Keep the packet together
Paper-clip completed work to the absence form. Follow Mr. U’s current direction for handing it in or using the designated absence box.
YOUR CLASS HANDBOOK
Work hard.
Be nice.
Learn the routines. Find your next step.
Build the habits to do it yourself.
Science with Mr. U · Pinacate Middle SchoolLooking for your syllabus? ↗
START WHERE YOU ARE
What do I do now?
Pick the situation.
Find one useful next step.
I was absent ↗My credit is missing ↗I’m stuck ↗I missed a test ↗I want extra credit ↗I’m a parent or caregiver ↗
YOUR NEXT STEP
Read the full routine →Checklists are for your own planning and reset when you reload. They do not submit work or record credit.
No matching routine yet.
Try a shorter word, clear the search, or ask Mr. U.
01
Arrive ready. Leave it better.
Small routines make room for big science.
Pack the four essentials
Check off each step as you go.
Missing something or unable to access a resource? Tell Mr. U early so you can find a way to participate.
THE FIRST
2 minutes
Focus Reset
Go to your assigned seat, put unrelated items aside, and attend to the breathing visualization. Breathe comfortably and protect the quiet for everyone.
When your attention wanders, notice it and return. Then follow the next classroom direction.
Before leaving: return shared materials, organize your papers, and clean your space. Tell the teacher about spills, broken objects, or anything unsafe.
02
Finished is one step. Reviewed is another.
Your assignment sheet connects the work you do to the credit recorded.
- CompleteFollow the assignment directions and announced due date.
- SubmitUse the submission method given for that assignment.
- ReviewMr. U checks the work and stamps your assignment sheet.
- KeepFile returned work and keep the updated sheet for collection.
My work is done, but credit is missing.
Find the assignment, your submission, and the assignment sheet. Check whether it was reviewed and stamped. Show Mr. U the specific assignment and ask which step is missing. A verified recording error can be corrected.
“I completed this assignment and submitted it here. Could we check whether it was reviewed and recorded?”
I lost a paper or my assignment sheet.
Check your science folder, the posted directions, and the classroom document rack for missing papers. Ask Mr. U how to replace the sheet and verify credit already earned. Reconstruct the record together instead of guessing which work counts.
Use your confirmed deadline
Complete work by the announced due date. For missed or late work, confirm the assignment’s actual closing date with Mr. U. An absence does not create an unlimited extension; check before assuming work is still eligible for credit.
03
Been away? Here’s your way back.
Recover the directions, complete the work, and make the review visible.
Check off each step as you go.
Have both parts ready
Complete the required digital submission. Have the absence form ready and be prepared to show the work on your Chromebook. Ask Mr. U where the form should go.
The makeup routine is for excused absences. If your situation, access, or timing needs clarification, speak with Mr. U directly.
04
Try a resource. Ask a better question.
Independence means learning how to use support.
- Check the directions. Website, Canvas, assignment paper, checklist, or example.
- Ask your shoulder partner. Find the direction or talk through the process.
- Ask your group. Compare explanations when collaboration is allowed.
- Ask one more classmate. Try another explanation if you still need one.
- Raise your hand. Tell Mr. U what you checked and exactly where you are stuck.
- Email for a fuller follow-up. Include the assignment and your specific question.
“I checked ____. I understand ____, but I’m stuck on ____. Could you help me with that part?”
Go directly to an adult when you need to.
Safety, privacy, distress, inaccessible materials, and individual support needs come first. If classmates are unavailable or discussion is not allowed, ask Mr. U directly. The help ladder never permits sharing answers during a test.
05
Requirements first. Then go beyond.
Three marks, three different meanings.
Regular stamp
Required work has been reviewed for credit.
Additional stamp
Work exceeds the requirements. Extra-credit points depend on completing the required set.
Absence marker
Eligible makeup work is treated as on time. This marker is not extra credit.
TRY THE TEACHER’S EXAMPLE
Four finished. One missing.
