BIOLOGY 1ASYLLABUS (Course Code 26.0120000)
ARABIA MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL
School phone: 678-875-3602
Teacher: Ms. Rashonda R. Cooper 2016-2017 School Year
Room Number: E109
Semester: Fall2016 Tutorial Days: Thurs 3:30 – 4:30 pm by appointment
Email: –best contact Otherwise by appointment
Classroom Phone:(678) 875-3717
Teacher Website:
Department Philosophy:
The Arabia Mountain High School Science Department strives to provide students with hands-on, minds-on learning opportunities in all the scientific disciplines. The department fosters a life-long love of learning through exploration and self-discovery. Students master scientific concepts using technology, laboratory activities, peer collaboration, long-term projects, and a variety of field experiences. The goal of the Arabia Mountain High School Science Department is to provide students with a solid foundation of scientific knowledge regardless of their future career path. In addition, we strive to help out students to develop skills in the areas of critical thinking and problem-solving as well as fostering their creativity and helping our students to link the concepts learned to real-world experiences. Along with the rigorous core content standards presented in our curriculum, students are able to learn at optimal levels in order to become life-long learners and productive members of today’s ever-changing world.
Course Description:
Biology is defined as the study of living things. From humans to tiny bacterium, life forms are built on a shared chemical theme and carry out the same reparative responses that qualify them as living beings. Understanding the similarities and differences among organisms and the reciprocity of organisms and their environments can provide a broadened and enriched perspective on the human experience.
During this school year you will do the following:
Identify the characteristics that are typical of all life.
Identify characteristics that both unify and differentiate all living organisms.
Learn the basic principles of the cell, (organization, and utilization of energy)
Discover what genes are and how they function.
Examine natural selection and what particular changes in genes may cause organisms to evolve.
Examine the relationship between the living and non-living world
Discuss the impact the living and non-living world have on each other.
Analyze population dynamics and how humans impact their environment everyday with special emphasis being placed on the environmental issues that face our world today.
Examine how organisms are grouped (six kingdoms) for study and with special emphasis placed on the groups' variety and survival skills.
The course covers a vast amount of material and thus makes heavy demands on even the best-organized student. We will cover all material because the A+ Educational Reform Act of 2000, O.C.G.A. _20-2-281, mandates that the State Board of Education adopt end-of-course assessments in grades nine through twelve for core subjects. At the end of the semester, you will be given the standardized End of Course Test (EOC Milestones) for Biology, which will be 20% of your final grade. For more information on this test visit the Georgia's Department of Education.
Course Prerequisites: Successful completion of 8th grade science.
GPS Standards:
Course Outline:
1st 9 weeks / 2nd 9 weeks / 3rd 9 weeks / 4th 9 weeksUnit 1:
Organization
Life is organized at all levels from cells to biosphere. / Unit 2:
Energy Transformations
Energy can be neither created nor destroyed but can be transformed from one form to another as it flows through organisms and ecosystems. / Unit 3:
Growth and Heredity
Organisms must be able to grow and reproduce to ensure species survival. / Unit 4:
Equilibrium
Survival and stability require that living things maintain biological balance at all levels.
Focus:
•Cell structure and Function
•Evolutionary History
•History of Life
•Classification of Kingdoms
•Ecosystem Structure
•Viruses / Focus:
•Chemistry of Life
•Function of Organic Molecules
•Photosynthesis
•Cycles of Matter
•Energy Flow
•Food Chains & Webs / Focus:
•Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
•Cell Growth
•Mendelian Genetics
•DNA and RNA Processes
•Chromosomes and Mutations
•Genetic Engineering
•DNA Technology
•Biological Resistance
•Bioethics / Focus:
•Cellular Transport
•Homeostasis
•Natural Selection
•Plant Adaptations
•Animal Adaptations and Behavior
•Succession
•Population Genetics
BOARD-APPROVED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Title / Glencoe Biology, Georgia EditionISBN / 0078802849
Replacement Cost / $71.70
Online book and/or resources /
Online student access code (school specific) / TBA in class
GRADING SYSTEM: The DeKalb County School District believes that the most important assessment of student learning shall be conducted by the teachers as they observe and evaluate students in the context of ongoing classroom instruction. A variety of approaches, methodologies, and resources shall be used to deliver educational services and to maximize each student’s opportunity to succeed. Teachers shall evaluate student progress, report grades that represent the student’s academic achievement, and communicate official academic progress to students and parents in a timely manner through the electronic grading portal. See Board Policy IHA.
GRADING CATEGORIES / *GRADE PROTOCOLPre-Assessment - 0%
Assessment During Learning – 25%
Guided, Independent, or Group Practice – 45%
Summative Assessment or Assessment of Learning– 30% / A90 – 100 ~P (pass)
B80 – 89 ~F (fail)
C71 – 79
D70
FBelow 70
Notes:
*English Learners (ELs) must not receive numerical or letter grades for the core content areas in elementary and middle school during their first year of language development. A grade of CS or CU must be assigned. This rule may be extended beyond the first year with approval from the EL Studies Program. English Learners must receive a grade for ESOL courses.
