Pullen's Advanced Comprehensive Science III Dragons Team

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

As your students may have told you, my family will be leaving Jacksonville next month to return to the mission field in East Asia.  We hope to stay there for many years teaching agriculture and sharing the love of Jesus.  I have loved teaching your children and I think Darnell is a fine school.  Please keep us in your prayers as we go.  Mr. Sweeting, my co-teacher, will become the fulltime teacher.  Thank you for supporting me!

Go to WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS for homework assignments.

Science Projects are due November 30th!

The way to log on and see your student's grades is to go to the following website and log on using your username and password.

https://dcps.mygradeportal.com/ 

Congratulations to last year's  Darnell-Cookman eighth graders!  They were by far the best science achievers in Duval County during 2009 FCAT SCIENCE.    DCMS science students ranked #1 amongst Duval County middle schools by a long margin.  We look forward to another great year with this year's eighth graders.

Mr. Pullen



Darnell-Cookman Curriculum Paper

 

Course Title:  Advanced Science 8       Instructor’s Name:  Mr. Pullen

                                                                                                              

Darnell-Cookman Mission Statement: 

 

Our mission at Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School is to prepare students for collegiate success through a rigorous college preparatory curriculum integrated with professional medical standards emphasizing integrity, the pursuit of academic excellence and passion for life long learning.

 

 

 

Introduction and Course Description:

 

This course is designed as a year-long course for one credit.  It is a comprehensive course that builds on the knowledge learned during the sixth and seventh grade science curriculum and leads into the eighth grade curriculum.

 

Course Outline:

 

Amusement Parks:  study of forces and machines, Newton’s laws of motion, inertia, simple machines

Final Frontier:  waves, light, and sound, Earth’s seasons, Solar System, moon phases and tides, stars and galaxies, mass, weight, and gravity.

Earth’s Systems:  cycling of matter and energy, ecology, human effect on ecosytems

Your Genes and You:  patterns of heredity, asexual and sexual reproduction, meiosis, ethics

Bridge to Grade 9:  matter, density, atomic structure, atomic number, elements, compounds

 

 

Student Evaluation:

 

Grades will be based on a points system with the final grade being the points earned divided by the points possible.  Tests are worth 50-100 points, quizzes 5-20 points, homework 10 points, classwork 10 points, lab reports 30-50 pts. and science fair project 500 points (split over terms one and two).

 

Student progress is reported in the middle of each 9 week period with a Progress Report sent home to the parents by the student’s hand.  Students are expected to turn their homework in by the due date.  Failure to do so is often the reason for a poor Progress Report.  Note:  Science Fair Projects will be included in First and Second Nine Weeks Report Cards.

 

 

Note: This is a Sample point scale!  Real point values will vary.

 

Weekly bellwork  (8 weeks @ 10)                                                                         80

Quizzes (4@10)                                                                                                      40

Classwork assignments (8@5)                                                                               40

Monthly Tests (2@50)                                                                                          100

Homework (7@10)                                                                                                 70

Lab reports (4 @ 30)                                                                                             120

End of Term Exam                                                                                                100

Grand Total ......................................................................................................... 550 points



2009-2010 Supply List--Educational Materials needed every day:   

 

Textbook

Science notebook-- one-inch or larger 3-ring binder with 5 tabs  (tabs should be labeled:  Bellwork, Class Notes, Class Work, Quizzes and Tests, Homework)

Paper folder of any type for bellwork

2 or more sharpened pencils or mechanical pencils

Red pen for correcting papers (use it every single day)

Lots of sheets of loose notebook paper and a few sheets of graph paper

Agenda book (planner)

School I.D. badge 


 

Wish list:  boxes of tissues, ream of copy paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, optional lab fee donations, a box of colored dry erase markers.


 

Homework:  Homework is due at the beginning of the class period on the due date.  Any late homework will not be accepted.  If unexpected circumstances arise, the parent may submit a note at the time the homework is due for consideration.  Homework assignments are normally given several days in advance.

 

Make-up Work policy:  Students who miss class because of illness have the same number of days absent to make-up the homework.  Otherwise, late homework is not accepted.  Students who are absent due to illness must provide a written note signed by the parent explaining the absence.

 

Parent/Teacher Conference Information:  Parents may request a Parent/Teacher Conference by contacting the Guidance Office at 630-6805 and setting up an appointment during the 8th Grade Planning Period.

 

Tutoring Schedule:  I am available for tutoring as needed.  My regular tutoring time is Wednesday mornings before school at 7:45 a.m. The student should ask for a hall pass the day before the appointement.   Please contact me if I can be of assistance.

 

County Grading Scale:

A     90-100     B     80-89     C     70-79     D     60-69     F       0-59

 

Progress Report Dates:                                        Report Card Dates

 

Term 1:  September 23-24, 2009                                        October 30, 2009

Term 2:  December 2-3, 2009                                            January 28, 2010

Term 3:  February 24-25, 2010                                          April 14, 2010

Term 4:  May 12-13, 2010                                                 June 15, 2010

  

Contact me:  Mr. Pullen posts homework assignments and other important information each week on the class website.  The assignments are also posted each Monday in the classroom.  I may be reached through the email link at the top of this homepage.

School Website:    http://www.duvalschools.org/darnellcookman/

Class Website:    http://dcps.oncoursesystems.com/school/webpage.aspx?id=622117

Pullen's email:     pulleng@duvalschools.org