Algebra II Sylabus
Contact Information:
Ms Gray
(540) 932-9306 ext. 168
kgray@fishburne.org
Grade Elements:
- Homework: Homework will be given every night. The first few minutes of class are for homework questions. You will then have a homework assessment. I will choose 1-2 problems from the homework which you will need to do on a separate sheet of paper. The assessment will be turned in a graded for correctness and completeness. It is worth 5 points. I will also check your homework for completeness (5 points). Missing homework will result in mandatory help class.
- Quizzes: Quizzes will happen throughout the course with or without warning. Quizzes will be worth between 5 and 50 points depending on difficulty and length. These may be corrected.
- Tests: At the end of each chapter there will be a test. Each test is worth 100 points. 5-10% of each test will be official SAT or ACT questions. These will count like regular test questions. Tests may be corrected.
- Class Participation: Each marking period you can earn up to 100 points class participation. Class Participation will be assessed at each interim and marking period. Most students will get a B (90/100) in class participation, exceptional effort and engagement will earn you an A (100/100), a student who sleeps occasionally and never answers a question unless explicitly asked will earn a C (82/100), a student who is frequently asleep or late to class and is also not participating at all in classroom discussion will earn a D. You will not get an F for class participation, unless something truly extreme happens.
Grading Policies:
- Late Work: Late work is accepted with no penalty, but it is your responsibility to figure out what you are missing and to get it in before the end of the grading period. Periodically you will receive grad slips with your current grade and any missing assignments.
- Academic Restriction: On every Thursday I will place those students who are missing more than 2 homework assignments on restriction.
- Corrections: On test and quizzes you can correct any errors to earn back half the points you missed. This means that if you gat a 60 on a test, you can correct all the problems and pull your grade up to an 80. A 70 can become an 85, or a 90 a 95. CORRECTIONS MUST BE ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER AND STAPLED TO THE ORIGINAL TEST/QUIZ.
- Extra Credit: Extra credit points are tallied over the course of a grading period. They will be averaged in to your final grade at the end of the grading period. You can earn up to 75 extra credit points in a grading period.
There are many different ways that you can earn extra credit in my class:
a) Logic puzzles: There are logic puzzles from www.conceptispuzzles.com in the front of the room. They are between 2 and 5 points of extra credit (the amount of points are written on the sheet).
b) Math Current Events: If you find an article from an accredited news source (like a newspaper or magazine, not a blog or an encyclopedia) and bring it into class with a paragraph (3-5 sentences) explaining how the article relates to physics and what you found interesting about the article, you will earn 20 points of extra credit.
c) Creative Math Projects: These can be anything creative that is related to math. You could write a song/rap, do an interpretive dance, create a piece of art, conduct an experiment, the options are limitless. Be creative. All projects need to be pre-approved. The amount of extra credit for these is variable and depends on how closely connected to math the project is and how much effort it took.
Classroom Policies:
- You must always maintain a respectful attitude to every person in the class.
- You must keep the area around your desk clean. If the area around your desk isn’t clean you may be asked to attend help class to clean the room, even if you were not the one to make the mess.
- When the teacher is talking, students are not.
- You are expected to follow all school and classroom rules at all times.
- You are expected to come prepared to class. This means you have done your homework, have all your materials, and are well rested and ready to learn.
- You may have water in sealable plastic containers. You may not have any food, candy or any beverage other than water.
- Turn in all papers in the box on my desk; you are responsible for making sure that it is in the box.
- Graded work will be placed in your class’s box for you to collect at your convenience or handed out during class time.
Materials:
Textbook
Pencil/ Pen
Calculator for personal use
Three-ring binder with loose leaf paper
Calculators
The school has generously provided us with a classroom set of graphing calculators. We will use this frequently in class. Each student will be assigned a calculator for use in the classroom. Students may only use the calculator assigned him. Each day that calculators are used, they will be signed out and signed in. Students are responsible for any damage to their assigned calculators. If you have your own calculator you are welcome to use it at anytime.