~Elementary schools will utilize P (pass) and F (fail) in Health/Physical Education, Music, World Languages, Visual Arts and Performing Arts.
We will monitor student progress with data gathered from scores on assessments taken throughout the semester. Using data to track areas of strengths as well as areas of challenge before the administration of the EOC Milestones Exam (End of Course) Exam will improve student confidence and abilities and thus EOC scores.
Major Grades:
EIC Semester Projects
Projects – Posters, Brochures, Visual/Oral Presentations, Models, and Debates
Notebooks
Laboratory participation and lab notebook write-up
DISTRICT EXPECTATIONS FOR SUCCESSSTUDENT PROGRESS / Semester progress reports shall be issued four and a half, nine and thirteen and a half weeks into each semester. The progress of students shall be evaluated frequently and plans shall be generated to remediate deficiencies as they are discovered.Plans shall include appropriate interventions designed to meet the needs of the students. See Board Policy IH.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY / Students will not engage in an act of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating, providing false information, falsifying school records, forging signatures, or using an unauthorized computer user ID or password.See the Code of Student Conduct - Student Rights and Responsibilities and Character Development Handbook.
HOMEWORK / Homework assignments should be meaningful and should be an application or adaptation of a classroom experience. Homework is at all times an extension of the teaching/learning experience. It should be considered the possession of the student and should be collected, evaluated and returned to the students. See Board Policy IHB.
MAKE-UP WORK
DUE TO ABSENCES / When a student is absent because of a legal reason as defined by Georgia law or when the absence is apparently beyond the control of the student, the student shall be given an opportunity to earn grade(s) for those days absent. Make-up work must be completed within the designated time allotted. See Board Policy IHEA.
SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS FOR SUCCESS
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS / AS MY STUDENT, YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSIBILITIES:
You must be in the classroom in your seat and prepared for work when the tardy bell rings and you must not prepare to leave until I have indicated that you may do so. If you have missed class, you must find out what you have missed. Make sure you have examined the website to complete the assignments before you return to school, if possible, as not to fall behind.
You must bring all necessary materials to class everyday: your notebook, paper for note taking, a pen, and pencil. Your notebook should be ready to be evaluated at any time.
While you are in class, you must give your undivided attention to the work at hand. I will make every effort to provide activities that challenge your thinking and engage your attention. You must also do your part as learner.
When you are confused (please note that I said "when" not “if") ask questions, and do not feign understandings if the answers you receive are not clear. Continue to ask questions until you find what you seek. Be resourceful, sometimes a classmate, a friend, a parent, another teacher, or a creditable website may be able to explain a concept to you more clearly then I. Do not hesitate to ask for help.
Follow instructions and complete all assignments, both in and out of class. The instructions and assignments that you receive are carefully considered; they are essential to the smooth operation of the class and to your mastery of the skills and concepts of the course. If you have concerns about your instructions or assignments, discuss them with me, you will find me receptive to your ideas, but do not simply ignore directions.
Study for this class regularly, even if you have no specific assignment to complete. Review your notes, read the textbook, think about your work in progress. Much of what you learn will come from regular disciplined study.
Science is a subject that must be studied and reviewed approximately 20-45 minutes every evening, even if there is no written assignment due the following day. "Approximately" means that some students may require less time and others may benefit from more.
The Objective of this course is for you to increase your understanding of basic biological & biochemical concepts, as well as expanding your scientific literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving skills through practice. This will be accomplished by the following:
1.Time management is the key to your academic success. If you do not commit serious quality time to study you will not do well. You may have done well in the other classes with little to no studying, but that behavior will not work well here. You are taking an advanced level course and it is imperative that you set aside ample time for serious studying.
2.Note taking is an essential skill. Some instructors teach directly from the textbook, others teach from the text and add extra non-text information, and still others lecture only non-text information and expect you to be able to read and understand the textbook. It is imperative that you have read your assigned text, take notes, and be prepared to lead a discussion on the material the next class day. You may be called on randomly to teach the lesson for that day.
3.Your text book is your main resource for this course. You will learn how to use it effectively. You will also have to use supplemental resources such as the dictionary, on-line web sites, scientific magazines, and scientific journals. These resources can present material in different formats or give reviews and self-quizzes on topics being covered. Resources may mean scheduling time at resource centers such as libraries.
4. Assignments are given every day and due by the scheduled date. Benefit comes
from the effort to complete the assignments; however, Arabia Mountain High School has its highest priority on student mastery, not completion of the content. In other words, we encourage quality work, not the quantity completed. To that end, teachers never discourage students from continuing to work on an assignment, test, project, or essay on which they scored poorly or did not complete as long as actions are in accordance with other classroom, school, and county policies. Increasing your ability to think critically comes from the effort to complete the assignments given. It is unacceptable to merely copy answers or work in groups on individual assignments. This is considered plagiarism, and will not be tolerated.
