The Natural System Syllabus

Bronx Compass High School

Instructor: Michael Douglas
Room Number: 3 an! 3"
#mail: m!ouglas$bronxcompass%org
#xtra Help Hours: By appointment
I. Course Description:
The Natural System is a semester&long course !esigne! to sho' thematic
connections bet'een a (ariety o) science !isciplines inclu!ing biology* chemistry*
an! physics% It gi(es stu!ents a coherent an! realistic picture o) the applications
o) a (ariety o) scienti+c concepts as they appear in our en(ironment% The topics
'e 'ill !iscuss 'ill (ary !epen!ing on your interests* but 'ill )ocus aroun! human
population gro'th* natural resources* an! ecosystem !ynamics% The aim o) this
course is to increase your ,no'le!ge o) the en(ironmental challenges o) to!ay*
'hile also continuing to buil! scienti+c critical thin,ing s,ills% The course materials
are accessible online -./0* an! e(eryone 'ill be expecte! to maintain a port)olio o)
their 'or, throughout the semester%
II. Course Website
http://compassscience.weebly.com
III. Materials Required Daily:
12 3en 4blue or blac, in, only2 or 3encil
-2 5oose lea) paper
32 Composition boo, 4'ill stay in the classroom at all times2
.2 6ne )ol!er 'ith t'o hori7ontal poc,ets
IV. Course Learnin !arets
5earning Target 1: 3roblem sol(ing to obtain use)ul !ata )rom potential
sources%
5earning Target -: 8nalysis base! on 9uanti+able in)ormation%
5earning Target 3: Systems thin,ing to utili7e in)ormation to sol(e a problem%
5earning Target .: 8ca!emic #xpectations to meet aspects o) the
assignments%
V. Classroom "ormat# Requirements# and $%aluation:
This class is centere! aroun! our online learning en(ironment but also uses a
(ariety o) classroom metho!s* inclu!ing lectures* class !iscussions* group 'or,*
in!i(i!ual 'or,* labs* +el! stu!ies* stu!ent 'ritten an! oral pro:ects* an! acti(e
stu!ent participation% ;ou are expecte! to participate in* an! complete all aspects
o) re9uire! 'or, to the best o) their ability in or!er to reach mastery on all )our o)
your semester learning targets% #(ery unit 'ill consist o) at least a !iagnostic* mi!&
unit assessment* +nal pro:ect* trans)er tas,* an! en! o) unit assessment% ;ou 'ill
ha(e as many opportunities to re(ise your assignments as nee!e! to reach
mastery% 5astly* 'e 'ill be using Classcra)t this semester* 'hich 'e 'ill !iscuss in
more !etail%%
VI. &radin 'ystem:
;our gra!es 'ill be recor!e! using a mastery&base! rubric% 8ll gra!es 'ill be
maintaine! on Hai,u* 'hich you can access (ia your school email account% ;ou 'ill
also maintain a physical log o) your assignments to trac, your progress throughout
the semester% ;ou 'ill also present 'or, )orm your port)olio in an exhibition at the
en! o) the semester%
VIII. (olicies ) (rocedures:
i. *!!$+D*+C$:
In or!er to succee! in this class a stu!ent it helps to be present% Since all o)
the 'or, )or this class is accessible online it is your responsibility to go to the
course 'ebsite e(en i) your not in school% It is your responsibility to maintain
your 'or, in or!er to be able to turn e(erything be)ore the en! o) the unit%
ii. !*RDI+$'':
<ust* ma,e sure you get to class on time% =e ha(e se(enty minutes to 'or,
an! all o) those minutes shoul! be use! e>ecti(ely% Loiterin in the
hallway or at the classroom door until a,ter class has started does
not bene-t your ability to show mastery in any ,ashion%
iii. M*.$/0( W1R.:
It is the stu!ent?s responsibility to in9uire about 'hat assignments* notes*
an! class 'or, they ha(e misse! 'hen they are absent 'ith an excuse )or
any reason% Wor2 turned in a,ter the due date will not be eliible ,or
mastery ,or academic e3pectations# and will pre%ent your ,rom
achie%in a ,our on all your learnin tarets.
i%. *C*D$MIC I+!$&RI!4:
Do your o'n 'or,% 3lagiarism 'ill not be tolerate!% =hile it is expecte! that
you 'ill !iscuss assignments 'ith other stu!ents* you shoul! ne(er submit
another person?s 'or, or i!eas as their o'n% Trans)er tas,s* +nal pro:ects an!
assessments are al'ays in!i(i!ual assignments an! are ne(er collaborati(e%
%. CL*''R11M C1+D0C!:
It is necessary )or all stu!ents to present themsel(es in a mature an!
appropriate manner that creates the best learning en(ironment )or
e(erybo!y% ;ou must maintain the Bronx Compass @i(e @inger Contract at all
times in this class% 3lease al'ays try to sho' respect )or yoursel)* other
stu!ents* Mi,e* an! our community at all times% Inappropriate beha(ior 'ill
result in the (arious )orms o) reme!iation !epen!ing on the situation%
(*R$+!/'!0D$+! '4LL*50' "1RM
3lease rea!* sign* !ate* an! return this page o) the syllabus to Mi,e on or be)ore
the next class:
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* +ote to (arents ) &uardians:
3lease )eel )ree to contact me 'ith any 9uestions an! concerns you ha(e
regar!ing your chil!?s success% The best 'ay to contact me is (ia email% My school
email a!!ress is: m!ouglas$bronxcompass%org% 5i,e'ise* I 'ill not hesitate to
contact you i) I thin, that it is necessary% I) you !o not use email you may lea(e a
message )or me by contacting the Bronx Compass main oCce at 01D&D-D&1-E%
=e* the un!ersigne!* ha(e rea! an! )ully un!erstan! the gui!elines )or the Natural
Systems course% I agree to abi!e by these gui!elines* an! all school policies
throughout the school year%
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