Welcome to LEAD Science 5! Dear Young Scientists and Families, My name is Mr.

Guanajuato (goo-ah-nah-who-ah-toe) and I am your LEAD Science Grade 5 teacher. It is my mission to guide all young scientists to pursue rigorous questioning about the world around them. I look forward to working with you to achieve success in 5th grade Science as well as to fulfill your potential at LEAD Middle with all of its opportunities. I am a constant resource that I encourage all young scientists and families to use. Like all other LEAD teachers, I hold very high expectations for my students. I also understand that all students are unique learners and need support inside and outside of the classroom to achieve their goals. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I could be of any assistance. What is our BIG question this year? How does observation empower you to see and create change? What are our BIG goals this year? 1.) Achieve 85% or better proficiency on 5th grade science knowledge and skills; 2.) Present an investigation and discovery at our annual Science Expo; and 3.) Use science to make a difference in our community.

What will we study this year in Grade 5 Science?

Unit 1 - Becoming a Scientist (August 2012) Unit 2 - The Structure of Life (September 2012) Unit 3 - The Diversity of Life (September/October 2012) Unit 4 - The Web of Life (October/November 2012) Unit 5 - The Universe (December 2012) Unit 6 - The Earth (January 2013) Unit 7 - Matter (February 2013) Unit 8 - Energy (March 2013) Unit 9 - Forces (March/April 2013) Unit 10 - Inventions (April/May 2013)

What does my grade represent?

All grades are MASTERY based. This means that completion /participation will not be directly reflected in your grade. Participating in class and completing work is considered practice and is essential in helping you achieve mastery. You will always have the opportunity to re-master material if mastery as not achieved the first time around. Master in science class is considered 85% or better, which you will have the opportunity to demonstrate through your Science Notebook, Lab Reports, Quests (Projects called Performance Assessments), Tests, Quizzes, Interim-Assessments, and the Science TCAP.

The Science 5 Mastery Scale is:

Mastery (Ready for the next grade) Advanced = 93% + Proficient = 85% to 92% Approaching Mastery (Minimally ready for the next grade) High Basic = 76% to 84% Low Basic = 70% to 75% Not Mastered (Not ready for the next grade) Below Basic = 69% below

What are my Classroom Policies and Expectations?

A. You must follow all the guidelines in the Student and Family Handbook at all times. B. You must have your homework (practice) and project assignments ready before you enter class. Homework is considered complete only if it is: on time, thorough, and neat. C. You must enter and leave class silently. Upon entering write the Learning Target and Homework and begin the Do Now (Sparker). D. You must enter class ready to learn. You will be ready to learn science with a positive attitude, science notebook, and a sharpened pencil. E. You must respect your teacher, your classmates, and yourself at all times. F. You must raise your hand in order to ask permission to speak or move around in the classroom. Yelling out answers, comments, or questions is speaking out of turn. G. You must be attentive at all times classroom disruptions, heads on desks, excuses and leaving your seat without permission will not be tolerated. H. Violations of classroom policies and rules will result in calls to families, lunch detentions, and all other consequences outlined in the Student and Family Handbook.

What do you need in my class?

I am providing you with a Science Notebook, which must be brought to class every day. If this notebook is lost, it must be replaced. This is one of the most important pieces of evidence of your demonstrated mastery of knowledge and skills in science. It will have your thinking, notes, experiments, vocabulary, and record of anything we do in class.

How do I seek help?

I can be reached at 615-934-9848 or cguanajuato@leadacademy.org. I am committed to answering all requests for contact within 24 hours if I am provided adequate contact information. Additionally, I am committed to posting any record of what we learn in class and resources on my class website, which can be found on the grade 5 website: https://sites.google.com/a/leadacademy.org/five/
Young Scientists Signature: ____________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: ____________________________________________________