Teacher: Mr. Mark GilliamRoom: 232Office Hours: A Days: 7:30 am-9:00am B Days: 9:10am-10:10am, 12:30pm-2:10pm E-mail: markmgilliam@aol.com

Course Overview Welcome to Mr. Gilliam’s Math 7 class! Let’s face it-- Math is something that you will need for the rest of your life, and I’m committed to making it fun and useful to you.

This class emphasizes solving problems involving consumer applications, using proportional reasoning, and gaining proficiency in computations with integers. You will gain an understanding of the properties of real numbers, solve one-step linear equations and inequalities, and use data analysis techniques to make inferences, conjectures, and predictions. We will also master two- and three-dimensional representations, graphing transformations in the coordinate plane, and Introductory Probability.

Here are the Materials you will need in Class: Notebook (Binder) Notebook Paper (College Ruled) Journal Notebook Pencils/Pens (black or blue ink only) ¼” Graph Paper Four colored pencils Two highlighters Ruler Protractor Standard Calculator

Text Math Connects. Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2009

Classroom Rules • Respect yourself and your great potential to achieve success by taking advantage of the learning opportunities offered in this class. Come to class on time and prepared to learn. Have all your class materials (textbook, binder, paper, pencil/pen, graphing calculator and homework assignments) ready every day. • Respect the teacher who is dedicated to leading you towards success. Please follow directions, listen, and use respectful language. • Respect other students and their right to a peaceful and safe learning environment. Keep feet, hands, and objects to yourself, and address them using respectful language (no put downs or profanity). • Respect school property. Take care of your books, please do not write on or mark the desks, and avoid altering or damaging any school-owned property.

Math 7 Syllabus

Classroom Policies • All students are expected to put forth their best effort in this class. This includes paying attention in class, staying informed on the homework schedule, completing all homework and handing it in on time, and asking for extra help from the teacher if having a hard time understanding class material. • Food is allowed in the classroom only during the first ten minutes of class, provided you eat quietly. After first ten minutes are up, you will be expected to put your food away. A drinking water bottle is allowed during class (water bottle must have a lid). No audible or visible gum, please. Only a water bottle (no food) will be allowed during test or quiz days. • All unauthorized electronic devices in use will be confiscated as per school policy. Cell phones must be turned OFF (not set on vibrate) and kept in lockers per school policy. • Please prepare all hand-in work (assignments, quizzes, tests, etc.) using pencil (not pen), unless otherwise stated by teacher. • Please place your name, date, and class period on the top right corner of all work handed in, and place title of assignment with due date on the top left corner. REMEMBER: The teacher cannot assign credit for an assignment if the assignment has no name on it! • Students not seated when the bell rings will be counted as tardy. • Assignments may be handed in up to two days late. However, one point will be deducted from your effort finished by the due date, explaining why the homework will be handed in late. No work will be accepted if it is over two days late, unless special arrangement has been made. • Take-home tests or quizzes will NOT be accepted late. Under no circumstances will take-home test or quizzes be accepted after their scheduled due date. • If a student is absent, it is the student’s responsibility to ask for missed class material and make-up assignments before or after school with in the day of return. • Students will be dismissed by the teacher. If the teacher has not dismissed the students when the dismissal bell rings, students must remain in their seats until dismissed by the teacher. • No grooming, lotion, perfume, or other cosmetics in the classroom. These items will be confiscated and may be picked up by student after school.

Attendance Policy There are two keys to success in this class. One of them is making sure you attend every class. Regular and punctual attendance is expected from every student. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to obtain the missed class material and make- up assignments with in the day of return either from the teacher or from another student in the class. If you miss the review class the day before the test, you will still be expected to take the test on the scheduled test day. If you are absent from class the day of a quiz or test, you must come prepared to take the quiz or test you missed on the day of your return to class. In the event that a student is absent the day a take-home test or quiz is due, the student must either hand in the take-home test or quiz early or have it delivered to my classroom, Room 232 (not the school’s main office), on its due date.

Homework Policy Completing all assigned homework is the other key to success in this class. Homework is assigned each class period per the homework schedule provided to students at the beginning of each quarter and posted on the class website. To receive full credit for your homework, the assignment must be brought to class and handed in on the due date with all assigned problems completed. Problem work must be shown-- answer-only solutions will not be awarded credit. Work must be presented neatly and legibly in pencil (not pen). Remember to check your answers to all odd-numbered problems in the “Solutions” section in the back of your text book.

Also, please remember that if you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to obtain any missed class handouts or assignments, and hand in assignments on the same day of your return to class. Upon returning to class from an absence, you will be expected to hand in all homework due during your absence and all homework due on the day of your return, unless different specific arrangements have

been made with the teacher beforehand. It would be helpful to identify a study partner in class with which you can exchange phone numbers and contact in case you are absent or need help.

Test and Quiz Days You are expected to arrive to class with all materials required to take the test or quiz. These may include pencil, calculator, and the class notes and/or textbook if it is an open notes quiz. Sharing of calculators or any other material during a quiz or test will not be allowed and will be counted as cheating if it occurs.

Grading Policy Tests/Quizzes 50% of total class grade

Students should expect a quiz approximately every two weeks, and a test at the end of each chapter - approximately every four weeks. Quiz and test dates for each quarter will be notified to students at the beginning of each quarter, well in advance. The test and quiz schedule will also be posted on the class Blackboard website. Tests will be worth 100 points; quizzes will be worth between 10 and 50 points. Homework 30% of total class grade

Homework will be given on a daily basis. Homework assignments will be graded for effort and completeness, not accuracy. Work needs to be shown for each problem to receive credit. Each homework assignment receives five effort points. Daily Class Warm-up 15% of total class grade

Students will complete a daily class warm-up activity such as journal writing or sample problems the first 5-10 minutes of every class period. Entry tasks will be graded for completion so it is important to show up to class on time.

Participation 5% of total class grade Students will receive full participation points each day if they are on time, have all their supplies for class, and demonstrate on-task behavior. Participation also includes cooperation and providing input to your classmates during group tasks and activities (cooperative learning). Class Grade Quarter grades will be determined averaging students’ scores on all quizzes, tests, projects, classwork, homework, and participation for that quarter. Interim grade reports will be provided at the end of each quarter. Grade progress reports will be emailed home only to those parents that return the completed and signed progress report form. A comprehensive midterm exam will be given at the end of the second quarter, and a final exam will be given towards the end of the school year. Each quarter grade will represent 20% the final course grade. The midterm exam and the final exam will each represent 10% of the final course grade. See below.

1st Quarter grade 20% of final course grade 2nd Quarter grade 20% of final course grade 3rd Quarter grade 20% of final course grade 4th Quarter grade 20% of final course gradeMidterm exam 10% of final course grade Final exam 10% of final course grade TOTAL: 100% of final course grade

Grading Scale

Points Grade

98-100 A+

93-97 A

90-92 A-

87-89 B+

83-86 B

80-82 B-

77-79 C+

73-76 C

70-72 C-

67-69 D+

63-66 D

60-62 D-

Extra Help Please do not hesitate to contact me to arrange extra help if you are having trouble with the material presented in class! I am here to help you understand this material and do whatever I can to help you achieve this course’s learning objectives. I am available Monday through Friday during lunch time (11:30am-12:00pm), and Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. If you need extra help in class but are unable to meet with me during these times, please contact me to determine a time that can work for both of us.

Teacher’s Note I am so happy and proud to be your Math 7 teacher this year-- I wish you loads of success!