Ms Gray
(540) 932-9306 ext. 168
kgray@fishburne.org
Grade Elements:
- Homework: Homework will be given every night. The first few minutes of class are for homework questions. You will then have a homework assessment. I will choose 1-2 problems from the homework which you will need to do on a separate sheet of paper. The assessment will be turned in a graded for correctness and completeness. It is worth 5 points. I will also check your homework for completeness (5 points). Missing homework will result in mandatory help class.
- Quizzes: Quizzes will happen throughout the course with or without warning. Quizzes will be worth between 5 and 50 points depending on difficulty and length. These may be corrected.
- Tests: At the end of each chapter there will be a test. Each test is worth 100 points. 5-10% of each test will be official SAT or ACT questions. These will count like regular test questions. Tests may be corrected.
- Class Participation: Each marking period you can earn up to 100 points class participation. Class Participation will be assessed at each interim and marking period. Most students will get a B (90/100) in class participation, exceptional effort and engagement will earn you an A (100/100), a student who sleeps occasionally and never answers a question unless explicitly asked will earn a C (82/100), a student who is frequently asleep or late to class and is also not participating at all in classroom discussion will earn a D. You will not get an F for class participation, unless something truly extreme happens.
Grading Policies:
- Late Work: Late work is accepted with no penalty, but it is your responsibility to figure out what you are missing and to get it in before the end of the grading period. Periodically you will receive grad slips with your current grade and any missing assignments.
- Academic Restriction: On every Thursday I will place those students who are missing more than 2 homework assignments on restriction.
- Corrections: On test and quizzes you can correct any errors to earn back half the points you missed. This means that if you gat a 60 on a test, you can correct all the problems and pull your grade up to an 80. A 70 can become an 85, or a 90 a 95. CORRECTIONS MUST BE ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER AND STAPLED TO THE ORIGINAL TEST/QUIZ.
- Extra Credit: Extra credit points are tallied over the course of a grading period. They will be averaged in to your final grade at the end of the grading period. You can earn up to 75 extra credit points in a grading period.
There are many different ways that you can earn extra credit in my class:
a) Logic puzzles: There are logic puzzles from www.conceptispuzzles.com in the front of the room. They are between 2 and 5 points of extra credit (the amount of points are written on the sheet).
b) Math Current Events: If you find an article from an accredited news source (like a newspaper or magazine, not a blog or an encyclopedia) and bring it into class with a paragraph (3-5 sentences) explaining how the article relates to physics and what you found interesting about the article, you will earn 20 points of extra credit.
c) Creative Math Projects: These can be anything creative that is related to math. You could write a song/rap, do an interpretive dance, create a piece of art, conduct an experiment, the options are limitless. Be creative. All projects need to be pre-approved. The amount of extra credit for these is variable and depends on how closely connected to math the project is and how much effort it took.
Classroom Policies:
- You must always maintain a respectful attitude to every person in the class.
- You must keep the area around your desk clean. If the area around your desk isn’t clean you may be asked to attend help class to clean the room, even if you were not the one to make the mess.
- When the teacher is talking, students are not.
- You are expected to follow all school and classroom rules at all times.
- You are expected to come prepared to class. This means you have done your homework, have all your materials, and are well rested and ready to learn.
- You may have water in sealable plastic containers. You may not have any food, candy or any beverage other than water.
- Turn in all papers in the box on my desk; you are responsible for making sure that it is in the box.
- Graded work will be placed in your class’s box for you to collect at your convenience or handed out during class time.
Materials:
Textbook
Pencil/ Pen
Calculator for personal use
Three-ring binder with loose leaf paper
Calculators
The school has generously provided us with a classroom set of graphing calculators. We will use this frequently in class. Each student will be assigned a calculator for use in the classroom. Students may only use the calculator assigned him. Each day that calculators are used, they will be signed out and signed in. Students are responsible for any damage to their assigned calculators. If you have your own calculator you are welcome to use it at anytime.