Davis Joint Unified School District - 526 B Street, Davis, Ca 95616
 

Mr. Phillips

      7th and 8th Grade Science—Rm B-3 

                                                    

             "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius,            power, and magic in it."

J. W. von Goethe

 

Parents and students:

I retired from the Davis Joint Unified School District on June 11, 2010.

Thank you for your support and sharing your children for awhile. They will be missed. It has been a great run. I'll see many of you about town. If you see me, say hello.

D. Phillips

                                                                                                                                         

Welcome to the 2009-10 school year!

This Home Page contains information on my teaching philosophy, how parents can encourage success in science class, and how our textbooks relate to the California State Science Content Standards. In the upper left, you will also find links to Homework (including test dates, long-term assignments, etc.) and our Classroom Policies.

How to contact me

If you wish to contact me by e-mail (preferred), type in dphillips then @djusd.k12.ca.us.

 

Philosophy

       First, I believe that science is an important subject to study. From medicine to nutrition to technology, knowledge of science will help students become more educated consumers, thinkers, and decision makers.

       Second, all students can succeed in science class. The key will be to do the daily work consistently. Individual assignments are not difficult; only when the individual pieces are not done consistently does the class as a whole become "hard."

How you can encourage success

  • Go through the two-page “Classroom Policies and Procedures” with your child, and make sure that s/he understands the procedures and expectations. The Emerson Student Planner also has a wealth of information, and I encourage all to use it.
  • Make sure s/he has a three-ring notebook (details given to your student). This will help your student organize his/her work and receive credit for work done.
  • Each day ask to see or hear about what was done in class (something was done!) and any homework (three or four times a week, plus long-term projects). Having your student explain an assignment helps clarify and reinforce the assignment as well as keeping you informed.
  • Even if no formal homework is assigned for a day, students can review their notes or the vocabulary at the end of each textbook chapter, or work on a long-term project.
  • Set aside a time and quiet place for study each afternoon or night. Developing good, regular study habits will go a long way toward assuring success in all classes.

Textbooks and the California State Standards

 This year we will be using two recently adopted textbooks--CPO Focus on Life Science and Focus on Physical Science. Students will use both textbooks during the year: 7th graders will use the green (Life Science) book for the first three quarters, and 8th graders the blue (Physical Science), then we will switch for the final quarter. Both textbooks are "California Editions" geared specifically to the California State Science Content Standards. By the end of the 8th grade year, all students will have received instruction in all of the major content areas identified in the Science Content Standards for grades 7 and 8 (and included on the STAR test at the end of the 8th grade).  We are excited about this new program, which is hands-on based and substantially different from what has been used previously in our district. As with any new program, some glitches are bound to pop up, but we will work hard to keep those to a minimum and think the new approach will engage more students and deliver a higher quality program. Your feedback will be welcome.