Hillsdale Middle School – Team UCLA
Honors Algebra, Algebra 1C, Algebra Readiness
Mrs. Rayburn
Course Description
Honors Algebra and Algebra 1C will prepare motivated students for geometry in the ninth grade. Students who earn A’s and B’s may be recommended for geometry next year.
Algebra Readiness will prepare students for Basic Algebra in the ninth grade. Placement for all levels will also be assessed through a standards based Grossmont Union High School District final exam given in June. A score of 80% or above on the Algebra final exam is required by the Grossmont District in order to be placed in a geometry class for the ninth grade.
Citizenship
Be polite, Be Prepared, Be Productive. Violations of these rules will lower a student’s citizenship grade. Continued violations will lead to parent phone calls, parent conferences, after school or lunch detentions, writing of behavior standards and office referrals. School wide rules and the dress code will be strictly enforced.
Scholarship
Students do not receive a grade. GRADES ARE EARNED. All work is to be done in pencil and graded in pen. All work must be neat, complete, show the problem, process and answer. Unattempted problems or answers only on homework, tests or quizzes will receive minimal credit. Assignments missed because of an excused absence will be accepted for full credit with an extension given equal to the number of school days missed. Students are responsible for obtaining and completing work and /or make-up tests during the week they return to school after the excused absence. Late work may be made-up for 50% credit during trimester 1 and 2 only. No late work will be accepted during the third trimester of school (with the exception of an excused absence). Late assignments must be handed in prior to the test the unit covers to be considered for 50% credit. Please attempt 100% of the work 100% of the time.
Homework will be graded in ink, scored by students and collected daily. Assignments are due the day after they are assigned and worth up to 10 points each. At the beginning of every week a homework packet will be provided for students (parents, please review this with your child each week so you are aware of the work required) including the current weeks assignments, test dates, worksheets for the week and other important dates. Assignments for the week will also be written in the daily planner, posted on the back board in the classroom and are available online. Homework, class notes, Countdown to Mastery practice and projects will comprise 40% of the academic grade.
Tests and quizzes will be given for each unit. Most chapter tests include a similar practice test given as an assignment the day prior to the unit test. Use this opportunity to seriously study for the unit test. Corrections will be required for any missed test question using a teacher-generated form. Test corrections will allow students to earn back up to 50% of the missed points from each test. Quizzes, trimester district assessment exams, test scores, test corrections and the final exam will make up 60% of your scholarship grade.
Materials
Math Notebook for daily class notes and math exercises
Pencils – sharpened prior to the beginning of class
Grading pens – red (not blue or black)
Lined or graph paper for assignments (not torn from a spiral notebook)
Algebra- practice workbook (bring to class each day)
Algebra Readiness- consumable textbook (bring to class each day)
On-line resources
www.mygradebook.com grades
go.hrw.com Algebra textbook resources (complete student edition of the text, lesson tutorial videos, workbooks, graphing calculator, homework help online, parent resources…)
