Mr. Michael Sondgeroth 2016-2017
Math
Office: Rm. 223 (SE) Schedule: Periods 1 , 2, 6, and 8
Office
Hours: 10-11, 1-2, and by appointment HW Blog:
sgrothfam-hw.blogspot.com
Office
Phone: 309-438-3556 Math: www.uhigh.ilstu.edu/math/index.htm
Cell
Phone: 309-530-2297 E-mail: masondg@ilstu.edu
Materials you should bring to class with
you EVERY day:
1)
Writing utensil – preferably a pencil; black or blue pens are acceptable
2)
Laptop – any misuse of the laptop/internet will be dealt with according
to U-High’s
Appropriate
Use Policy
3)
Textbook – Geometry; Holt (2007) – Burger, et. Al. (ISBN-13:
978-0030358289)
–
Available online @ my.hrw.com … username: uhigh1 … password: pioneers
4) Calculator – a scientific calculator (ie
TI-30 or TI-36) is required for Geometry
Note: Even though your laptops are equipped with a
calculator, there will be test days
when you
are not allowed to use them. Additionally,
cell phones may NOT be
used
as a calculator during class at any
time.
5)
Paper – spiral notebooks or loose-leaf paper in a 3-ring binder for
submitting assignments
or
taking notes
6) Completed Assignment(s) – appropriate work
should be shown
NOTE: Do NOT bring food, drinks, or gum into the classroom
unless instructed to do so by
Mr.
Sondgeroth. Arrangements may be made for
students with specific health needs.
Classroom Procedures
Each day, students should …
– Get to class on time and have
assigned homework completed.
– Bring appropriate materials,
including writing utensil, laptop, textbook, calculator, paper
When students enter the room, they
should …
– Sit in assigned seats and set out
or open homework files BEFORE talking to classmates.
– Respect school property by
throwing garbage in trash cans, by recycling unneeded
papers,
by keeping feet off desks and chairs, and by refraining from writing on
materials
that do not belong to you
(desk, chairs, etc.)
Students must practice their
math skills in order to master them, so …
– Some
type of homework activity will be assigned nearly every day.
–
On many days you will have time to begin (and often complete) this work
… use your
class
time wisely!
On test days, students should
…
– Be
particularly quiet when you take their seat and do nothing to delay the start
of the test.
–
Listen to instructions carefully and ask questions after others have
begun their test.
– Remember
to bring a calculator to class, as you will not be allowed to use your laptop
or
cell
phone.
Grading Procedures
1)
Students will earn points in this class in one of four ways: a) daily
work/quick quizzes, b)
mid-chapter
quizzes, c) projects, and d) chapter tests.
One extra credit opportunity per
quarter
is generally provided.
2) Homework will be assigned almost
every day. On most occasions, these
assignments will
NOT be
collected, checked, or graded. They will,
however, be reviewed in class,
answers
will be provided, and students will have the opportunity to ask questions on
problems/concepts
they don’t fully understand.
3) Even
though an overwhelming majority of HW assignments are not graded, I will post a
score
online to communicate to parents their student’s completion of daily HW
assignments
using the following scale:
4 – entire assignment is
completed and all appropriate work is shown
3 – entire assignment is
completed but without all appropriate work being shown or
more
than 80% of the of the assignment is completed with all appropriate work
being shown for the problems
completed
2 – more than 50% of the
assignment is completed, regardless of appropriate work
being shown
1 – less than 50% of the
assignments is completed, regardless of appropriate work
being shown
0 – student did not
attempt the assignment
4) On
select occasions, HW will be collected and graded. Each assignment is generally
worth
a max of 5 pts. On rare occasions,
points will be awarded for the COMPLETION
of a
HW assignment using the scale above.
5) Unannounced
“Quick Quizzes” covering 1 - 2 sections of material will be completed 2 - 3
times
per week. Students may use their
textbook, previous class notes, and prior HW
assignments
to complete these formative assessments worth a max of 5 pts each.
6)
Mid-chapter quizzes covering 2 – 4 sections of material will be
announced at least one
day in
advance. Students should expect two of these
semi-summative assessments
(worth
30 – 70 pts each) each chapter.
7)
End-of-chapter summative assessments (tests) will be completed at the
end of each
chapter
(worth 100 pts), will be announced at least 3 days in advance, and are
generally
the
only assessments eligible for retake.
8) As
many as four individual and/or group projects may be assigned each year, no
more
than
one per quarter. Students will receive a
detailed timeline and rubric for each
project. Each project has a max of 50 – 100 pts.
9)
Nine week grades are based on a % of the total points earned using the following
scale:
A: 100% - 90% B: 89% - 80% C: 79% - 70%
D: 69% - 60% F: 59% and below
10)
Grades will be updated on TeacherEase at least one time each week. It is the
responsibility
of each student to regularly check his/her grade for accuracy and to bring
discrepancies
to my attention ASAP.
11) Both a group and an individual final exam
will be given at the end of each semester.
