My Expectations of You: RESPECT YOURSELF, EACH OTHER and the TEACHER

WELCOME TO BIOLOGY! My name is Ms. Becker and we will be exploring the world of Biology together. I am looking forward to having an awesome and meaningful year with all of you! I have been teaching science since 1995. Concurrently, I teach honors physiology to the 12th graders. In the past, I have also taught ICS, Physical Science, Health Education and Algebra. Below you will find all the information needed to make this year's class a success. Success is right in front of us if we all work together. If you need any assistance whatsoever, please do not hesitate to ask. You may contact me via email through the school website, directly . Keep yourself updated as to what is coming up on our website. Our meeting place is Room 609. I can be seen during my conference, period 3, by appointment only. You are welcome to stop by at nutrition, lunch or after school; however let me know you are coming so that I may accommodate you.

My Expectations of You: RESPECT YOURSELF, EACH OTHER AND THE TEACHER.

Be in your seat at the bell.
Come to class prepared ready to learn with the necessary materials and supplies.

Participate in class activities!
Be honest and show integrity.
Talk in turn.
Keep your space clean and free of clutter.
Refrain from eating, drinking and/or chewing gum (water is permissible).
Control your speech. Our classroom is a POLLUTION FREE ENVIRONMENT!!
Be awake (sleeping and lounging around is not acceptable).
Stay in your assigned seat or group location.
Put your electronic devices away. Electronic devices found in use will be confiscated and turned into the dean’s office for parent pick-up, as per school rule.
Hand in assignments on time and make up missed work.
Have a positive attitude!
Pass this class!

Consequences will be dealt with in accordance to school policy. “Three Strikes, You’re Out” Policy

First offenseverbal warning
Second offenseteacher consultation; phone call home
Third offensein-house detention at lunch and/or after school
Additional offense(s)counselor, dean referral and/or administrative involvement

Course Outline: Coursework will be broken down into ten units spanning across the year. Ecology and Environmentalism will be emphasized as it relates to each unit of study. The topics of study scheduled for the year are fully aligned to the new Common Core Standards and NGSS and include:

Cell Biology, Meiosis and Fertilization, Mendel’s Laws of Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology of Genetics, Ecology, Evolution (population genetics and speciation), Physiology (human body systems), Homeostasis and Infection and Immunity.

Grading:Your grades will be based on the following assignments and class activities:

Participation- accounts for 5% of your grade, so participate on a regular basis!
Scientific Journal- All of your lecture notes, lab data & lab reports, warm-ups & wrap-ups, reflections, debriefings from class activities, labs and discussions go in your journals. I conduct random checks of notes for points. Journals will be checked or collected at least once per grading period.
Article Reviews- one per semester
Homework- will be assigned at least once per week
Tests and Quizzes- pop quizzes may be given with no prior notice based on prior lesson
Research projects-One per semester- TBA

Examples: Bio Book Review, BioZone Science Fair, Debate, Systems Project. Projects vary from year to year.

Categories% of grades:

Participation5%

Journal Notes/Reflections5%

Class work25%

Quizzes/Tests25%

Homework10%

Labs10%

Research Projects10%

Article Reviews10%

As noted above, a significant percentage of your grade will be based on your participation during class. A good way to participate is to get involved in discussions and complete class assignments.
Journal collection dates TBA.

Regular Bio Grading Scale:

PercentageLetter GradeWork Habits and Cooperation Marks 90%- 100% A E Excellent

80%- 89%BSSatisfactory

65%- 79%CUUnsatisfactory; Needs improvement

60%- 64%D

0%- 59%F

** Note: To get credit in this class you must pass with a minimum of C, which is 65%.

Honors Biology Grading Scale:

90%- 100%AE Excellent

80%- 89%BSSatisfactory

70%- 79%C UUnsatisfactory; Needs improvement

65%- 69%D

0% - 64%F

** Note: From 2017 onward--to get full credit in this class you must pass with a minimum of C- 70%.

GOOD GRADES MEAN THAT YOU GO THE EXTRA “MILE”

“Motivated and Inspired toLearnEfficiently”

Homework- is due on the assigned day. Lateunexcused homework will result in a 50% reduction during the first week that it is late. Homework will not be accepted past one week after it was assigned and will result in a zero. Homework that was assigned prior to your absenceis due on the ‘day back’ from an excused absence.

