20% of the course grade.
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- Scale:
- A = 90-100%
- B = 80-89.9%
- C = 70-79.9%
- D = 60-69.9%
- F = 0 -59.9%
- Scale:
Assignment Due Dates and Late Work
Lessons, assignments, and tests will only be available during specific periods during the length of the course; therefore, you must log in to see when each individual lesson begins and when the assignments and tests are due. It is also very important that you look in the class Announcements every day for important information OR make sure you have the announcements sent to your phone. It is OK to work ahead. If you know you will be out of town or busy plan to complete work ahead of time. Do not wait until the due date to start your work.
- There are two important dates for every assignment: the due date and the closing date.
- The due date is the date the assignment is due. All due dates are on Tuesdays OR Fridays.
- You should always plan to submit your work by the due date.
- The catch-up weeks provides additional time for:
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- Students with IEPs or 504s that allow them extra time on assignments. Work can be submitted for FULL CREDIT if submitted by the closing date and time.
- When "life happens" and you are running a little behind. Work can be submitted for FULL CREDIT if submitted by the closing date and time.
- Technology issues happen - you have time to get them resolved. Work can be submitted for FULL CREDIT if submitted by the closing date and time.
- Your score on an assignment was not as high as you would have liked. You can make corrections and resubmit the work for FULL CREDIT if submitted by the closing date and time (if you have remaining attempts available)
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- The due date is the date the assignment is due. All due dates are on Tuesdays OR Fridays.
AI & Academic Integrity
To be college-, career-, and community-ready, students in the Deer Valley Unified School District are expected to demonstrate academic integrity. Academic integrity is all about being honest and fair in your schoolwork. It means doing work that is entirely your own and giving credit to others (including generative Artificial Intelligence tools) through proper citation when you use their ideas or words.
If you have questions about the guidelines for academic integrity, you should discuss them with your teacher.
Communication
Please contact me with any questions or concerns. It is crucial that teachers, parents, and students maintain open lines of communication in order to ensure the best support for student success. Please contact me through the Canvas Inbox messaging system. Do NOT use the comments section of an assignment to ask questions as I will not see these until I score the assignment!
The Deer Valley Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. For any inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies contact the Superintendent's Department, 20402 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85027. 623.445.5000.