Welcome to Honors Marine Science!
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Cousteau
Teacher: Mr. Marcus Pate
Classroom: SCHS RM 406
Contact Information:
Phone: 252-321-3232 Ext: 7479
GoogleVoice: 252-493-6308
Email: [email protected]
Website: marcuspate.weebly.com
Office Hours for Tutoring: Tuesday & Thursday 7:45AM – 8:15AM, by appointment
Course Description:
This course is designed to introduce students to marine ecosystems. Areas of study include ocean habitats, flora and fauna living in the ocean and on the shore, and human interaction with impact on the marine ecosystem. This course is recommended for students interested in expanding their knowledge of coastal environments. This course is designed to give students authentic and thought-provoking experiences with marine science content. Students will interpret simple-to-use satellite Earth imagery, engage in hands-on laboratory activities, analyze authentic case studies of real-life problems, follow the paths of marine organisms, and more. This active participation will promote ocean literacy and global citizenship. The goal of ocean literacy is for one to understand “the ocean’s influence on you, and your influence on the ocean”.
Marine Science Curriculum:
This course will explore the seven Essential Principles of Ocean Literacy in three phases. The seven Essential Principles are:
- The Earth has one big ocean with many features.
- The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of the Earth.
- The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.
- The ocean makes the Earth habitable.
- The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.
- The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.
- The ocean is largely unexplored.
Essential questions for the course include:
- How do biotic and abiotic factors affect one another in the ocean?
- Why is the ocean critical to life on Earth?
- How does the ocean change over time?
- How can we conserve ocean resources?
- How do scientist study the ocean?
Each phase of the course will guide students toward their enduring understandings and better understanding the fundamental concepts of the principles of ocean literacy and essential questions for this course. Those phases are:
- Phase I: Understanding the Ocean and Its Processes
- Phase II: Research and Analysis – Interpreting Earth Data and Animal Movements
- Phase III: Understanding Human Impacts on the Ocean
Topics Outline:
- Principles of Marine Science
- Marine Producers
- Marine Invertebrates
- Marine Chordates
- Marine Ecosystems
- Tides, Waves, & Currents
- Weather, Climate, & The Ocean
- Human Impact on Marine Environments
Materials Needed:
- Textbook
- 3-ring binder
- Tab dividers
- Black Pens
- Pencils
- Colored Pencils
- Highlighter
- Ear buds/headphones
Grading Criteria
Students will receive documentation of their progress in the course periodically throughout the semester. Students will receive progress reports every three weeks, and report cards every six weeks. Grades will be calculated based on the following criteria:
- Major – 70% - Test & Projects
- Minor – 20% - Labs & Quizzes
- Other – 10% - Homework & Classwork
**This course will have a mandatory teacher-made final exam that is worth 25% of your final course grade. The exam will be cumulative.
Assignments
Tests- Tests will be given as we conclude each unit and will be in the format of multiple choice, short answer, & essay questions.
Lab / Notebook Checks – At the beginning of each unit students will receive a list of the items we will complete throughout the unit. These will be the items that I will be looking for when I collect lab notebooks for grading. Grading will take place at the conclusion of each unit (on test day).
Labs- Each student will participate in labs as a group but will be required to turn in their own individual lab write-ups for an individual grade.
Other Assignments- From time to time we will have short quizzes on ideas that are very important to make sure you are following along with me. Also, I may collect and grade class work as needed to make sure you are on task.
Classwork/Homework- All classwork must be turned in on the day it is due. If you are absent and miss a classwork/homework assignment it is your responsibly to ask the teacher for your make-up work and complete it within a three-day window of your return to school. Late work is not accepted. If you were absent on the day an assignment is due, you must turn it in upon your return to school. All notes, handouts, homework and labs are to be kept in the course notebooks.
Projects: You will be assigned at least two project per six weeks. Projects assigned will be based on the topics covered during the six weeks. Projects are to be complete by the assigned due date.
Final Exam- Each student will take a mandatory teacher-made exam during the designated exam period for our class which will count as 25% of your final grade for the course.
Miscellaneous
Participation- Students are responsible for participation in all class activities, discussions, and assignments.
Folders- You will each have a folder in my classroom. We will use the folders to keep up with your tests. Test will be returned to you so that you can see them and then they will be placed in your folder.
Late Work & Absences- You should always strive to turn in your work on time! Late work is NOT accepted. If you are absent, you are responsible for getting any missed labs or worksheet solutions from your lab group. If you are absent for a school related function then you are responsible for making arrangements to receive and complete your work ahead of time!
Academic Integrity- Cheating will not be tolerated on any level in this course. If you are caught cheating you will receive a zero and your parents will be notified. Cheating via storing information in your calculator will result in a loss of calculator privileges for the rest of the semester. Basically, cheating is the one thing you really do not want to do in my class so please do not even think about it!
Website/Class Technology- We will use various forms of technology to enhance instruction in this course. Our class website will be your home base to find out what is going on in class each day, to find assignments, announcements, and other information. Other technology will be used including GoogleVoice, Remind101, etc.