Honors Biology Syllabus



Honors Biology Syllabus – Moodle Based Course

Mrs. Fortenbaugh – Room 238

Email: pfortenbaugh@

Phone: 541-1662 x 238 Homework hotline X 1238

Welcome to a successful year in Honors Biology! I am excited about the time that we will spend together learning about ourselves and the world that we live in. Biology is a laboratory and experience-based course designed to promote active student participation in the diversity of biological sciences, ranging from microscopic to the macroscopic. These are the policies that I have created to make the most of the time that we have together.

• 3 ring binder with 5 dividers. The dividers should be labeled as follows: (1) Homework,

(2) Learning Maps, (3) Class work /Notes, (4) Labs & Projects, (5) Graded Work

• Pencil and pen

• Headphones to plug into your computer

1. Show RESPECT for your teacher, your classmates, yourself, and your learning environment! No food or drink is permitted in the classroom/laboratory!

2. All school and district policies apply in the classroom.

Hats, coats, cell phones, and other electronic devices are to be turned off and out of sight. Violation of this district wide policy could result in the confiscation of your property. Please follow the rules!

3. Come to class prepared!

Always bring your biology binder, textbook, pen/pencil, and class papers to class. You will not be allowed to go to your locker after the bell rings to get any forgotten items. Additionally, learning is an active process and you are expected to put forth your best effort each day. You CAN do it!

4. Be on Time!!

You should be in the classroom and seated in your assigned seat before the bell rings. This specifically means personal business, such as sharpening pencils, should be taken care of prior to the late bell. If you are not in the classroom when the late bell rings, you will be marked tardy. All unexcused tardies will be reported to the office. If you have an excused pass, place it on my desk.

5. Dismissal will be by the teacher not by the bell!

6. Earn your grade! Your grade is solely your responsibility. Turn in assignments on time for full points. If you missed notes, labs, or an exam due to an absence it is your responsibility to get the missing information and schedule a completion time. Handouts/Assignments given during your absence will be located in the “Missed Work” folder labeled for your class period. Make up your work promptly. You MAY NOT hand in any late assignments after the summative unit test/project! For example, once we have our unit 1 test, you may not hand in late work from that unit.

ALWAYS KEEP THIS SHEET IN THE FRONT OF YOUR NOTEBOOK!!

1. Verbal warning.

2. Loss of participation points.

3. Teacher-student conference.

4. New seat in the classroom.

5. Call to parent or guardian.

6. Referral to the office.

NOTE: In the case of severe misbehavior, the student will be referred directly to the office.

If you are absent it is solely YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to get the notes, assignments, do now, and any make-up work that you missed during your absence. The daily lesson agenda and files will be posted to your Biology Moodle page. You will find any handouts you missed placed in the “Missed Work” folder labeled for your class period. It is your responsibility to check Moodle and this folder when you return to school.

• According the Central Dauphin School District’s Attendance policy, a student with an unexcused absence will not receive credit for missed work, including assessments. To receive credit for missed work, the student must arrange to make up work within 3 days of the absence. Failure to complete any assignment in a timely manner is recorded as a zero.

*Participation points are earned daily. You will not be awarded points for unexcused absences. It is the student’s responsibility to show me their excuse slip when they return to school in order to regain participation points from their absence.

*Tests and Quizzes are expected to be made up upon the student’s returns to school. If a student is absent on a review day or a test/quiz day, the student is required to make up the assessment on the day they return to school. If the student has been absent for several days and missed several days of instruction a make-up testing date will be determined when the student returns to school.

*To check assignments from home, please check our class Biology Moodle page.

GRADING

• This is a weighted course – you will earn 1.04 credits for completing this course.

• Quarterly grades are EARNED based on the following percentage arrangement adopted by the Central Dauphin School District Science Department:

• 50% of your grade is Summative Assessments

o Tests, Culminating Projects/Labs

o You have 3 days to turn in late work with a penalty: Day 1 deduct 10% from earned grade, Day 2 deduct 20%, and Day 3 deduct 30%; Day 4 is a zero

• 25% of your grade is Quizzes

o Quizzes, Formative Assessments, Learning Labs etc.

o You have 3 days to turn in late work with a penalty: Day 1 deduct 10% from earned grade, Day 2 deduct 20%, and Day 3 deduct 30%; Day 4 is a zero

• 25% of your grade is Miscellaneous

o Homework, Class work, Participation

o Same late policy as above; no late work accepted if gone over in class (if absent, district policy applies)

*Each quarter accounts for 20% of the overall grade, while midterms and finals each equal 10% of the final grade earned for the year.