Make-up Assignments: Students are responsible for the material presented in any class missed. It is your responsibility to contact and communicate with the teacher when an absence occurs. If you know that you are going to be absent, you must see the teacher prior to your absence to set up a plan of study and make-up schedule. If you do not know that you will be absent (i.e., emergency or illness), you may make-up all assignments and missed work within one week of the absence for full credit, provided that the absence is excused and verified with a note from a parent or guardian and cleared on MISIS. Homework and assignments that are simply late due to an unexcused absence will be accepted up to one week after the absence occurred with a 50% penalty. Generally,students may not make up a missed quiz. Per term, the lowest quiz score will be dropped from the student’s average. Special circumstances will be dealt with on a case by case basis with parent verification and involvement.

Attendance:It is extremely important that you show up to class. Every day lost is a missed opportunity to learn! Excessive absences do not promote learning and should be avoided. Grades may be affected due to excessive absences and tardiness due to loss of instructional time and missed assignments, labs and activities. We have a late log sign in sheet to keep track. Excessive tardinesswill be addressed with parents and/or the administration. In addition, excessively tardy students will be detained over lunch and/or after school, upon teacher’s discretion. Ditching will not be tolerated and will be dealt with as per school policy.

Tests: Material will come from the lecture notes, related materials and handouts given out during class, selective readings from the text and research as indicated by the instructor. The tests will be a combination of diagrams, short answer, and objective (multiple choice, matching, true/false, etc.)

Make-up Tests:In general, make-up exams are not given; however, students with extenuating circumstances that have made special arrangements with the teacher will have a replacement assignment (usually a written report or a series of essays). Failure to communicate with the teacher within 24 hours of a missed exam; will result in a zero on the exam and the inability to make up lost points.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTYwill not be tolerated and will result in a zero on any and all student work proven to be implicated. Parents will be notified and the offense written up in student file. If academic dishonesty occurs more than once, administrative authorities will involved and consequences activated as per school policy. A quiz that was designated as a zero due to academic dishonesty cannot be dropped as a low score.

Bonuses and Incentives:

When a student receives 100% on 3 consecutive quizzes, they may opt to skip their next quiz.
At the end of the semester the lowest quiz grade will be dropped from student’s average.
When all class work is done for the week and everyone is in tip-top shape, FUN FRIDAY occurs. FF is based upon student behavior and teacher discretion.
The class with the highest average at the end of a semester gets a surprise treat!
Notices will be sent home for students that show academic achievement, most improved, excellent organizational skills, good behavior and perfect attendance.

Formatfor Lab Reports

Please use the following general format when writing up your lab reports:

PURPOSE: Statement about why you performed the laboratory experiment.

ABSTRACT:Summary of what was accomplished in lab (1-2 paragraphs)

PROCEDURE: The actual steps that you took to get the results or answers. Please do not pre-write your procedures from your manuals into your lab books before coming to lab. The procedure describes what you accomplished in your own words.

DATA/In this section include any formulas or special numerical

FORMULAS:data that was needed to carry out your calculations. Simply list them.

OBSERVATIONS:What did you see? Describe the texture, color, smell, size, and shape of that which you are observing.

RESULTS:What were the outcomes of the laboratory, your experiment, or the exercise/s that you were asked to complete? If only calculations were required, simply write down the answers that you got in this section.

DISCUSSION/Please discuss what value your findings have. What do

CONCLUSION:they mean? What have you learned? What was significant about this lab, your results, and observations?

* Note: The format tends to vary a bit from lab to lab. Attach lab sheets to lab reports.

Binding Student Contract2014-2015

Please sign below underscoring that you have read the syllabus and understand what is expected of you. In addition, please have your parent/guardian sign below and return this contract to me by next class. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Ms. Eva Becker

HBio/Bio Instructor, Hamilton High SchoolAugust 12, 2014

Student Name (Please Print):______

Student Signature:______Date: ______

Parent Name (please print):______

Parent/Guardian Signature:______Date: ______

*Video/Media Release Form*

By signing below, I allow my child to participate in and watch educational films that relate to the prescribed science course content material. I understand that some of these films may be rated-R for adult and/or serious content.

I also give permission for my child to appear in media such as pictures and/or video clips that may be posted on our class website and/or the Internet, reflecting the various planned science activities conducted in the classroom for the sole purpose of directly enhancing the positive learning experiences of the students.

Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian: ______Date:______

**Please Note: If anyone in this class has a unique problem that may impair his or her full demonstration of abilities on any of the exams or other assignments, please see the teacher to work out alternative methods for testing/grading. Students with extenuating circumstances who cannot keep up with the prescribed course of work (for any given reason) need to contact and communicate their situation to the teacher.