- Studying for exams in this class as well as tests in other subject areas is an ever-evolving process. It cannot be accomplished the night before the test. Remember, studying occurs every time you complete an assignment for this class, note areas that are not clear, write questions that you may ask the teacher during tutorials. You will learn how to organize yourself so that you are prepared for the test thus reducing your test anxiety. You can learn a great deal from how you perform on a test. The results from a test can not only tell you whether you know and understand the information, but also what types of questions you have difficulty answering.There are three basic types of questions: factual, application, and conceptual. It is essential not only to be proficient in recalling facts, but also to be able to apply the information, and use your knowledge to conceptualize (see the end results) the information.
1.Students must be on time to class. Warm-ups and quizzes are given daily during the first 5-8 minutes of each class. It is imperative that you be prepared and on time. If your tardy to class is unexcused, you will receive a ZERO for quizzes or activities that are missed.
2.Attendance is mandatory. Students must come to class every day and be prepared to work; missed work is often difficult to catch up on.
3.Students must bring all necessary supplies to class every day. Students will not be able to return to their locker after class begins for any reason. Students are expected to give their undivided attention to the work at hand.
4.No eating, no gum chewing, and no visible food is allowed in the classroom. Students may not bring food and drink (including unopened bottles) out of the lunch room.
5.No electronic devices are allowed during school hours. These include phones, Ipods, & headphones. Laptops/Tablets may only be used at permitted times by teacher approval. Security of all electronic devices is the responsibility of the student (owner).
6.Students are required to bring to class and to maintain a notebook on a daily basis. This notebook will be evaluated randomly and after announcement during the semester.
7.Students are required to follow all rules and procedures set forth by the classroom
teacher and the school.
Labs and Projects:
Labs and Projects are “hands–on” extension of the class. They are designed to help you learn about the “process of science”. These experiences will develop your problem formulation and problem solving skills, and will give you an opportunity to approach some lecture topics in a different ways. This component of the class is also designed to develop your science writing and co-operative learning skills. You will receive an attachment on how to write an abstract and formal lab report, as well as criteria sheets (grading rubric) for each project.
Any student missing a lab activity that cannot be completed independently afterschool (teacher’s discretion) will be required to conduct research on a topic given by the instructor. This research will be based on the lab covered during class. Students will be required to write a 3-page paper (typed, double-spaced, 12-font in Arial or Times New Roman, and at least 3 references cited using MLA or APA format) on the given topic within 4 days of their return to school.
Late Assignment Policy
Projects/Labs/Homework
Students will have 3 opportunities to submit late homework assignments.
Students who fail to submit their homework assignment(s) on the designated date by the individual instructor will receive a point deduction as follows out of a possible maximum of 100.
Late Day 111 points89 is the total possible points a student may earn
Late Day 220 points80 is the total possible points a student may earn
Late Day 325 points75 is the total possible points a student may earn
The late assignment policy does not apply to assignments with more than three days completion deadline.
Tardiness:
BE PROMPT!Good attendance is essential to the student’s success. Students are to be in class and seated and workingbeforethe bell.
Absences:
Unexcused absences are a major impediment to our student achieving excellence. Students who are absent miss valuable instructional time and activities. The loss of instructional time negatively affects student performance. Students should make everyday attendance a top priority.
Make-up Policy:
In order for you to be successful in this course, it is important that you are present daily. In the event that you have to miss a day of this class, it isYOUR RESPONSIBILITYto get your assignment before or immediately after missing a day of school. If you are going to be out a day or so email me to get your assignment. I will be more than happy to inform students of assignments that need to be completed during their absence.
Obtaining makeup work for excused absences is the student's responsibility. Unexcused absences merit zero on assignments.
Reassessment/Retest Policy
The goal of any assessment is to assess the level of mastery on a set of performance standards. Often, students perform on some assessments better than others. Therefore, at the discretion of the teacher or the subject area team, reassessment may be used as a learning opportunity and as a way for the student to demonstrate growth. The teacher or subject area team may allow one (1) reassessment or retest within the same 4.5 week grading period as the original assessment. The reassessment score will be averaged with the initial assessment score.
Remediation:
Students are expected to keep up with the pace of the class by putting forth effort on each assignment.Parents are able to view all grades and are encouraged to monitor grades through Parent Portal, and positively encourage their student’s academic success.
Any child with a 78 or below, during a grading period, will receive a remediation plan.
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES / Required Yearly Materials:
1 Composition Notebook (designated for bio only)
1 2” 3 Ring Binder with 4 Dividers & Paper (designated for bio only)
Pencils/ Pens (Black/Blue)
Personal Pencil Sharpener
Flash drive
Colored pencils
EXTRA HELP / Students may sign up in advance and attend after school tutorial on regularly scheduled days and by appointment.
PARENTS AS PARTNERS / Parents are encouraged to monitor their child’s progress. Progress reports are issued at the end of 4.5, 9, and 13.5 weeks. Final grades will be mailed at the end of the 18th week. Parents are urged to encourage their student to read his/her textbook daily. Student progress will be reported via graded papers, remediation plans and progress reports. A parent may request in writing a printout of grades at any time. Conference nights will be scheduled and announced during the semester. If these dates are inconvenient, a conference may be scheduled as needed by contacting the teacher-using e-mail.
CAVEAT: