Course: Honors Geometry

Prerequisite: Algebra I

Semester: Fall 2012

Teacher: Ms. Darlene Walton

Email: darlenewalton@johnston.k12.nc.us

Office: Smith Rm 136

Office Hours: 9:30am – 10:30am or 5:00pm – 5:30pm by appointment

Telephone: (919) 464-2314

Course Description

The Honors Geometry curriculum covers the topics of geometry at a more comprehensive level and at an accelerated pace. It demands a more challenging approach to the student’s study of geometric concepts.

Required Class Materials

ü 3-ring binder   ü Loose Leaf Notebook Paper

ü Protractor ü Straightedge

ü No. 2 pencils ü Coloring Pencils and/or Colored Pens

ü  Compass

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated each nine-weeks on assignments with the following weights:

  Daily Grades (Homework, Quizzes, classwork, etc.) 40%

  Major Grades (Tests, Projects, etc.) 60%

Student’s final grade will be calculated with the following formula:

1^st 9-Weeks X .375 + 2^nd 9-Weeks X .375 + Final Exam X .25 = Final Grade

Homework/Classwork

Homework/Classwork is not intended to be “busy” work. These assignments are carefully designed to; 1) encourage good study habits, 2) improve mastery of a skill, 3) correct any misconceptions, 4) prepare students for new content, and 5) teach persistence. Since mathematics builds upon itself, it is imperative that homework is completed in a timely manner.

Homework Grading Policy

Homework will not be graded on right or wrong but on completion. Keep in mind the teacher will know if the student put in effort when completing the assignment.

Homework will be graded as follows:

All problems completed with work shown – 100%

Less than all but more than half problems completed with work shown – 85%

Half of the problems completed or no work shown – 70%

(The highest grade you can receive on late homework is an 80.)

Work for homework assignments include steps that were used to solve the problem and/or information that was entered into the calculator.

Homework grades will be kept on a grading sheet in the student’s notebook. Every three weeks the sheet will be collected and grades will be averaged for one homework grade for that period. If the sheet is lost, student must reproduce each homework assignment so that a grade can be given. It is imperative that students label homework with the proper date and assignment. It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with this sheet and all homework assignments.

Late Classwork/Projects

Late work will be accepted because students are expected to do all assigned work. The work will be graded as if it had been turned in on time, but eight points will be deducted from the final grade per day up to five days from the original due date of assignment. Parents will be contacted after the assignment has been late more than 2 days.

Guidelines for Test Retakes/Corrections

Retakes:

Students may only retake one test per quarter on which they scored less than 77%. Students will be required to attend remediation before a retake can be taken. Retakes must be completed within five school days and the student must notify the teacher immediately of their intentions.

Corrections:

Students will receive credit for corrected problems as follow:

1 day after test is returned – 50% of points lost   2 days after test is returned – 40 % of points lost

3 days after test is returned – 30% of points lost   4 days after test is returned – 20% of points lost

5 days after test is returned – 10% of points lost  

The student must follow these guidelines to be considered for credit towards a test.

• Corrections to each problem must be done on a separate sheet of paper
• Show and explain all the logical steps to each incorrect or partially correct problem (multiple choice questions included)
• Submit within five school days after the test has been returned

Test retakes and corrections not completed in the allotted time will not be considered for a grade.

Take Home Test

Take home test, when given, are due at the beginning of the next class period. If you fail to turn the test in on time, you will be required to complete a different test with me.

If you are absent the day before a test

All tests will be announced at least 2 days in advance. If you are absent the day before a test and I do not cover any new material on that day, you will be expected to take the test on the announced day. But if you are absent the day before a test and I do cover something new, you will not be required to take the test on the announced day. You will have three days to make up the missed test.

Make-Up Work

Students will receive three days for every one day absent to make-up work. If a student is at school on a day that an assignment is made and absent on the day the assignment is due, the assignment will be due on the day the student returns to school. All work should be completed five days prior to the end of the grading period. (Homework assignments must be made up as well.)

Tutoring

If a student have a C or below at progress report time, you will be assigned to tutoring once a week until the next progress report. The student must bring work and questions to tutoring to be discussed. Additional resources are available on my school website.

Notes Taking

Students will be required to keep two electronic notebooks.  The first one will contain vocabulary words, definitions and illustrations.  The second one will contain theorems and postulates.  It is your responsibility to keep these notebooks up to date.  Periodically, I will request that you send me a copy of your notebooks.

It is also my recommendation that you keep a paper notebook that contains examples that are used in class.  I really encourage you to write down any examples that I give in class.

Math Lab – Projects

There is a required math lab that goes along with this class every Friday during fourth block. If you have a class during fourth block other arrangements will be made to accommodate you. During this lab you will be completing projects related to the content of the class.