The
group exam
will consist of 70-80 show-your-work problems.
The individual exam will
contain
60-70 multiple choice questions and 10-15 short answer questions. Both will
cover
all material discussed during the current semester.
12) Semester grades are calculated using the
90-80-70-60 scale above and the following
breakdown:
- 80%
of the semester grade is determined by the both the first (40%)
and second (40%) 9-weeks grades
- 20% of the semester grade is
determined by the semester final exams
(15% - individual; 5% - group)
13) I offer a “Better Grade Guarantee” – a
student’s semester grade can be no worse than the
UNCURVED
score earned on the individual portion of that semester’s final exam.
Make-up Work
1)
Avoid absences whenever possible.
If you know in advance that you will be absent from a
class,
contact me prior to the absence to discuss the material and assignments for
that
class. If a student misses class for any reason
other than a school-approved field trip or activity, he/she must present an
appropriate admit slip.
2) For all absences, it is the student’s
responsibility to find out what was covered in class.
Homework
assignments are updated online (sgrothfam-hw.blogspot.com) by 3:30
each
day. Turn in all late assignments at the start of
class and get any notes from a
responsible
classmate. Students should also check the
online HW blog for notes or
handouts
that may have been posted.
3) If you miss class on the day of a test, plan
on taking the test on the day you return to
school. If you miss class the day before the test,
plan on taking the test on the day it is \
scheduled. In most cases, the student will review the
material during class time and
then
schedule a make-up test time later the same day.
Retake Policy
1) Homework:
Since most HW assignments are graded for completion rather than
correctness,
students are NOT allowed to submit late assignments. Students absent
from
class are expected to obtain their assignment from the online blog (or a \
responsible
classmate) and have it completed when they return to class.
2) Quick Quizzes: Students are NOT allowed to retake these
formative assessments. In fact,
students
who miss a Quick Quiz due to an absence of any kind will generally not be
given
an opportunity to make-up the incomplete assessment. Instead, the student will
be
given a copy of the answer key for the missed assessment when they return to
class.
3) Mid-Chapter Quizzes: Generally, students are NOT allowed to retake
these semi-
summative
assessments. On rare occasions (ie. extended
illness prior to completing
the
assessment), students may be granted the opportunity to complete a retake using
the
criteria listed under “Chapter Tests.”
4) Chapter Tests: Students will be allowed to retake these
summative assessments, given
that
they …
– Earn at least 80% of the possible
points available from the HW assignments for the
chapter
PRIOR to taking the initial Chapter Test
– Complete and submit to Mr. Sondgeroth the
Retake Request Form which includes …
– student self-evaluation off
problem areas on the Chapter Test
– a list of at least three
re-learning activities that the student will complete to prepare for
the retake
5)
Individual / Group Projects: In most cases, students will NOT be allowed
to redo a project.
However,
students who are disappointed with the grade that they received may
schedule
an appointment with me to request an alternative assessment to allow them to
display
their understanding of the content covered in the project.
Student Responsibilities
1)
Show courtesy and respect to your teachers (including subs and ISU
students) and
classmates
at all times.
2)
Cheating, in any form, will not be tolerated and penalties will be
assessed according to
U-High’s
policies.
3) Cell
phone use is NOT ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM; they will be confiscated and
given
to Mr. Evans.
4) Listen to and participate in
the lesson/discussion each day. Have the
confidence to ask
questions.
5) Students whose behavior is
detrimental to class discussion will be removed from the
class.
6) Keep the classroom neat and
clean. Do not litter and do not bring food, drinks, etc.
into
the classroom.
7) Do your best on every
assignment. Work neatly and carefully on
homework assignments
and
tests. Show work when appropriate and be
prepared to explain your process for
getting
an answer when asked to do so.
8) Students who are excessively uncooperative
will be removed from class on a permanent
basis.
9) Bring your laptop to class
with you every day and use it appropriately.
Any misuse of your
laptop
and/or the internet will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the Technology
Agreement
and Appropriate Use Policy.
10) When absent from class, check the HW blog for
the day’s assignment and contact a
responsible
classmate to get appropriate notes, etc.
Students should have the
assigned
work completed upon their return to class.
11) Seek additional help as soon you feel
yourself falling behind in your understanding of the
current
material. Contact Mr. Sondgeroth for
extra help or seek assistance from a peer
tutor
in The U-Link Center.
Assistance
1)
Students may receive assistance outside the classroom from several
available resources:
– Come
to the Math Office to get help. Time
permitting, any math teacher will be
willing
to help you.
– Schedule an appointment to work with one of
the many college students completing
their
pre-student teaching experiences. They
are available throughout the day to
tutor students free of charge.
– Visit Mrs.
McCain in The U-Link Center (Rm. 237) to arrange for a U-High peer tutor
to
assist you.
2) Don’t hesitate to call (438-3556) or e-mail (masondg@ilstu.edu)
if you have questions or
concerns.
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