Classroom+Policies

These are the classroom policies... For a downloadable copy click on the file at the bottom of this page. Dear Parents;

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself; my name is Brian Cannon and I’ll be your child’s Earth Science teacher this semester. I wanted to briefly share with you who I am, where I came from, and my intentions for this semester. First off, I was always very interested in the subject of Earth science. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, I decided to get my degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis on Secondary Education. I’ve focused on teaching in this district because of the great reputation of the schools, the teachers, the supporting parents, such as yourselves, and most importantly the students. In this semesters class of Earth Science, we’ll be learning about rock types and the geological processes that create each type, the mechanisms of plate tectonics, plate boundaries, geologic time and the different eras, as well as the historic events associated with those eras, and a historical geological perspective of Colorado. I will be trying to organize a field trip to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in the town of Morrison that would take place after teaching the geologic time lessons. I believe that this trip would do an outstanding job of letting the students actually see and touch the science that they have learned. I will evaluate your child’s progress through assignments given that will correspond with the lectures and discussions in class and pre-selected readings. Added to the assignments, I’ll be giving them in-class quizzes and 3 tests and a cumulative final. Lastly, 15% of their grade will based on their participation and attendance. If your child is present and is following along with the class, this will be an easy 15%. The grading scale will break down like this: I will post the grades on my website: http://bigal0331.wikispaces.com/ where you can access them to see the progress of your child. If your child has any late work, I will take it for a 10% grade reduction. However, I will not take any late work for a subject that I’ve already tested on. It will be made very clear to the students when a subject has finished and what they should have been completed up to that time. During class I will expect your child’s cooperation, respect, and attention. I will expect your child to provide those same things to their fellow classmates. In return, I will give you child the same cooperation, respect and attention to what they need to be successful in this class. I will not tolerate un-needed outburst or disruptions that impede my ability to teach or other student’s ability to learn. I’ll be asking for class participation constantly, so it’s important for all my students to be able to hear what I’m saying and asking as well as giving every student the opportunity to participate. This is where students will earn their participation points. It’s extremely important that your child is in class and engaged in the discussions, not just this class but also every class. Cell phones must remain off and out of sight during class time. I will confiscate any and all cellular devices if I see or hear them. I’ll need your help on this… please remind your child of the schools policies on cell phone use during school hours. Laptops will not be permitted in my class because they simply will not be needed. If your child is falling behind or does not understand something in the class they can come talk to me about it anytime. I’ll have office hours for walk-in help or appointments for special times can be made. If I don’t know that there’s a problem then I can’t help fix it. Please encourage your child to talk to me if they are falling behind or not understanding the material. If you, as a parent, have any questions please feel free to contact me. My email address is bcannon3@mscd.edu and my phone number 303-777-7777. Because I usually have my phone on silent mode, I would recommend emailing me for a fastest response. I want to ensure you that we’re all striving for the same results; the success of your child in my class and in school. I’m looking forward to a fun and productive semester and thank you for your time in reading this.
 * Participation/ Attendance: || 15% ||
 * Assignments: || 15% ||
 * Subject Test: || 45% ||
 * Final Exam || 25% ||

Sincerely, Brian A. Cannon