Welcome back

Summer is over and a great new school year is ahead. I wish to take this opportunity to welcome the incoming students and their parents to Cross Middle School.  I am looking forward to an exciting year in science!  We will cover a wide variety of topics this year, such as biomes, flight, space travel, weather, atoms, kingdoms, plants, cells, light, and basic chemistry. There will be lots of activities and projects that should keep everyone busy and involved.

Basic Class Information 

Current Events:   EVERY MONDAY, FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, A CURRENT EVENT ASSIGNMENT IS DUE.  Students are required to write a half-page summary of a newspaper article, magazine article, Internet article, TV show, or any other source of scientific information.  The assignment topic is left to the students AS LONG AS IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SCIENCE.

Weather, space, plants; hurricanes, insect infestations, medicine, etc. would all be considered science topics. Wars, sports topics, and the latest fashions would not fit the assignment requirements.  

If a student does not have access to a newspaper or television, newspaper articles are available in class or students may use the "news link " button on the main index page to find science related Internet articles.

Progress Reports: EVERY WEDNESDAY,  two things will happen:  ALL classes will send home a printed progress report in the student's homework folder and a copy of the report will also be posted on the Internet.  This is the way we communicate to you how well your child is doing in school.  Please take the time to go over the reports with your child every week. They will list the overall grade to date and grades for all assignments so that missing work and test scores can be readily available to parents. All zeroes showing on a progress report from the previous week must be turned in for HALF CREDIT by the following MONDAY.  Papers turned in after Monday will stay a zero. A link to view progress reports is on the main index page and also at the bottom of this page.

WEB SITE: The web site for this class will have information on the major units we cover this year. This site is very useful to review facts, to catch up on information if absent, and to use the practice cards, practice tests, games, and worksheets found there to study before exams. Please have your child get used to using this site as a study and research aid.  

TESTS: Students who receive a “D” or an “F” on any test will be given the opportunity to take the test home, fix whatever was missed, have a parent sign the test, return it, and then take a different version of the test.  The two grades will then be averaged together for a final grade. If  a student does not fix the mistakes or have a parent sign the first test within a two week period, he/she will not be allowed to retest. 

 

HOMEWORK INFORMATION

As a rule, sixth graders can easily get overwhelmed with the organizational skills necessary to do well in middle school. Please get into the habit of checking your child's homework assignments every night.  To help parents be aware of what and when things are due, science class has the following aids:  

 

Homework Hotline: There is a homework hotline available for students and parents.  It is updated daily and will list the assignments for each class for that day, as well as give advance notice of due dates of projects or the dates of upcoming tests.  Please get into the habit of having your child check it daily.  The number is 696-5921. 

Science Homework Calendars: At the beginning of each month, a science calendar will be sent home that will have all the month’s homework and upcoming tests and projects listed.  Please post this in a conspicuous place and help your child remember to check it daily. A calendar is  also available  by selecting the homework calendar icon at the bottom of this page or selecting the "homework" button on the main index. 

Web Site Calendar: This is a link to the online homework calendar.  It will list all the homework, test dates, project due dates, field trips dates, etc. for the whole year.

Student Agendas: Students are given an agenda at the beginning of the year.  They are expected to fill in the homework for each class daily. Please get into the habit of having them check it nightly. (There is a grade given in A/A class  for the completion of recording each week's assignments) 

Homework Folders:  All students will be given a homework folder at the beginning of the year. Inside will be homework calendars, project guidelines, and progress reports issued from all core classes every Wednesday.  Please look over the calendars and assignments every night with your child.

Students will need the following basic supplies for science class: pencils and paper. Please check these items every week or two to ensure your child has the necessary supplies for class.  Students are strongly encouraged to get A FOLDER WITH POCKETS FOR EACH CLASS. These are easier for the students to handle than Trapper Keepers. Organization is consistently a major downfall for many students, and a folder for each class will allow students to keep handouts and notes for the different classes separate.   

Again, welcome to Cross Middle School !  I know it will be a fun, exciting year.

Laurie Celaya, 6^th grade science   

progress reports

homework calendar

back to index