Course Syllabus for Honors/MYP Biology

Mr. Mark R. Bostrom

Goals:

The Honors/MYP Biology course encourages students to continue their investigations and deepen student understanding of the biological sciences begun in grades K-8. In depth study of the following concepts is included: the cell, the molecular basis of heredity, biological evolution, the interdependence of organisms, matter, energy and organization in living systems, and the adaptive responses of organisms. The course will comply with the Standard Course of Study Competency Goals as specified by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as well as the IB standards as presented in the IB MYP Science Guides ( Honors/MYP Biology is vertically aligned to allow for students who successfully complete this course to continue on in the classes of AP Biology or DP Biology. It is also highly recommended that Honors/MYP Biology either be completed or taken concurrently if a student chooses to take AP Environmental Science.

Instructor:

Mr. Mark R. Bostrom

Room# 308

Office Hours: Extra help and tutoring arealways available. Please make prior arrangements with me.

Email:

Web Page:

Book:

Biology:The Dynamics of Life. Glencoe Science, McGraw Hill, 2004

General Course Outline (Subject to Change):

1.Nature of Science

2.Basic Chemistry

3.Biochemistry

4.Cell Biology

5.Cellular Transport

6.Mitosis

7.Photosynthesis

8.Cellular Respiration

9.Mendelian Genetics

10.Meiosis

11.Molecular Genetics

12.Human Genetics

13.Biotechnology

14.Ecology

15.Evolution

16.Taxonomy/Classification

17.Animal Behavior

Grading:

Quarter grades will be calculated by averaging all test, quiz, homework/classwork and lab grades using the percentages listed below. Each semester will comprise 37.5% of your final grade with the final exam counting 25% of your final grade.

Evaluation % of quarter grades

Tests/Projects60%

Quizzes/Labs30%

Homework/Classwork10%

The objective of this class is for you to learn the material. If you are having difficulty with the material tutoring/extra help is available either from myself or the National Honor’s Society.

All assignments must be turned in A Timely fashion!!!! This means you will be given a time period in which you can turn in your assignments. If you do not turn them in during this time period you will not be adequately prepared for the end of the unit assessment. Assigned work is not meant to keep you busy, but to help you comprehend the material you will be asked to learn and demonstrate your understanding of. If you are absent on the final day an assignment can be turned in you are required to turn in the assignment the day you return.

If you are given time during class to work on an assignment you must work on the assignment and NOT just say that you will do it for homework. Also, my class is not for you to complete assignments from other classes. I should not see you working on any assignments from other classes when you are to be working on the material for my class. The same holds true for when you are in other classes. You should not be working on my material when you are in another teacher’s class.

If you are absent, it is your responsibility to see me to find out what you need to make up. I will be more than happy to go over the material you missed. From the day you return, you will have the same amount of time as the other students received plus one day extra to complete the work you missed. If you miss the day before a test you may still be required to take the test/quiz on the day you return. I generally only review the day before a test.

Labs are a fun, hands on way to incorporate lecture material into real world applications and help students better comprehend lecture material. However, labs can be dangerous if not taken seriously. If I feel the class is not mature enough to handle labs we will stick to lecture and notes and not do any labs. During labs, if you are found to be fooling around and possibly putting yourself or others in danger you will be written up and given a zero for the lab.

The state-mandated grading scale is as follows:

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

Report cards are released at the end of each quarter. Please refer to the student handbook for those dates.

Throughout the year, you will be given IB assessments based on the standards set forth by the IB Program. Your grades for these assessments will differ from the grading policy written on the previous page. These assessments will use a specialized rubric to accurately determine what areas you are strong in so we can better improve the areas you are weak in.

Materials:

1. 3 ring binder with paper 2. Composition Notebook

3. Pencils or Pens (blue or black only) 4. Colored Pencils

5. Calculator (not mandatory)

Classroom Rules and Procedures

1. Be in your seats and prepared to work when the bell rings. Also

class does not end until the bell rings. No one is to line up at the

door before the bell rings

2. Respect yourself, your teacher, and your classmates.

3. No food or drink (besides water) allowed in the classroom

4. Cell phones MUST be put away once you enter the class. Headphones

must not be out at all. Cell phone and headphone use will only be

allowed by my permission only. Failure to comply with this rule will

result in being written up and possibly being sent to ISS.

5. Always do your best and do not be afraid to make mistakes.

6. Clean up after yourself, the custodians ARE NOT your maids!!!

7. Hall passes will be issued when I deem necessary. If you are

allowed to leave the classroom and it is discovered you went

elsewhere you will not be allowed to leave the classroom

again without a note from an administrator, teacher, or parent.

8. Do your own work unless I specify that you may work with others

Cheating will not help you pass this class nor will it be tolerated!!!!

9. Failure to follow these rules may result in a call home, being written up,

removal from the classroom, or a teacher detention

How to be successful in Biology!

  1. Pay attention and take notes
  1. Come to class prepared
  1. COMPLETE YOUR HOMEWORK!! Quite possibly the most significant problem for students is not completing/doing homework. Where strong homework habits can help improve your grade, poor homework habits can absolutely DESTROY quarter grades. You might want to use a homework folder to keep up with your assignments. Also, use a planner or my webpage to keep up with due dates and upcoming quizzes/tests.
  1. Look over your notes for 5-10 minutes each night and/or in the morning before class begins.
  1. Create flashcards for vocabulary terms, concepts, etc. as you learn them.
  1. STUDY!! In addition to studying on your own, try studying with a friend by quizzing each other out loud. Use review sheets and daily assignments to guide you towards important information.
  1. Ask questions.
  1. Attend tutoring.
  1. Most importantly, have an open mind towards learning the material

"There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen."

James Lovell