Welcome to Biology 321/324

Welcome to Biology 321/324

Welcome to Biology 321/324

Karen Benson ()/

Karen Irvine ()

How do things work?

Late Work:

Late homework WILL NOT be accepted.

321 (level 1) work and projects WILL NOT be accepted late.

Any late lab or project will receive a 10% deduction for each day that the work is past due. No credit will be given for any late work that is not completed before the exam on that subject matter.

Each student will receive a “Late Assignment Pass” each quarter that will allow him/her to turn in one assignment one day late without penalty. If the pass is not used during the quarter, the student will receive 5 points in his/her homework category.

Make-up Work:

When students are absent they should check their Edmodo account ( to find out what we did in class. Parent codes are available for Edmodo (You can get the code from your child.). The student is responsible for getting the notes from a classmate or Edmodo and finding out what work was missed. Tablemates will be expected to gather all handouts for the absent student and place them in the “Absent Box”. When returning from an absence, students should check the box for their work and come to see me after school to handle turning in assignments and to clarify any questions that they may have about missed work. There is not enough time for this type of personal business during class time. Assignments must be made up within the time parameters stated in the student handbook.

Extra Credit:

Extra credit questions MAY appear on individual quizzes or tests, but major extra credit assignments will not be available.

Extra Help:

I will be available at the end of most school days for extra help. Please urge your child to seek extra help as soon as you sense a problem with a concept. Students should bring their binders and book when coming for extra help.

There is an online version of the textbook that can also be found at The online text requires a username and password, which students should have been given.

The username = duxburydragon and the password = green.Students can also find quizzes and chapter summaries at the textbook website,

How can you get in touch with me?

If you cannot email me, please leave a message with a person in the office. I am not sure that voice mail is working yet.

How do you know what is going on?

All of my classes use a social networking site for education called Edmodo. An agenda for class is posted daily as well as the homework assignments and reminders about upcoming events. You may get your own account if you would like to keep up with the class. Have your student log in and look for the parent code associated with their account. Go to the homepage and select “I’m a parent”. Follow the directions and enter the code to open your own account. If you cannot find the code in your child’s account, contact me for a unique code.

Where do students go from here?

  • Beginning with the class of 2010, students are required to complete three years of science in order to graduate from Duxbury High School. One of those courses must be Biology.
  • Students with a final grade below 55% in any course will not be allowed to make the course up in summer school or night school, but must repeat the entire year.
  • Students are now required to pass one Science MCAS in order to graduate.
  • All Biology students will be taking the Biology MCAS during the first week of June.

How are grades determined?

Grading will be done based on a weighted points system. Point values vary depending on the type and complexity of the assignment. Typical point ranges are listed below: Students are REQUIRED to keep track of their grade in the X2 portal.

321: 324:

Tests and Quizzes = 40% Tests and Quizzes = 40%

Labs and Classwork = 25% Labs and Classwork = 35%

Homework = 20% Homework = 25%

321 (Level 1 work) = 15%

Due to the fact that this is a combined class of two different academic levels, some differences in grading will occur.

Biology 321 (Honors, level 1) students:

Are NOT permitted to retake tests.

Will be required to complete additional assignments each term, which will either be biweekly reading assignmentsor a project. Terms 1 and 4 will be reading assignments and terms 2 and 3 will be projects. Level one work and assignments ARE NOT accepted late. Guidelines for the reading assignments and a schedule have already been handed out.

Will be required to complete additional extension questions for some lab assignments.

Biology 324(college prep, level 2) students:

Test retakes will be permitted for tests that the student received lower than a 70%. Both tests will be averaged, but the final grade cannot exceed a 70%.

Lab Questions, reports, conclusions and other complex writing assignments will be graded by level. Level 1 work will be assessed against other level 1 work. Level 2 work will be assessed against other level 2 work.

What do we do?

This course focuses on the material in the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Frameworks for grade 9 or 10 Biology. The learning standards are listed below.

The Chemistry of Life

  • Broad Concept: Chemical elements form organic molecules that interact to perform the basic functions of life.

Cell Biology

  • Broad Concept: Cells have specific structures and functions that make them distinctive. Processes in a cell can be classified broadly as growth, maintenance, and reproduction.

Genetics

  • Broad Concept: Genes allow for the storage and transmission of genetic information. They are a set of instructions encoded in the nucleotide sequence of each organism. Genes code for the specific sequences of amino acids that comprise the proteins that are characteristic of that organism.

Anatomy and Physiology

  • Broad Concept: There is a relationship between the organization of cells into tissues, and tissues into organs. The structure and function of organs determine their relationships within body systems of an organism. Homeostasis allows the body to perform its normal functions.

Evolution and Biodiversity

  • Broad Concept: Evolution is the result of genetic changes that occur in constantly changing environments. Over many generations, changes in the genetic make-up of populations may affect biodiversity through speciation and extinction.

Ecology

  • Broad Concept: Ecology is the interaction among organisms and between organisms and their environment.