- Charles E. Gorton High School
- Class Expectations
Haughton, Derrick
Page Navigation
-
Gorton High School - Class Requirements and Expectations
Teacher: Mr. Derrick Haughton
Course: Earth Science Regents /CH Earth Science Regents
Classroom (in-person & virtual) Rules and Student Accountability
- Sit in your assigned seats (in-person).
- No eating or drinking during class (except water).
- Respect each other.
- Be always prepared for class. *
- The use of electronic devices for purposes not related to teaching and learning is prohibited in class.
- Follow all online protocols for virtual learning when class is in session.
Note: All school rules apply and are reinforced in your Earth Science class.
Consequences of Inappropriate Behavior and Lateness:
- One-half of a point will be deducted from a student’s end of marking period grade per incident of inappropriate cell phone use in class.
- One-quarter of a point will be deducted from a student’s end of marking period grade per incident of eating or drinking when class is in session (water is not included).
- One-half of a point will be deducted from a student’s end of marking period grade per incident for behavior deemed inappropriate as defined by the District Code of Conduct, or behavior that is contrary to proper classroom decorum (virtual or in-person).
- One-quarter of a point will be deducted from a student’s end of marking period grade per incident of unexcused lateness to class.
Rewards for Good Classroom Citizenship:
- One point (per incident, up to a maximum of five points) will be added to students' end of marking period grades for performing behavior deemed worthy of good citizenship. (This includes, but is not limited to, helping/supporting a classmate with language deficiencies, mediating a disagreement between peers, volunteering to help the teacher with classroom chores, etc.)
Primary Sources Used in this Course:
- Earth Science the Physical Setting: Brief Review for New York (Jeffrey C. Callister) - Required (classroom set available)
- Earth Science Reference Tables (2011 Edition) - Required (provided)
- Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, & the Universe (Glencoe McGraw-Hill) - Reference
- EarthComm: Project-Based Space & Earth System Sciences - 2nd Edition (American Geosciences Institute in Association with It is About Time) - Reference
Grading Policy
The grading policy outlined below is consistent with the Science Department and will be strictly adhered to throughout all four marking periods. Please note that it is the policy of the New York State Department of Education that every student must score a minimum of 65% on all examinations to obtain a passing grade.
Tests & Quizzes - 50% (Tests 35%, Quizzes 15%)
Formal Earth Science assessments usually mimic the New York State Earth Science Regents Examination: They are usually comprised of multiple-choice and short- and extended-response questions. However, quizzes may be vocabulary based, open-note, class-work practice, or reading comprehension based.
All Earth Science students will be engaged in science inquiry-based learning regularly. Inquiry-based scientific research projects will be assessed on a four-point rubric, and each will be assigned a quiz or test grade based on its comprehensiveness. Unless otherwise instructed, all research projects must be typed. Handwritten projects on loose-leaf paper without a justifiable reason will be awarded a grade of zero.
There are usually 4-8 formal Earth Science assessments per marking period, including the end of the marking period assessment. Makeup tests and quizzes will be scheduled during my extra help session (in-person class) to facilitate students who were absent when these were administered. Students with missing test grades who fail to show up to these makeup sessions will have to make other arrangements to take their assessments at the teacher’s convenience. Virtual makeup assessments will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time by the teacher and student. At the teacher’s discretion, under certain circumstances, a student may have his/her lowest test grade dropped at the end of each marking period.
Earth Science Labs - 20%
All students must complete a minimum of four labs, or any assignments given in lieu of labs each marking period. Students who are falling behind in their labs will have an opportunity to make these up during my extra help session (in-person or virtual). Information regarding my extra help day and time will be communicated as soon as possible. Please refer to the information sheet under the subheading: Student-Parent Contract (last page).
Class Work & Participation (in-person or virtual) - 20%
Class participation means being actively engaged in every exercise or activity that the teacher employs to facilitate learning in the classroom (in-person or online). This includes reading, answering questions, volunteering, participating in whole-class or group discussion, note-taking, and other class work practice. Please note that cutting class (virtual or in-person), tardiness, and poor school or class attendance will negatively affect the score a student receives in this grading category.
