Patos
Island Team Syllabus
“In 1792, Spanish explorers Galliano and Valdez
named the northern most of the American San Juan Islands, Isla de Patos -
"Island of Ducks." Its 210 acres of trees, coves, and caves soon
became a favorite hideout for smugglers.”
|
Ms. Mueller |
Science/ Social Studies |
676-4887 x4724 |
lmueller@bham.wednet.edu |
|
Mrs. Hiller |
Language Arts/Social Studies |
676-4887 x4727 |
mhiller@bham.wednet.edu |
|
Mr. Beymer |
Math/Social Studies |
676-4887 x4725 |
mbeymer@bham.wednet.edu |
In an
effort to better meet your needs, the Kulshan staff has formed teaching
teams. Each team shares the name of a
famous San Juan Island as a way of designating membership. You are a member of the Patos Island
Team. For information about this island
visit our team website found on the Kulshan Web Page: http://wwwkms.bham.wednet.edu, click the 7th grade tab, and then the Patos
button. Peruse from there.
Patos Team consists of four teachers
working together to deliver a strong academic program, who believe that the
purpose of teaming is to meet the individual needs of our students by providing
greater coordination, collaboration, communication, support, and consistency in
our academic program.
All courses are designed to meet Bellingham School
District curriculum goals, Bellingham Essential Student Learnings, and state
Essential Academic Learning Requirements.
Our goal is to prepare you to be a life-long learner by developing the
skills and strategies needed to be successful.
course descriptions
Language Arts
Language Arts meets state standards in reading, writing, and
communication. The course includes writing, reading, and analyzing narrative,
expository, and persuasive modes. By
using the 6-Traits writing strategies and the Writing Process, this course
emphasizes a five-paragraph organizational structure, to communicate a
knowledge base, a thinking process, and make connections to self and to the
world at large. Assessment in Language Arts follows The Reading Process and district
standards of the 6-Trait Writing Program http://www.bham.wednet.edu/departments/currdept/asmtoff/4ptrubric.htm. This course focuses mostly on reading and
understanding literature explored through short stories, novels, and other
genre. Independent reading is also
required as part of the course. The
teacher will give you a handout providing you with more detailed
information. (Mrs. Hiller, x4727)
Social
Studies
Social Studies curriculum covers Washington State History with an
emphasis on history, civics, economics, and geography, satisfying a state
history requirement. It also covers the Medieval World from AD 600-1600 with a
focus on the Byzantine Empire, the Islamic Empire, Medieval Europe and the
Renaissance. Study skills, reading
strategies, critical thinking, decision-making, and the research process are
woven into lesson activities. Patos teachers Mr. Beymer, Mrs. Hiller,
and Ms Mueller will each teach a Social Studies class. Check out the course details on our team web
page.
SCIENCE
Science explores the scientific process through two
major units. The first unit, Catastrophic Events, looks at the Earth as dynamic
system and covers storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes. The second unit, Earth in Space, is also divided
into three parts: the Sun-Earth-Moon system, the solar system, and Earth’s
history as a planet. (Ms. Mueller,
x4731)
Math
This course meets
the state standards for mathematics by developing concepts in number sense,
algebra, geometry, probability and statistics, and measurement. Seventh grade mathematics at Kulshan
utilizes the math curriculum for grades 6-8 called the Connected Math
Project (CMP for short!). The
progression of 7th grade CMP math books is as follows: Variables and Patterns (graphing and pre-algebra), Stretching
and Shrinking (similarity), Comparing and Scaling (ratios and
proportions), What Do You Expect? (probability), Filling and Wrapping
(volume and surface area), and Accentuate the Negative (integers). (Mr. Beymer, x4725)
Student and teacher RESPONSIBILITIES
To be
successful you should:
- Follow all school rules and expectations.
- Respect the rights, thoughts, property,
and learning of others.
- Contribute to a positive learning
environment.
- Come prepared for class by having
completed assignments and with required materials for each class.
- Be on time (This means being in your seat when the clock clicks to
the start time, that your materials are out on your desk, and you are
ready to follow directions).
Due Date and Late Work Policy
To
be successful you must turn your work in on time. Turning work in on time means that your assignment is turned in
during the class where it was assigned on the day it is due. Incomplete work will be returned to be completed and will be scored as
if it is a late assignment.
·
Late work will not
receive full credit.