Opportunities for Points:

1) Classwork and Homework: Students will complete daily classwork and regularly be assigned homework. Each assignment will have a due date and will not be accepted late.

2) Labs and Projects: Students will be provided with several hands on learning opportunities. These assignments generally carry larger point values and are expected to be turned in on the due date for maximum points.

3) Tests and Quizzes: All tests will be announced. Quizzes may be announced or unannounced.

4) Midterm and Final: Each of these tests will count for 10% of your final grade. The midterm will be given at the end of the second marking period and address content covered during the first and second marking periods only. The final will be given at the end of the year and cover materials learned during only the third and fourth quarters.

5) Participation: Each student has the opportunity to earn a daily participation grade. These points will be earned by arriving to class on time prepared to learn, following instructions the first time, obeying classroom expectations, showing respect for everyone in the classroom, and putting forth positive effort!

6) Notebook check: Students must maintain a neat and organized notebook. All class materials including worksheets, notes, labs, quizzes, student learning maps etc should be organized into the appropriate place in your notebook. Notebooks will be graded at the end of each quarter.

7) Portfolio: A cumulative science portfolio will be turned in at the end of the school year. Students will be given guidelines, due dates, and room to store their portfolio materials in class, as well as time to work on the portfolio. The completed portfolio will count as part of the student’s fourth marking period grade.

8) Cheating will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is cheating! Students will receive a score of zero for any assignment, quiz, or test in which the student has cheated.

9) Grades will be accessible online through the district website for both yourself and your parent/guardian(s). Please check your grade regularly and keep your assignments up to date. Students are expected to keep all returned papers. In case of a grade discrepancy, the burden of proof rests entirely on the student! Keep all papers/save all electronic documents!

** I am always more than willing to answer questions or discuss any concerns that you may have. Please stop by my room to schedule a convenient time for us to meet if you begin to feel confused or discouraged at any time. I am here to help!! Please remember…

Biology is important! You can do it! I won’t give up on you!

|Unit |Content of Study |Textbook Chapters for |

| | |Reference |

| |Introduction to Biology and Experimental Design | |

| |Characteristics of Living Things | |

|1 |Scientific Method |1 |

| |Microscopes | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| |Chemistry of Life | |

| | | |

|2 |Properties of Water |2, 3 |

| |Macromolecules for Life | |

| |Enzymes | |

| | | |

| |Cells | |

| | | |

|3 |Structure and Function |4, 5 |

| |Transport | |

| |Membrane | |

| | | |

| | | |

| |Energetics | |

| | | |

|4 |Cellular Respiration |7, 6 |

| |Photosynthesis | |

| |ATP | |

| | | |

| | | |

| |Cell Division | |

| |Mitosis | |

|5 |Meiosis |8 |

| |Cancer | |

| |

| |

|MIDTERMS |

| |

|Unit |Content of Study |Chapters |

| |Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis | |

| | | |

|6 |Genetic Continuity |10 |

| |Protein Synthesis | |

|7 |Genetics | |

| | | |

| |Probability |9 |

| |Mendelian Genetics | |

| |Punnett Squares | |

|8 |Human Genetics | |

| | | |

| |Inheritance |12 |

| |Genetic Abnormalities | |

|9 |Biotechnology | |

| |Recombinant DNA |13 |

| |Genetically modified foods | |

| |Stem cells | |

| |Cloning | |

| | | |

|10 |Evolution & Classification | |

| |Adaptations vs. Variations | |

| |Natural Selection |15, 16 |

| |Gene flow | |

| |Taxonomy | |

|11 |Ecology | |

| | | |

| |Interrelationships | |

| |The Flow of Matter and Energy |19, 20, 21, 22 |

| |Succession | |

| | | |

| |Biology Keystone Exams in May | |

| |Final Review | |

|FINALS |

|Week of JUNE 2nd |

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Materials – What should I bring to Biology class?

Expectations – What is expected of me as a student in Mrs. Fortenbaugh’s class?

Consequences – What can I expect if I do not follow the classroom expectations?

Absences – How do I make up work from an absence?

Assessment – How will I be graded in Biology?

A = 90 - 100

B = 80 - 89

C = 70 - 79

D = 60 - 69

F = 59 and below

Additional Help – What if I am confused?

Content – What will I be learning in Biology?

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