Homework - 10%
Homework will be assigned regularly. Typically, 10-15 homework assignments are collected and checked during each marking period. The format of these will differ, with the goal being to either facilitate the learning of new material (for example, a reading assignment), or to reinforce certain concepts (for example, answering skill-based questions). In my class, homework is not busy work! Therefore, under normal circumstances, a homework assignment will not be accepted if it is more than one day late. If, however, a student gets sick or is otherwise legally absent from class, arrangements will be made to accommodate such a student. No grade will be assigned for careless or plagiarized work. Homework will be posted in Microsoft Teams or Schoology, and students are encouraged to complete and submit their work online unless instructed otherwise.
*Supplies Needed Daily
- One notebook
- One pencil and a pen (black or blue ink only)
Earth Science Syllabus: Curriculum Units and Subtopics
Unit 1: Introduction to Earth Science
Understanding the Earth Science Reference Tables
Units of Measurement in Earth Science
Graphs & Tables
Earth’s Size, Shape & Coordinate System
Earth’s Outer Spheres
Map Skills
Unit 2: The Universe
Formation of the Universe
Formation of the Solar System
Formation of Galaxies
Stellar Evolution
The H-R Diagram
Unit 3: The Solar System
The Sun, Planets, and other Celestial Objects
Planetary & Lunar Motions
Eclipses & Tides
Unit 4: Minerals & Rocks
Mineral Formation & Mineral Resources
Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic Rocks
The Rock Cycle
Unit 5: Earth’s Dynamic Crust
Continental Drift
Seafloor Spreading
Plate Tectonics
Earthquakes
Earth's Interior
Volcanism
Unit 6: Weathering, Erosion & Deposition
Physical & Chemical Weathering
Mass Wasting/ Erosion by Gravity
Water Erosion
Glacier Erosion
Wind Erosion
Sediment Deposition, Depositional Features & Landforms
Unit 7: Landscape Development
Mountains, Plateaus & Plains
Stream Drainage Patterns
Landscape Regions & Physiographic Provinces
Factors of Landscape Development
Unit 8: Geologic History
Relative Dating of Rocks & Geologic Events
Absolute Dating of Rocks Using Radioactive Decay
Geologic Time Scale
Unit 9: Meteorology
Energy in Earth Processes
Atmospheric Variables
Air Masses & Fronts
Synoptic Weather Maps
Weather Forecasting
Storms & Severe Weather
Unit 10: Water & Climate
The Water Cycle
Climate Types
Climate Variables
Climate Change
STUDENT–PARENT CONTRACT
School: Gorton High School
Subject: Earth Science Regents/ CH Regents
Teacher: Derrick Haughton
The science course that the student is currently enrolled in is a Regents-level class. To obtain hands-on experience and be prepared to take the Regents examination, he/she has been assigned laboratory practice that is incorporated into his/her regular subject period. Laboratory work accounts for 20% of the marking period grade.
The student must:
- Attend the assigned laboratory classes/sessions (in-person or virtual).
- Follow all safety rules and instructions.
- Complete a minimum of 1200 minutes (about 20 hours) of satisfactory lab work.
- Complete all the state-mandated laboratory activities and follow the check list provided.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the skills learned.
- Hand in completed laboratory reports on time.
- Maintain a lab folder (virtual or hard copy) and a list of completed lab work.
- Maintain proper decorum.
If a student is transferred, it is his/her responsibility to transfer the lab folder to the next teacher. Upon completing the lab work, the student can sit for the State exam. If a student does not complete the lab work, he/she will fail the course; lab is not offered in summer school. If a student passes the course but fails the Regents examination, he/she may retake the exam the following August (in summer school or school districts where walk-ins are allowed), January or June.
If you have any questions, please contact the teacher by telephone: 914-376-8350 or email: dhaughton@yonkerspublicschools.org.
Please complete the form below and return it to the teacher.
____________________________________________________________________________
I have read my child’s Earth Science class document, and I am aware of all the course requirements and expectations, including the mandatory laboratory requirements. I will ensure that my child attends all classes and hands in all reports and assignments when they are due.
Student’s Name: ___________________________________ Grade: ____ Period: ____
Parent’s Name: ____________________________________ Phone __________________
Parent’s Signature: _________________________________ Date: __________________
Student’s Signature: ________________________________ Date: __________________