ENVS 1042: Environmental Science Syllabus

Ms. Sara Jean Banks

2016 2017
EMAIL: sarajean_banks@dpsk12.org
WEBSITE: http://banksscience.weebly.com
REMIND: Text @3beda6 to 81010
OFFICE HOURS:

Course Description:
Required Texts
Friedland, A. & Relyea, R. (2012). Environmental Science for AP. New York: W. H. Freeman and
Company.
Steingraber, S. (2010). Living Downstream: An Ecologists Personal Investigation of Cancer and
the Environment. Da Capo Press.

Description
This Environmental Science (ENVS1042) class is a full-year concurrent enrollment course through
the University of Colorado at Denver and is equivalent to a 3-credit semester-long, introductory
college course in environmental science. Students MUST pass with a C or higher, to earn college
credit.

Prerequisites
This class is open to juniors and seniors only. Required prerequisites include: biology, chemistry
and algebra.

Paying for class

If a student fails to earn COLLEGE CREDIT for the class (a grade of D or below) they, or their
family, may be responsible for reimbursing MLK for the cost of the class.

Required Materials
Science Lab Notebook (purchased from school for $15)
School Planner

Grading Policy:
Late Work

If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, the assignment is late REGARDLESS of the
reason for the absence. School-based absences are known well in advance and you should
make arrangements with your instructor to turn in the assignment early.
All assignments are due at 3pm on the day they are due.
Major assignments (essays, tests, projects) will be penalized 10% per day they are late.
Teacher will decide what constitutes a day
Minor assignments (homework and quizzes) cannot be turned in after the due date and
will earn an F.
Your teacher is not responsible for computer issues or internet failures. This is a college
course, you need to be proactive about your assignments.

Grade Percentages
Major Assessments

35%

Minor Assessments

25%

Foundations

5%

(Unit Projects, Research Papers, and Exams)

(Quizzes, Benchmarks, Lab Reports)

Final

(Final & Long Term Project)

Portfolios
(Reflections, Projects, Writings)

20%
15%

(Homework & Participation)

Plagiarism

Students are to submit only their own work for evaluation, to acknowledge the work and
conclusions of others, and to do nothing that would provide an unfair advantage in their
academic efforts. Students who fail to comply with the MLK Academic Honor Code are subject
to disciplinary action beginning at an F for the assignment and culminating in an F for the
course for repeated occurrences.

Attendance:
Class Days
This class is scheduled as a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class; however, on weeks where there
is no school on one of those days, WE WILL MEET ON TUESDAY AND/OR THURSDAY. Also, if I feel
you need to, I will mandate that you attend class with me on Tuesday and/or Thursday based
on your grade, effort, and participation in class.
Regular and punctual class attendance is expected. Student absences will be recorded from the
first day the class meets. In case of absence, it is the student's responsibility to contact the
instructor. Students absent on official school business (field trips, athletics, performances, lock-ins)
are entitled to make up coursework missed. In all other cases, the instructor will judge whether the
student will be permitted to make up work and will decide on the time and nature of the makeup;
MAKEUP WORK IS NOT GUARANTEED.
The student must discuss such work with the instructor and should do so prior to any absence.
Communication between the student and instructor is most important, and it is the student's
responsibility to initiate such communication; you have a DPS email, use it.
If students do not appear at the prearranged time or meet the prescribed deadline for makeup
work, they forfeit their rights for further makeup of that work.
Students who stop attending class for any reason should contact the instructor and the counselors
office to officially withdraw from the class. Failure to withdraw by the prescribed deadline may
result in a failing grade for the course and money being owed.
Class attendance and participation are essential to student success. As an MLKCE student, the
following attendance guidelines will apply:

A student missing more than 7 percent of the class meetings will see their final grade
lowered by 2.5% for every class missed over 7 percent (see table below for number of
classes)
This is a college class, as such, your parent CANNOT excuse an absence. The only absences
that will not count towards your total are school-based absences (excused field trips,
athletics, performances, lock-ins, etc)

Tardies: Class begins promptly at the bell. The door will close at the bell and if you are
not in the room, you are late. Every 3 tardies will count as an absence towards your
total for the semester. Tardies will be excused at MY discretion, regardless of you
having a pass.
Term/Meeting

# of Class meetings

7% of class meetings
(absences allowed)

Grade begins being

lowered

Fall, 3 days p/wk

51

5 and above

Fall, daily

79

7 and above

Spring, 3 days p/wk

57

5 and above

Spring, daily

93

8 and above

Final Exam

The final exam is mandatory. Not taking the final exam will result in a score of zero on the exam.
Having the final rescheduled is extremely rare and is not permitted for reasons such as a
vacation that was planned without considering the school calendar.

Field Experiences
Students are expected to participate in field experiences that are organized by Ms. Banks
throughout the year to supplement their classroom time. These field experiences are outside of
school and during your own time.
Examples include: hiking trips, ski days, garden work, fly fishing trips, etc.
Requirements: Students are required to attend ONE field experience a quarter - your grade will
suffer immensely if you do not attend!

Resources:
All class information, assignments, announcements and resources (including the class calendar)
will be available on the class website. Use this as your main resource for materials and information!
Remind101:
Google Classroom:

Text @3beda6 to 81010

Sign up at http://classroom.google.com with your DPS Gmail account.
3rd period = jdlfoy0
4th period = esi5y2
5th period = o516fu
7th period = 6tpnhe

Email Communication

You are responsible for reading your email regularly. All emails will be sent to your DPS assigned
email address (your ID@dpsk12.net). You may opt to have copies of the email messages sent to
your DPS address automatically forwarded to another email address, but you do so at your own
risk and you must set that up. You must take responsibility for the consequences that may arise
because of missed or delayed messages due to use of non-DPS email services.

Need to Knows:
Hallway Passes:
Students must have a pass to leave this class. The pass will be located on the bookcase in the back of the
room. As this is a college class, you do not need to have me sign your planner, but you must get my
permission. If you abuse this privilege, this policy will change.

Controversial Material
The course may contain controversial material. Students will be expected to intellectually
engage with this material. Anyone wishing not to read and/or discuss controversial
material should not take the course.

Civility Statement

Because this class needs to be a participatory community if students are to fulfill their
potential for learning, people who disrupt the community by their words or actions will not
be tolerated. Rude, sarcastic, obscene, or disrespectful speech and disruptive behavior
have a negative impact on everyone's learning. Using cell phones, text messaging,
email, headphones, or any other device that takes your own or others attention away
from class will be considered disruptive behavior. When a person disrupts or disrespects
the class and/or its instructor in any of these ways, the course instructor will remove and
may withdraw the disruptive person from the class. This is the policy of the MLK CE Staff,
with the support of the administration.
The success of the course is dependent upon students participating in discussions and activities.
Refusal to participate in all aspects of the class harms everyone. Failure to do the reading and
other assignments on time also hurts everyone. If you are unwilling or unable to constructively
participate in good faith, the course instructor reserves the right to initiate your withdrawal. If
the withdrawal period has passed, you will receive an "F" in the course.
The instructor reserves the right to determine what constitutes disrespectful speech and/or
disruptive behavior, and to act accordingly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I have read and understand the information provided above. ** This portion of the syllabus
must be signed and returned to the classroom teacher by MONDAY, AUGUST 29TH, 2016.

___________________________________

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Parent/Guardian Signature

Name Printed

___________________________________
Student Name

___________________________________________
Best phone for communication

__________________________________________
Email address