Mrs.

Raquel Rivera
Comprehensive Science 1

Welcome back to a new school year!

Please read the following information with your parents/guardians.

TEACHER CONTACT INFORMATION:

Classroom: A105
Email: [email protected]
I will respond within the next 48 hours. This is the best way to reach me.
Phone: Call the school at (305) 257-3737 and leave a message. I will respond within the next 24
hours. Website: www.somersetsilverpalms.net
(Check the website for syllabus, supplies list, homework, class projects, pictures, etc.)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Comprehensive Science is a science credit course that includes topics on weather,

climate, spheres of Earth, force and motion, energy, cells, organisms, body systems, and
reproductive health and disease education. While not all students (but hopefully some!)
will go on to study science, it is a prerequisite for many majors in higher education, such
as medicine, the biological sciences, and environmental science and engineering. When
you leave my class next year, you will have a new appreciation for the composition of the
world around you, and you will have expanded knowledge, vocabulary, and the ability to
better communicate technically with the rest of the scientific community.

EXPECTATIONS:
 Students will be ON TIME and PREPARED for class with the required materials
every day, it is essential students come prepared every day.

 ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY! Remember that unexcused absences will result

in a zero for the assignments missed. Your success in this class depends on your
attendance. Much of the new material we cover will depend on knowledge gained
from the previous class. Labs cannot be made up if you are absent. Makeup work
will be given to ensure that you still learn what you have missed but will only be
graded if your absence is excused. To excuse your absences, you’ll need to go to
our school’s website and fill out the ANF form online, if you need assistance with
this please let me know, I can help.
 Students will behave like young adults and will respect themselves, their peers,
the instructor, the school announcements, my classroom, and its contents. I will
not tolerate any form of disrespect in my classroom.
 Students will enter my classroom and immediately devote their attention to
science. Students will not be allowed to work on assignments from another class
during my class. If I see you doing something that does not pertain to my lecture
or the class activity, I will collect all inappropriate materials and your class
participation grade will be affected.
  Students will turn in all assignments ON TIME. I do not accept any LATE
WORK. If you have half of your assignment done, turn it in ON TIME, some credit
is better than no credit.
 Students will abide by the safety procedures and proper instruction provided when
conducting classroom labs. Any student that fails to adhere to the safety
procedures provided will lose the privilege of performing experiments and their lab
grade will be affected.
 Students will abide by the policies and procedures outlined by Miami-Dade County
Public Schools, found in the Code of Student Conduct. This includes the dress code
and the policies concerning electronic devices. They are also expected to abide by
the policies and procedures outlined by Somerset Academy Silver Palms Student
Handbook, and the policies and procedures outlined in this course syllabus.
 All cellphones, air pods, and iPads will be confiscated if seen. All cell
phones are to be placed in the cell phone chart upon entry into my
classroom. There is a strict NO CELL Phone policy in my classroom.
 Uniforms and I.D. Badges are mandatory. Replacement student ID’s will
be $7.00 and lanyards will be $3.00
 Homework should always be completed BEFORE class and handed in at the
beginning of class. NO CREDIT will be given for an assignment that is handed in
LATE, however PARTIAL CREDIT will be given for an incomplete assignment that
is turned in on time. If you are caught COPYING a classmate’s homework BOTH
you and your classmate will receive an “F” on that assignment. NO CREDIT will be
given for any assignment that does NOT have a NAME on it. NO NAME = NO
GRADE. NO EXCEPTIONS!
 Exams will always be announced at least 1 week in advance. Quizzes may or may
not be announced. If you pay attention in class, take notes, and do your reading
and homework assignments you should have no problems on my pop quizzes.
 CHEATING or any other form of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
Parent contact will be made and a referral to the student’s respective
counselor will be written immediately.

ACADEMICS:
Required Daily Materials:
 Textbook: Your textbook should be brought to each class daily unless I instruct
otherwise.
 Composition Notebook: Each student is required to maintain a neat and organized
notebook to take notes each class. No SPRIAL notebooks.
 Writing Implements: Students are to bring a pencil and pen every day. Highlighters are
a fantastic way of adding organization and artistic flare to your notebooks and are
welcomed. I recommend bringing an expo marker for our whiteboard activities.
 Science Lab Fee: Each student is required to pay $10 for their Science Lab Fee due
online at our school’s website. Fees are due September 30, 2024, via Agavex.
 A Positive Attitude! Science can be difficult to understand. Do not get discouraged,
with patience and a positive attitude there is no topic that is beyond your comprehension.
Plus, no one in class wants to hear you whining, complaining, and grumbling all the time.