·
Work turned in
beyond seven calendar days of its turn-back date will not be accepted (a turn back date is when graded work has
been handed back to students and scores recorded on student turn-back sheet).
Absences
You are responsible, the
day you return from an absence, to find out what you missed (make time to talk
to your teachers and check class calendars and turn-back sheets, call the
homework hotline, or find out from a buddy).
Assignments turned in
late due to an absence will not be penalized if you note that you were
absent and you have recorded the date(s) of your absence and the day you are
turning in the work at the top of the assignment. If you do not find out what you missed
immediately upon your return or you do not make it up right away, it will be
considered late.
Homework
Expectations
In seventh grade expect
to have nightly homework. Set aside a
time and place to do your homework. During homework time refer to this homework
menu:
- Check your Kulshan planner and turn-back
sheets for missing work.
- Check homework hotlines.
- Read independently
for thirty minutes toward your reading goal and complete the reading log.
- Share what you have
learned with someone.
- Teach someone a
concept, strategy, fact you have learned
- Practice and review (vocabulary,
concepts, notes, math facts, etc.)
- Revise and finalize writing assignments.
- Write (letters, poems, free write, etc.)
- Organize notebook (clean weekly, restock
supplies, fix holes & dividers, etc.)
You have several tools
that will help you keep track of assignments and their due dates. In math you will need to use a “math
tracker.” Mr. Beymer also records a
very detailed homework hotline message.
In all other subjects you will keep track of assignment due dates in
your planner. If your parent / guardian
wants to know what you need to be working on at home, show him/her your Kulshan
planner. You also have turn-back sheets
that are used to keep track of all your graded work; these assist you in
knowing your grades at any given time and alert you to any missing assignments.
work and writing Standards for All Courses
Daily Work
- The
school heading is required on all assignments as modeled in class.
- Use loose-leaf paper.
Please do not use spiral paper.
- Cross out mistakes
with one or two lines and continue-no
whiteout.
- Do assignments with
a business-like appearance; no doodling, no personal artwork, and no
damaged paper.
- Use margin lines
properly.
- Use paragraph format
unless otherwise instructed.
- Answer questions
using R.A.V.E. format:
Restate the question in
your answer.
Answer the question or use
concrete details.
Use critical Vocabulary for the content.
Explain your answer by
adding elaboration and commentary.
- When writing a list,
do so vertically with items numbered or bulleted.
- Use correct
spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, correct usage, grammar and
capitalization.
- Use legible
penmanship and proper letter formation.
- Cover social studies
textbooks with a book cover, and take care of other texts.
- Handwrite
assignments in pencil or in blue or black ink.
- Use
red pen for correcting and editing.
- Save
all assignments. Think of your
assignments, as your “receipts” should there ever be a question about a
grade. Assignments can be kept in
your binder, in a classroom storage system, or in a safe place at home.
Writing Assignments Like Essay, Papers, and
Extended Reponses
- Type final drafts
unless otherwise stated. In an
emergency (computer/printer break down) handwrite your work in ink to turn
it in by the due date. No points
will be lost.
- For typed
work use these fonts: Arial font, size 12 or 14.
- Double-space
all drafts.
- Turn in all parts of
the writing process in order with most current on the top and the rest in
descending order.
SUPPLY LIST
Patos Supply List
and Binder Organization
You are expected to replace materials when they are consumed or unusable.
·
2”-three-ring binder containing supplies for
all classes except for math
·
5 tab-labeled dividers is minimum:
Organize tabs this way:
First tab is Patos. Put team and school business in
this section. (syllabus, handbook, notes home)
Put remaining dividers in the order of your scheduled classes.
Organize binder this way:
Pencil pouch
Paper supply
Homework Planner
Tabs in order
·
pencil pouch
·
loose-leaf paper
·
3 composition books (Social Studies, Language Arts, and Science)
·
one spiral notebook for Math
·
#2 pencils
(Keep two or three sharpened pencils in your binder)
·
2black or blue ball-point pens (keep two with
you)
·
1 red correcting pen for correcting, revising,
and editing
·
1 fine tipped black flair pens
·
1 highlighter
- 1 scissors
- 1 box of 12 or more colored pencils (no
felt markers)
- 1 ruler with centimeter and inch
measurements
- 1 calculator
- 1 pkg. quarter-inch grid paper
- 2 metal spiral notebooks with 70 pages