Biological research has changed our lives in numerous ways. Some current examples are the diagnosis of genetic diseases, the estimate of the planet’s biodiversity, the function of organic molecules, or the replication of a DNA sequence. This short list is a small sample of the different types of issues that students may need to address, on a personal or social level, during their lifetime. Consequently, it is important that students have a basic understanding of living organisms and the nature of science because this knowledge will provide the skills and concepts needed to make educated decisions about their world. As I share my knowledge, I hope my students will develop an understanding of the common processes of all living things. In addition, I look forward to the cooperation of parents and students to support the learning process.

I am committed to each student’s success, in that they acquire and understand the necessary material; the student is then responsible for putting the time and effort into the class to master its content. If students need extra instruction or have questions they can schedule an appointment after school. Parents are also encouraged to call about any concerns or make an appointment. The following information explains my classroom policies and guidelines for student behavior. Students and parents please read my syllabus, sign the bottom section, and have your son or daughter return the slip.

MATERIALS: To ensure full participation in the classroom, students need to have all necessary materials every day. The supplies that students should bring each day are pen and pencil, eraser, three-ringed binder with blank paper (or a spiral notebook), and two different highlighters. The student's textbook should be covered and kept at home unless it is needed for a class assignment. Students will be told when they need to bring their books. Student notebooks will be checked twice a semester for a total of 40 points

(20 points times 2). Student notebooks should include the following sections.

Section One- Course Policies, Lab Procedure Worksheet, Other Course Information

Section Two- Lecture Notes/Class Work

Section Three- Homework Assignments

Section Four- Laboratory Assignments

Notebooks will be checked for student’s organization of assignments, completion of class notes, and daily review questions. The purpose of notebook checks is to provide an incentive for students to keep their work organized which should facilitate preparing for tests.

The student's semester grade will be based on a cumulative point system and will reflect the following grading scale:

LATE WORK: Students are expected to be responsible and turn all work in on time. If a student is absent one day they will be expected to turn in late work the following day. Students who are absent for more than one day will be assigned a due date for their missing assignments. I will accept two late homework assignments and one late lab for half credit. No other late assignments will receive a grade. Students must make an appointment with me, after school, to discuss missed work. Missed lecture notes will have to be copied from a fellow student. Class work is considered late if it is not ready when I collect the work.

If a student misses a test or a laboratory assignment due to an excused, cleared absence, the test or lab must be rescheduled the day the student returns to class. Students that are absent the day of a test and return the following day will complete the test the day they return. This work will be completed after school. If the student fails to do this, or forgets to make up a test, the student loses the privilege to take the test/lab. Make-up tests will be different from the original test and will include short answer and essay questions. Any work missed due to truancy (cuts) will not be accepted at any time.

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: Students will be expected to have good behavior in the classroom and in the laboratory. Students will be working in group situations with others, so for a productive classroom atmosphere the following rules have been developed for students to follow.

1. Be courteous and respectful.
1. Follow directions and stay on task.
2. Hats or sunglasses are not allowed in class.
3. The teacher’s desk areas or office, and all cabinets are off limits.
4. Be in your seat when the bell rings or expect a tardy. *
5. Raise you hand when you want to ask a question or speak. Students who disrupt class because they can not control their talking will be placed on a parent/teacher contract. *
6. All inappropriate objects will be confiscated without a warning.

10. Follow all laboratory safety rules and instructions.
11. All backpacks are to be placed on the floor during class- not on lab counters.
12. Students who

13. Any inappropriate, disrespectful language or behavior will result in a parent contact and an automatic referral.

14.Students are excused by the teacher, not the bell, when all students are quiet and in their assigned seats.

1. Warning
2. Parent contact and teacher detention
3. Referral to administrator
4. Teacher contract

CHEATING: The pressure to do well in school will sometimes cause students to resort to any means to achieve an excellent grade on class work or tests. Copying homework/class work, lab work or test answers is considered cheating. Students caught cheating or assisting other students to cheat will receive no credit for that test or assignment, their parents will be notified, and both students will receive a referral.

ASSIGNMENT HEADING: Any assignment that does not have a complete heading in the top right margin will lose two points. All headings must include complete first and last name, student class number, and the title written in indelible ink. During the first week students will pick a four digit number that begins with their class period.

EVALUATION: Each student will be evaluated based on her/his individual learning by several of the following methods.

• Quizzes: These may be announced or unannounced.
• Tests: These contain multiple choice questions using a machine graded Scan Tron answer sheet. In addition, some tests may have fill-in, short answer, or essay questions. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure he/she is marking the answer sheet correctly. If the scoring machine indicates an answer is wrong, it will be judged wrong. If a student is not sure about an answer they should mark it lightly so the bubble can be easily erased. I will accept questions that are marked wrong due to an eraser mark if the student writes the intended letter in the right margin next to the question.
• Projects: Some examples are reports, models, presentations, and posters. Students should not wait until the last day to start a project.
• Laboratory Assignment: Lab generally require group effort. Each student will be required to do his/her part to obtain the results. Each student, however, will be required to do his/her own work when answering the lab questions and will not be permitted to copy other’s lab work. After labs, all students will help in the clean-up process. Students that destroy lab property, improperly use lab materials, do not stay at their assigned station, or conduct themselves in any other irresponsible way will receive a zero for the lab and be given a book assignment for the remainder of the class period. His/her parents will be phoned at the end of the schoolday. Students that do not follow lab procedures may be assigned bookwork for the following labs or lab.
• Homework: Each student will have homework most nights, and at times, over a weekend. If she/he does not have an actual written assignment, review is appropriate. The best method of learning biology is daily review. Most students will retain and understand more concepts if they review just 20 minutes a day ( or every other day) compared to studying for a long time the night before a test. Most homework
• assignments will be collected, and much of it, but not all, will be graded. Each student is expected to do all the homework assignments. Homework is graded to ensure that students will consistently complete this work.
• Leaning Log: Each student can earn 30 points of extra credit per semester by completing three days in the learning log. This log provides a record of the activities for each day. Students can receive up to 10 points per day by providing copied notes, copy of assignment/s, homework, important reminders, lab notes, and any other pertinent information. Students will be given one night to complete their logs. Late logs will not be accepted.

Please read the above syllabus and understand the classroom expectations for Biology. Also understand that Biology is the study of living organisms and that reproductive systems may be studied in biological terms in order to gain a better understanding of living organisms. Also, our student may be expected to dissect an organism for better understanding of biological systems.