Welcome Parents
by Tripp Davenport
Welcome to the parents resources page for high
school science.
We are glad you are taking an active role in the education of your child. Please contact me with any concerns and questions about your child. My contact information and schedule can be found on the Science home page.
Homework
Assignments are in the text book your student has at home. Periodically, students will be given labs to complete at home. When a take home lab is given, I will make sure the lab materials come home with the student. If your child has misplaced his or her textbook, contact me as soon as possible for a replacement. To access homework assignments, select your child's class on the Science home page and follow the homework link. Check the calendar link for grading deadlines and test dates. For additional home study, students have access to http://www.studyisland.com/. an online interactive learning experience.
Materials
In most science classes, your child will have a text at home and a note book. This book is used by the student for notes, homework, and quizzes. Please help your child keep up with their assignments and remind them to bring them to class daily.
*Access to a scientific graphing calculator is suggested but not required.
Media access to quality science programs such as the Nova series on PBS, the Discovery Channel and National Geographic is encouraged.
*A computer with internet access is suggested but not required.
Grading
Your Child will receive grades in 5 categories.
- Daily work 25%
- Laboratory grades 25%
- Quizzes 20%
- Unit tests 20%
- The remaining 10% of the average grade will be based on class participation.*
*The student's note book grade will count towards the participation grade.
Progress reports are sent every six weeks. If your child is not meeting the passing level of 70% three weeks into the grading period, a notice will be sent to you requesting a conference.
Tests
All science tests are based on TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) outlined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/index.html.
You can help your student prepare for testing by visiting the parents resources section of the TEA web site listed below.
Additional district testing will be given.*
- Students will take a yearly pre and post test in science.
- benchmark assessments will be given every six weeks.
*These tests are used by the district to track the progress of your student. I will be glad to share these results with you at your request.
Resources for Parents:
- http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/parents.html
- http://www.studyisland.com/
- http://dsc.discovery.com/
- http://www.pbs.org/
- http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
- http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/catch/