A set has five required assignments. Four are reviewed, and each has an extra-credit stamp. One required assignment is missing.
The extra-credit gate is closed while the required set is incomplete.
This is a practice example, not your grade record. Mr. U confirms the required set, points, and whether later completion makes earlier stamps eligible. Extra credit adds to the overall grade; it does not change an individual test score.
What does meaningful extra effort look like?
After meeting the requirements, add an accurate explanation, a useful connection, thoughtful additional notes, or clearer visual organization. Decoration does not replace science understanding. Check the assignment’s criteria with Mr. U.
06
Prepare to explain, not just recognize.
Daily work prepares you to show what you understand.
A useful study loop
- Identify what the teacher says will be assessed.
- Review your notes and relevant practice.
- Explain an idea or answer a question with the notes closed.
- Check your answer. Name one gap and practice it again.
- Ask a focused question before the test.
MISSED A TEST?Monday or Tuesday
Monday or Tuesday
at lunch · Room 303
Bring the required form showing an excused absence. Confirm the supervised makeup arrangement and your deadline with Mr. U.
A missed-test makeup is different from a retake of a test you already attempted. Ask about your specific situation.
I studied, but the test did not go well.
Review your work and feedback. Separate what you understood from where your explanation broke down. Choose one different preparation step and a resource to help.
“I could do ____, but I struggled with ____. Before the next test, I will practice ____ and check my understanding by ____.”
07
Be nice is something we practice.
Our choices protect everyone’s chance to learn.
Respect
Treat people, objects, and our classroom with care, even when no one is checking.
Courtesy
Listen, avoid unnecessary interruptions, and give others room to focus.
Stewardship
Return materials, pick up ordinary litter, and leave shared spaces better.
Kindness
Help because it helps. Explain a process; don’t hand over answers to copy.
What can I say when someone crosses a boundary?
For a minor disagreement that feels safe, name the behavior and make a clear request.
“I don’t like it when you move my things. Please ask before touching them.”
If it continues or you need support, tell a safe adult. You can go directly to an adult for anything unsafe, threatening, or seriously uncomfortable. You never have to confront someone first to receive help.
How do I respond or repair harm?
“Thanks for telling me. I’ll stop.”
“I did ____. I understand it affected you by ____. Next time I will ____.”
Repair includes changing what you do. Respect someone’s space and their choice about whether to accept an apology or continue a friendship.
Care for the science classroom safely.
Follow the activity’s instructions and ask before using equipment. Report spills, broken objects, and unknown materials instead of handling them yourself.
Read the science safety guide →08
Make the thinking your own.
Before you turn it in, take one careful look.
Check off each step as you go.
Help should support your thinking.
Do not copy, share unauthorized answers, or communicate during tests. AI use on graded work needs Mr. U’s specific permission for that task. When you are unsure what help is allowed, ask before using it.
09
Coach the process. Let them practice.
The teacher supports. The student follows through. The family coaches.
Try a five-minute check-in
- “Show me your assignment sheet and what you are working on.”
- “Where are the directions?”
- “What is finished, and what still needs review?”
- “What is one next step you can do?”
- “What support would help you do it?”
Give enough support to begin and enough space for the student to do the thinking. Families can always contact Mr. U directly with concerns.
BEFORE A CONFERENCEBring the evidence.
Bring the evidence.
Choose one priority.
Bring the relevant work, assignment sheet, directions, and your specific question. First check the record and any access barrier.
Leave with a student action, a family action, a teacher action, and an agreed way to check progress.
10
nishantha.unantenne@puhsd.org ↗A specific question is a good start.
Mr. U · Nishantha Unantenne · Pinacate Middle School · Room 303
Include your class period, the assignment, what you checked, and the part that needs clarification. Keep private concerns between you, your family, and the appropriate adult.
Use Canvas for assignment directions and materials, and eleodes.com for the course map, explanations, and practice. Confirm assignment-specific deadlines and individual arrangements with Mr. U.