GRADING POLICY:
 Grades on assessments are calculated using the traditional grading scale:
 90 - 100%
 80 – 89%
 70 – 79%
 60 -69 %
 F 59% & below
 I will always tell you how many grades the assignment is worth before it is assigned. I do
not accept any LATE WORK, no exceptions. Below you find the assignment categories
and their potential weights:
 Homework/Participation 10%
 Quiz/Lab/Project 20%
 Classwork 30%
 Exams 40%

 If you are absent and your absence is excused, it is your responsibility to get BOTH an
ANF Form from our school’s website AND turn it in online. You have 3 days to get your
absences excused. It is your responsibility to ask for the assignments missed from me. If
your absence is unexcused, you should still make up the assignments, but you will not get
credit (I will note that you completed it). All makeup work is due within an equal number of
days as you were absent. Therefore, if you were absent for 1 week, you have 1 week to
complete and turn in your assignment. If you are only absent 1 day, be prepared to turn in
the assignment when we meet for the next class.

DISCIPLINE PLAN:
 1st Offense Verbal Warning
 2nd Offense Contact Parents by Phone/Email/Letter
 3rd Offense Detention
 4th Offense Referral to Administration

COURSE OUTLINE:
We will be going over the following coursework this year.

Unit 1 Weather and Climate

Unit 2 Spheres of the Earth

Unit 3 Force and Motion

Unit 4 Energy and Motion

Unit 5 Cells

Unit 6 Organisms

Unit 7 Body Systems

Unit 8 Reproductive Health and

Disease Education

*** STEM: Each nine weeks, each student will participate in STEM Project***

S.T.E.M
The STEM acronym stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. All
these academic disciplines rely heavily on each other and are highly integrated in the
professional and academic world. For example, an engineer will apply scientific
knowledge about the chemistry of materials, mathematics, computer simulations, and
physics when designing a bridge. This course is intended to integrate the STEM fields
through project-based learning. Students will be engaged in frequent hands-on activities
geared towards combing each of the STEM disciplines. Creativity and collaboration will be
encouraged as students solve problems. Throughout the school year, students will be
presented with a challenge. During this phase they must draw upon their knowledge of
the scientific method and STEM disciplines, collaborate with peers, and apply their own
 creative process to find solutions to the problem. An emphasis will be placed on data
collection and analysis.

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT

Science fairs involve students in the practices of STEM, requiring them to apply those
skills to a topic of interest to them. Learning about science is key to understanding
science and the world around it. This is our third year participating in the Science Fair and
we have had a wonderful experience, with numerous students who placed. We are
excited and proud to continue working with the students this school year. Hands-on
scientific investigation and inventions are the focus at our Science Fair. Over a 10-week
period, your child will design, test, analyze, and present a project that uses scientific
methods to solve a problem. The sky’s the limit! Each student will be given instruction
during class about the various steps of the scientific method. However, please note that
the bulk of the work will be done at home and will be self- directed for 3 rd - 8th grade
students which will count as a significant percentage of their science grades. The
information enclosed will provide you with a timeline, as well as an explanation of the
project requirements. We encourage our students to choose projects that are original and
challenging.
PASSES:
 Passes to the restroom will only be issued for emergency situations, as I expect you to
use the facilities between classes and lunch. I will not issue a pass to the restroom
during the first 15 minutes or last 15 minutes of the class.
 Passes to see the counselors or teachers will not be granted unless I have received a
written communication from them first.
SAFETY:
 Students should familiarize themselves with the location of all safety equipment.
Furthermore, students should know the proper primary and secondary evacuation
procedures in case of fire and/or emergency. We will go over these the first week of
school and periodically thereafter.

LECTURE/LAB EDIQUETTE:
 While anyone is speaking, please show respect by refraining from talking, moving
about, or distracting others.
 During lectures, you should be quiet, be attentive, and interact.
 If you consistently disrupt my lectures, disciplinary action will be taken.
 Rudeness, vulgarity, and profanity are unacceptable in my classroom.
 You will clean up after yourselves and make sure your desk area is neat, clean,
and tidy prior to leaving my classroom.
 If labs were conducted that day, all materials should be placed back to where you
acquired them and should be returned clean.
 I will conduct a laboratory sweep after every laboratory activity. Any group that
leaves a mess in the laboratory will be docked 10% from their Lab Grade.

FOOD & DRINKS:

 No food or drinks will be allowed in my classroom.
 I will allow you to have only a covered water bottle in class. Make sure water bottles are
labeled with the student's name and no sharing is permitted. All water bottles are to be
refilled before arriving to class.

I am passionate about what I do, and I am here for you. I check my emails regularly, and
I am available to assist you whenever needed. I look forward to this school year and hope to
provide you with a great meaningful experience!
*** Please cut below and return to Mrs. Rivera. ***
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Return to Mrs. Rivera

Syllabus Sign-off Sheet
(2024 - 2025)

I, ____________________________have read and discussed the syllabus for Comprehensive Science 1

with my parent(s)/guardian(s). I understand what is expected of me by Mrs. Rivera. It is my
intention to do my best to follow these rules and policies in order that Mrs. Rivera’s class run
efficiently, and learning may occur.

____________________________________________________________________________________
Print Student Name Student Signature Date

I, __________________________have read and discussed the syllabus for Comprehensive Science 1

with my child. I understand the policies of this syllabus and will do my part in aiding Mrs. Rivera
in the education of my child.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Print Parent Name Parent Signature Date

Is there anything you would like to share with me about your child?
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