SHANDIN HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL 

8TH GRADE SCIENCE

MR. HEINS

LETTER TO STUDENTS/PARENTS

2001-2002

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce what you can expect to learn in science this 
year and  how you can achieve a  really good grade while doing so.  
The standards expected of 8th grade science students by the San Bernardino City Unified 
School District are as follows:  

1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful
    investigations.

2. All matter is composed of elements which have distinct properties and atomic structures. 

3. The organization of the periodic table is based on the properties of the elements and
    reflects the structure of atoms. 

4. Chemical reactions are processes in which atoms are arranged into different combinations 
    of molecules.

5. Principles of chemistry underlie the functioning of biological systems. 

6. The velocity of an object is the rate of change of its position.

7. Unbalanced forces cause changes in velocity.

8. All objects experience a buoyant force when immersed in a fluid.  

9. The structure and composition of the universe can be learned from the study of stars and 
    galaxies and their evolution.

To see more detail on each of the standards visit the School Districts website.
(Adobe® Acrobat® Reader required)

Four to five weeks will be spent exploring each of these units.   
At the end of this time you will be well prepared for science at the high school level.  

GRADING POLICY

Your grade for this course will be based on unit tests, weekly quizzes, laboratories, 
computer work, class work, homework, unit products and assignment sheets (Period 1 only).  
All graded work will have a point value that will be used to determine your grade. 
The grading scale is as follows:                                                                      

          90-100%=A       80-89=B        70-79=C         60-69=D         Below 60=F

1. Unit tests:  There will be 1 test per unit.  Tests will be worth 50 points.     

2. Quizzes:  There will be weekly 10 point quizzes to assess students' comprehension of 
    current material. 

3. Laboratories:  The Scientific Method will be used to investigate unit concepts.

4. Computer work:  Science software and the Internet will be explored.              

5. Class work/Homework:  No late work  accepted without an outstanding excuse.    

6. Unit products:  For each standard, every student will create, and present to the class, 
    a product which reflects something they  would like to explore from the current unit.  
    These 50 point products can be done individually or with one or two others and  will 
    make use of the students multiple intelligence’s.   

7. Assignment sheet:  The assignment sheet is your record of all class-work done and 
    homework due.  You are responsible for copying the day’s agenda off of the white 
    board of all your classes everyday. 

    Assignment sheets are picked up from your first period teacher on Monday’s and turned 
    back in to the same teacher, with a parent signature, the following Monday.  

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Students understand that no grades will be given until they return this  tear-off
     to me with your name and home and work (or other daytime) phone numbers.    

     ________________________________             Period _____

     (Students name- please print) 

     ________________________________             _______________________

     (Parent name - please print)                                    (Home phone)   

    ________________________________              _______________________

     (Parent name - please sign)                                     (Work phone)