Springbrook High School

The Horticulture Program at Springbrook

OVERVIEW

The goal of Horticulture is to provide students with practical opportunities for mastering fundamental skills in the care and culture of plant life in the home, business, and social environment. Instructional focus is directed toward plant physiology and anatomy, indoor plant culture, taxonomy, plant propagation, basic floral and garden design and the acquisition of knowledge governing the culture of specific food and esthetic plants used in our daily lives.

UNITS OF STUDY

Semester A Unit topics	Semester B Unit topics
Careers in Horticulture	Greenhouse crops
Plant Science parts, function, environmental requirements, growth stimulants	Container grown plants
Plant Propagation Cuttings	Using plants in the landscape
Greenhouse management	The vegetable garden
Integrated Pest Management	Soil science
Floral Design	Landscape tools

STANDARDS BASED GRADING AND REPORTING

Student work will be assigned to one of three weighted categories. Grades are based on points earned out of points possible.

A = 89.5-100% B = 79.5-89.4% C = 69.5-79.4% D = 59.5-69.4% E = 0%-59.4%

Category	Percent of Grade
Formative: Labs, Projects, exit cards, quizzes, etc	50%
Summative: Tests, Quizzes	40%
Homework: Practice, Prep	10%

• Student assignments may include homework, classwork, and discussions; tests, quizzes, inquiry projects, labs and lab reports, presentations, discussions, and hands-on activities.
  
  

LATE WORK /MISSING WORK /MAKE-UP WORK

• Each assignment will have a due date. This is the date by which you are expected to submit the assignment.
• The deadline is the last day an assignment will be accepted for a grade. An assignment will drop one letter grade if it is not turned in by the due date.
• The due date and deadline date may be the same for some assignments.
• Work not turned in by the deadline will be considered missing and receive a zero.
• Make-up work: All work missed due to an excused absence must be made up within a reasonable time frame. Special arrangements must be made with the teacher to make-up work due to an extended excused absence.
• Students should take advantage of the One-Lunch program to complete missing assignments and to receive extra academic support.
  

COMMUNICATION

• Student Handbook – Check for dates of assignments, quizzes and tests
• Back-to-School Night - September 22nd at 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. for IB and ESOL Parents)
• Progress Reports/Interims and Report Cards
• On-Line Grades through Springbrook High School’s Homepage www.springbrookhs.org Click on “Edline” link.
• Edline will contain assignments, due dates and other relevant information.
• Teachers may be contacted directly through their email address below,
  or by phoning the Science Office @ 301-989-6064.

CLASS POLICIES

• Arrive on time. Students must be seated when the bell rings. Excused tardies must have an appropriate signature. All other tardies are considered unexcused.
• Students should take care of personal needs (restroom, water, locker, etc.) BEFORE class.
• Come prepared. Students must bring writing materials and paper every day. A 3 ring binder is encouraged to keep your science materials organized.
• NO eating or drinking during class.
• Laboratory behavior: All appropriate safety requirements will be enforced for labs. Please do not touch lab materials, hand tools until you are instructed to do so. Inappropriate/unsafe lab behavior will result in removal from the lab and/or an administrative referral.
  

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

• Be responsible for behavior in and out of the classroom that is appropriate for the class activities.
• Follow all school rules – head gear and electronic devices will not be allowed.
• Be respectful of the rights, property, and comfort of others.
• Use appropriate language – profanity and vulgar language will not be accepted!
• Dress in an appropriate manner, be sure to have closed toed shoes that can be soiled from our outside activities, greenhouse activities and in the classroom as described in the SHS handbook.
• Avoid behavior that is disruptive to class or destructive of property. Inappropriate behavior will result in detention, a phone call home, and/or an administrative referral.

Course Textbook: Introductory Horticulture, Fifth Edition Delmar Publishers. 2000 ISBN 0-8273-6766-X
Laboratory Fee is $10.00 to support material costs for elements of design instruction.

Instructor Email Address
Mr. Randy Decker    Randy_Decker@mcpsmd.org