Dear Parent/Guardian:

Welcome to my ecology class. I am writing this letter to give you information regarding my class and how to help your child succeed in this subject.

This course is an elective science about the interactions between organisms and their environment and requires additional work outside the classroom as well as planning and organizational skills. On this note, I strongly recommend your student obtain and use a planner on a daily basis. I also recommend that he/she studies his/her notes at least 10 minutes a day if not more. This helps him/her to learn self-discipline, to become familiar with the material, and to allow the student enough time to identify and focus on concepts that they do not understand.

If you want your child to succeed, a good start is by being here everyday. We are on block scheduling, so if your child misses one day it hurts him/her tremendously. In addition, if your child misses 10 or more days in a semester and does not pass the exam with a “C”, then he/she will automatically fail for the semester. In the event that your child is sick and needs to be out, I have a makeup work book that is located in my room that lists all the activities we have done by their date. If he/she missed a test or a lab he/she needs to come after school to make them up. I will also be posting homework and announcing test and lab dates on my website (located at the bottom of this page) and the k12 planet website. Feel free to check these sites any time during the year.

Your student will need to have a notebook. I want him/her to have a three ring binder (1” or 1 ½” should be fine). He/She needs to have 4 dividers for the sections that I require. The sections are: NOTES, HOMEWORK/CLASSWORK, TESTS, & LABS/QUIZZES.

During the year we will be doing labs and field trips. Labs are used to integrate the curriculum and give hands-on experience of scientific study. I place lab safety at a high priority. I expect your student to behave according to lab safety guidelines I have provided you. The field trips will include the zoo and going to our ponds to do field labs. I will ask that your child participate and be prepared to get dirty. There will be separate guidelines coming for dress code, cost and needs. In a few weeks we will be holding a fundraiser to raise money for lab materials such as our water quality equipment. So I am asking now in advance for your help to encourage your child to sell as much as possible. If you do not wish to participate but want to donate money instead, that is also a choice. Even though you and your child are not obligated to participate, it would be of a great help to me.

Along with this letter your child should have with him/her a copy of the course syllabus and behavior guidelines. A laboratory safety letter will also be following at a later date. These papers need to be signed and brought back to me. Please feel free to call or email me if you have any concerns or questions. I look forward to a great year with you and your child.

Thank you,

Ms. Erin Poppert

Phone: Ext. 2315

Email: poppere@ocps.net

Website: http://darter.ocps.net/classroom/poppert/NATURAL%20SELECTION%20WEBSITE.htm

Or go to the Apopka main website and click on classroom pages

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Please sign the bottom of this paper and cut along the line. Send the signed slip back with your child and keep the letter portion.

Parent Signature: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________