Mrs. Brim’s Science Stuff

I currently teach Earth systems, physical science, biology, environmental science, and chemistry at Foothills Regional High School – Jackson, in Jefferson, Georgia part-time.  I taught Earth Systems and Physical Science at East Jackson Comprehensive High School in Commerce, Georgia as well as Honors Biology and General Chemistry.  To access the web pages for any of these classes, click on the orange hexagon in the top right corner and choose your class.

Contact Information: I can be reached by email at nancybrim19@gmail.com

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EARTH SYSTEMS

Course Description: Earth Systems Science is designed to continue student investigations that began in K-8 Earth Science and Life Science curricula and investigate the connections among Earth’s systems through geologic time. These systems – the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere – interact through time to produce the Earth’s landscapes, ecology, and resources. This course develops the explanations of phenomena fundamental to the sciences of geology, hydrology, astronomy and physical geography. Major systems such as plate tectonics, landform and biological evolution, earth dynamics and landform development, and weather and climate will be reviewed.

Course Goals: Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of earth science and its importance in society. Learn appropriate study skills and notebook organization.

Course Outline and Weighting:

Introduction and Earth’s Formation 10%

Plate Tectonics and Changing Lithosphere 15%

Weathering and Erosion 15%

Midterm 5%

Geologic History and Stratigraphy 15%

Weather and Climate 15%

Human Interaction and Environment 10%

Culminating Project 5%

Final Exam 10%

Required Materials:  Each student is to have a three ring binder, paper, pen/pencil every day in class.

The syllabus for the class: Earth Systems Syllabus 2017

Safety Contract: safety contract

Google Drive / Docs/ Share document: Google Drive Doc Share

Curriculum map (green sheet): both semesters – ES Curriculum Map 17-18

THE EARTH SYSTEMS IN THE NEWS ARTICLE PROJECT

  1. Using the online sites below, find an article that relates to the unit we are working on. You can also use a hard copy science magazine.
  2. You can hand write it initially, but remember that you will have to turn it in electronically to your teachers. Use your lavender colored instructions (click here: Google Drive Doc Share) to help you type and upload your document.

During the Fall semester you will collect a total of FIVE articles, with one article per unit. Each article in your collection must:

  • Be related to a specific unit. The units this semester are Earth’s Formation, Plate Tectonics, Changing Lithosphere, Weathering, and Erosion. Refer to your green sheet (Earth Systems Curriculum Map) for help with the standards and topics.
  • Be written after January 1, 2016.
  • Be at least 500 words in length.
  • Be from a reliable and credible news source with sufficient evidence to back the story. Not sure what is credible? Ask us!
  • Be submitted online and shared with Mrs. Brim in Google Docs with a link to the article.
  • You must have one article per unit.

For each article you will include a written summary with the following information:

  • Title and author of the article.
  • Link to the source webpage. If it is a hard copy, write the magazine name and the date.
  • The specific Earth Systems standard the article is related to.
  • A one paragraph written summary (at least five sentences) on the same page next to the page where you secured each article, focus on the Who’s, What’s, Where’s, When’s, Why’s, and How’s of the article.
  • A second paragraph (at least five sentences) reflection on the article – why it is important, what you find most interesting and how it relates to the specific topic you are connecting it to.
  • Two questions that you have about the article that you don’t understand.
  • You will upload each article summary to your Google Docs and shared with Mrs. Brim for each unit no later than TWO days after the unit test. Each article will count as 20% of the project grade for Fall semester.
  • Grading: 20 points per Article Summary (10 points for content or substance, 10 points for language mechanics – grammar, spelling, etc.) Work that is submitted late will be accepted with a 50% penalty
  • At the end of the semester, all points earned on the five articles will be combined for the Fall portion of the Article Summary Project Grade.
  • Please Note: Academic dishonesty of ANY type will NOT be tolerated.
  • If you are found to have falsified article dates, sources, etc., or plagiarize your work– you will receive a ZERO for this grade.
  • Additionally, this is an INDIVIDUAL project, no two students should be found to have the same five articles or identical summaries and reflections in their scrapbooks (considered as plagiarism).

Thanks to Dr. Donna Governor for her Earth Systems materials.

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PHYSICAL SCIENCE

There is a calendar posted in the room for physical science which will have what we will do each day and the homework assigned. Keep current with this calendar!

Syllabus: Information about required materials, late assignments, make-up policy, homework, and expected behavior can be found on the syllabus for this course given to each student the first week of fall semester.  Physical Science Syllabus2018

: Atomic Theory, the Periodic Table, and Chemical reactions; Properties of matter, Solutions, Acids/Bases, Energy, Force and Motion; Waves, Electricity, and Magnetism;

Grading: Atomic Theory/Periodic Table/Chemical Reactions – 25%, Properties of Matter/Solutions/ Acids and Bases – 20%, Midterm (December) – 5%; Energy/Force/Motion – 25%, Waves/Electricity/Magnetism – 25%, EOC (final) – 20%. *The topics and midterm will be calculated at 80% of the final grade with the EOC counting for the final 20%.

Website: I have put together a web page with a variety of resources, some we will use in class and some we will not.  You can access the page for reviewing for tests, etc. by clicking on orange hexagon at the top of this page and choosing physical science.

Assignments Page: A list of the assignments for the current unit as well as copies of notes, labs, and handouts can be accessed at on the Physical Science page.

Safety Contract:  Lab Safety Contract

Periodic Table and Reference sheet for the EOC: 2706769_Physical_Science_Reference_Sheet_and_Periodic_TableEOCT_Physical_Science_Periodic_Table

last updated: 7-14-18

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