Biology Course Syllabus & Student Responsibilities



Honors Biology Course Syllabus & Student Responsibilities

Course Number: 1830

Mrs. Musetti (September) Mr. Miedlar (October-June) ~ Room 202

Communication:

Email: lauren_musetti@ and michael_miedlar@

Voicemail box: 2648

Course work can be found on the class’s website:

Overview:

Biology is the study of life. In Biology, we seek to learn what it means to be alive and how living things interact with one another. The essential question that will guide our study is: How and why is biology used to make meaning of the world around us?

Course Topics:

✓ The Scientific Method

✓ Biochemistry

✓ Cells and Cellular Energy

✓ Genetics

-Protein Synthesis

✓ Biotechnology

✓ Evolution

✓ Ecology

Course Materials:

✓ 3-ring binder

✓ Colored Pencils

✓ Pencil

✓ Blue or black ink pen

✓ Loose leaf lined paper

✓ Calculator

✓ Highlighter

✓ ChromeBook

Attendance/Make-up Work:

Students are expected to attend all classes unless otherwise excused. If you know of an absence in advance please see me for make-up work.

Any assignment due on the day missed will be due on the day the student returns.

Make-up work will be placed in the absence bin at the back of the room. It is the student’s responsibility to collect the packet, check the website for instructions, turn in assignments indicated and schedule a time to make up labs. Students will have two days to make up any missing assignments from the date of absence. (THERE WILL BE NO REMINDERS FROM THE TEACHER) NO MAKE UP WORK WILL BE DONE IN CLASS. When turning in absent work, the student should label the top right hand corner with the word “absent” and then the date of their absence.

Late and Make-Up Work:

➢ In general, no late homework or in-class assignments are accepted. Work needs to be turned in in a timely manner. I will not accept late work unless you have extenuating circumstances and have spoken to me IN PERSON or via email. Requests for an extension the night before a due date will not be granted.

➢ Major assignments may be revised with pre-approved permission.

➢ Labs, essays, and take-home tests/quizzes may be turned in up to 5 days late. 10% of the total points are lost each day the assignment is late. After 5 days, the assignment becomes a 0.

➢ If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, it will be expected that you turn in the work the day you return, unless there are extenuating circumstances. If you are absent on the day work is assigned, you should make an appointment with me to discuss any adjustment to the due date. If you are absent for a lab, you should collect data from your group. Most data will be posted on the course website or in the classroom.

Lab Make-up

Students can schedule to come in during lunch or in the morning (7 AM) to make up a missed lab or get data from a fellow student. ALL analysis questions must be completed INDENDENTLY. A missed lab due to absence that is not made up within 3 school days of the absence will result in a score of zero.

Homework:

Homework is assigned periodically and will be evaluated in a variety of ways including homework checks as well as being collected.

Lateness:

Students are expected to be in their seats by the bell. Each late will be recorded. If a student is more than 10 minutes late to class this will be considered grossly late and they will be sent to conference with an administrator before being permitted to class.

Hall Passes:

Students must ask permission to go somewhere outside the classroom. Class time is important and students should not make a habit out of using the restroom during the period and wait for a good time during class to ask to leave. Students must receive a written pass to be in the halls. (Leaving the classroom more than twice a week will result in a student missing too much class instruction to do well in this course)

Keystone Exam:

All students in this course are required to take the Keystone Exam (Pennsylvania’s standardized test). It is a comprehensive state-wide test. Passing the test is a graduation requirement. The test is typically in January for the fall semester and May for the spring semester.

Academic Honesty:

Honesty is an essential component for success in both academics and the professional biological field; therefore the school’s academic honesty policy will be strictly enforced. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, talking during a test or quiz, plagiarism (which includes incorrect citation), copying answers (including lab responses), and allowing others to copy your work. At the very least, these actions will result in a zero for the work and an office referral.

Self-Advocate:

I am more than willing to answer your biology questions and come in before school, or talk with you before or after class, but YOU need to let me know what you need. I also encourage you to email me questions as they arise.

Classroom Expectations:

Teacher expectations of students:

1. Be prepared.

2. Actively participate.

3. Respect the space, equipment, and others.

4. No food (unless provided by the instructor) or beverage (unless there is a medical issue)

5. Portable electronic devices are only permitted with the expressed permission of the teacher

6. Lab safety is our number one concern. Failure to follow your lab safety contract will result in a grade reduction and/or removal from the lab activity.

7. Safety goggles must be worn at ALL times during lab activity using fire, chemicals or class. The goggles must be worn until the very last group is done cleaning up.

8. Results of an experiment may be shared with teacher approval, however, the discussion and the conclusions must be completed by the individual.

Assessment Policy

➢ Quizzes are an opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding of particular objectives.

➢ If a student does not demonstrate full understanding of a particular objective, they are required to complete a corrective assignment, show completion of relevant classwork and homework, and schedule a time to take version two of the assessment.

➢ It is the student’s responsibility to schedule a time to complete version two of the assessment BEFORE the posted unit test date.

➢ Unit test dates will be shared in class and posted online.

➢ Other major assignments may be revised with pre-approved permission.

Grading Policy:

Quarter grades will be done on a weighted scale with graded assignments from one of five categories listed below:

Formative Classwork

- Example: practice free responses

Formative Homework

- Example: reading guides Formative Test/Quizzes

- Example: weekly quizzes

Summative Projects

- Example: Major Lab Reports

Summative Tests

-Major Tests

**The Final Exam is 20% of the Final Semester Grade**

Please keep this syllabus in the front of your binder/folder at all times. Once you and your parents have read the syllabus together, please sign below and return the syllabus to the front of your binder for you to reference throughout the year.

We have read and understand the information outlined in the course syllabus. Date: _____________________

Parent name: __________________________ Student name: _____________________

Parent signature: ______________________ Student signature: ____________________

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download