Course Overview:
Biology is divided into four different disciplines. A brief description, order, and estimated time spent with each discipline are listed below:
- Chemistry- a science that deals with the composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the transformations that they undergo. Students will develop an understanding of the physical, chemical, and cellular basis of life. (3 weeks)
- Genetics- The branch of biology that deals with heredity, especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited characteristics among similar or related organisms. Students will develop an understanding of the continuity and changes of organisms over time. (6 weeks)
- Taxonomy- The classification of organisms in an ordered system that indicates natural relationships; The science, laws, or principles of classification; systematic. Students will develop an understanding of the unity and diversity of life. (4 weeks)
- Ecology- The science of the relationships between organisms and their environments. Students will develop an understanding of ecological relationships among organisms. (2 weeks)
Classroom Expectations:
1. Be respectful of others.
2. Be in your seat when the bell rings.
3. Ask permission before leaving your seat.
4. Bring all needed materials to class. (pencil and paper should be brought everyday)
5. No profanity, teasing, or name calling.
6. No food or drink is permitted.
7. Do not rock back on the legs of the chair.
8. No personal grooming in class.
9. Do not sit on top of desks.
10. No inappropriate usage of electronic devices
Failure to follow these rules will result in a tardy, zero, detention, and/or administrative disciplinary action as stated in the student handbook.
Tardy:
Students must be in their seat when the tardy bell rings. In the event this does not occur the following will result:
· 1st tardy will result in a verbal warning
· 2nd tardy teachers will notify parents of a possible pattern of tardiness
· 3rd tardy the teacher will assign the student Wednesday lunch detention in small gym (part A)-30 minutes.
· 4th tardy assign the student a Thursday ASD (60 minutes).
· 5th tardy will be referred to his/her administrator for further disciplinary action.
Assignments:
· If a student is absent:
ü The student is responsible for getting their work from the teacher (white tower).
ü The student is responsible for turning in homework that was due on the day of their absence the day they return to school to avoid a late grade.
ü The student is responsible for turning in make-up work within in a reasonable time (2 days per every day missed).
· Late work will be accepted up to 2 days past the original due date for 50% credit of the assignment. Beyond that, the assignment is a zero.
· If a student is caught cheating, the grade for that assignment (homework, lab, quiz, test, etc) will be a zero. There will be no opportunities for credit recovery for that zero.
~Homework- Due to the nature of this course, many of the topics will need additional review, as well as investigation. Students are expected to review their notes and any additional materials for at least 20 minutes a night. Due to the level of this science class, students will not always be given a sheet of paper to complete and return the next day. On several occasions, homework is spot checked. Because this homework assignment is gone over in class, this assignment can not be made up for a late grade.
~Labs/ experiments- There will be several labs assigned throughout this course. All labs and experiments relate to the topic that is currently covered and is used to reinforce the content. Labs and experiments are not ‘easy’. On several occasions, students come to high school with this idea and everyone should be mindful that experiments are teaching students about the content of the course. Often students will work on an experiment with one or more partners. Students are not to copy the ideas of other groups. If it is found that these sections were completed together, a zero to all involved will result. Labs will be turned is as a group, in the event that a student wants to complete the lab on their own, all members of the group must notify me before the lab is started.
~Tests- Tests and/ or quizzes are given throughout and at the end of a unit, which will vary in length. If you are absent for a test, you must take the test during SMART lunch (given in multiple sessions- please plan on 3 sessions). Tests and quizzes will not be handed back until all honors biology students have taken the assessment. Students will often know their grade on a test before all the test are given back to students. If students want to see the questions they missed, they are more than welcome to come in during SMART lunch to look over the test questions they missed. Because of test security, tests questions will not be given back to students to take home (please come to SMART lunch to look them over and take notes on particular concepts you are missing).
The following is a breakdown of my grading scale:
