2011-2012 BIOLOGY COURSE SYLLABUS

Teacher: Megan Henson

E-mail:

Website: Can be accessed through the Gaston School website. Go to faculty listing, and click on Megan Henson.

I.  Materials & Resources

·  Textbook, Biology (Holt, 2006)

·  Pencils/pens

·  Colored pencils, and ruler

·  3-ring binder (at least 1” in width)

II.  Instructional Strategies

The instructional strategies used in this course will include, but not be limited to: lecture, cooperative group work, guided practice activities, laboratory experiences, small and large group discussion, demonstrations, and film/videotape viewing.

III.  Assessment & Grading Policies

The forms of assessment used in this course will include: in-class assignments, homework, laboratory work, performance assessments, tests, final exam, and student-created projects.

A. Assignments/Labs

·  Points will be earned in four areas: completeness, following directions, correctness/effort and timeliness. Points may be deducted if students turn in work that is messy or illegible.

·  Students MUST dress appropriately in order to participate in labs. Students will be given advance notice on the days that they should dress for lab (closed-toe shoes, long pants (NO CAPRIS), no dangling jewelry/hair styles/sleeves)

·  Students who do not dress appropriately will be asked to sit out of lab and will receive a zero.

B. Makeup Work:

·  When absent from class, students are responsible for all work missed and must make up the work.

C. Tests/Exams

·  Each regular test will be worth approximately 100 points.

·  Students can earn 5 EXTRA POINTS on tests by:

1.  Taking the test on the assigned day

2.  Using a pencil with an eraser

3.  Erasing all mistakes made on answer sheets

·  There will be a final exam at the end of the semester. This exam is worth 10% of the semester grade.

·  Grades on STI will reflect a “0” until the test or exam is completed and assessed.

D. Late Work

·  Grades on STI will reflect a “0” until the work is completed and assessed. On some assignments it will be possible to earn up to half credit for late work.

E.  Grading

100-90 A Nine weeks grades will be calculated according to the

89-80 B following percentages:

79-70  C 60% - tests/quizzes/projects

69-60  D 40% - classwork and labs

F.  Extra Credit

·  2 points will be given each time a current newspaper/magazine/journal article related to science is clipped, and turned in with a brief summary of the article. Summaries should answer WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY and/or HOW questions about the article. Student may turn in 10 per nine weeks.

·  The format for the extra credit articles can be found on my bulletin board.

IV.  Units of Study

Alabama Course of Study Objectives / Description / Labs / Activities
Week 1 Introduction to Biology / 1 / Scientific Method, Measurement, Lab Procedures, Measurement, Characteristics of Life / Dirty Laundry Lab, Microscope Lab
Week 2 Biochemistry / 2 / Structure of Matter, Bonding, Macromolecules / Enzyme Activity
Week 3-4 Cell Structure and Transport / 2,4,5 / Cell Theory, Cell Organelles, Passive and Active transport, Study of Cells / Cell Cakes,
Osmosis Lab, Cell Surface/Volume Lab
Week 5 Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration / 3 / ATP, photosynthesis, respiration, mitochondria, chloroplast
Week 6-8 Mitosis, Meiosis, and Genetics / 6,7 / Mitosis, Meiosis, Mendelian Genetics, Nonmendelian Genetics / Cell Cycle Lab, Mitosis Demo, Rebops Lab
Weeks 9-10 DNA Structure and Function / 8 / Structure of DNA and RNA, DNA replication, Transcription, Translation, Mutations, Karyotypes / DNA Models, Karyotype Identification Activity
Week 11-12 Ecology / 5, 13,14,15,16 / Energy Transfers, Food Chains/Webs, Density Independent and Dependent, Biomes, Biogeochemical Cycles / Class Food Chain/Web and Cycles presentations
Week 13 Taxonomy / 9 / 5 and 6 kingdom classification, taxa, binomial nomenclature / Dichotomous Key Lab
Week 14 Microorganisms and Fungi / 9 / Structure and function of viruses, bacteria, protists, fungi / Identifying Bacteria and Protists Labs, Fungus Growth Lab
Week 15 Plants / 10 / Seedless nonvascular, seedless, vascular, gymnosperms, angiosperms, structure of the leaf, stem, root, and seed / Plant Observation lab
Week 16 Animals / 11 / Skeletal structure, fertilization, reproduction, body symmetry, body coverings, locomotion / Dissections
Week 17 Evolution / 12 / Natural Selection, Adaptations, Evidence, Patterns of evolution / Geologic time scale, predator/prey lab, opposable thumbs activity
Week 18 Review for Final / All

Dear Parent or Guardian:

Laboratory experience is a large part of the curriculum in this course. Due to decreased funding in the system, I really need some help meeting this goal with your students. If you are able, please send a donation to the science fund with your student. This money will go toward materials needed to complete labs throughout the year.

It is in your son or daughter’s best interest that we work together in relation to his/her schooling. You will be able to access my plans for each week and information about upcoming tests and assignments from my classroom website, which is accessible from the school website. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the syllabus and requirements of this course by email or comment on the back of this sheet. Please complete and sign this form and have your student bring it back to school tomorrow. I want nothing more than for your student to be successful, and I look forward to meeting that goal with you.

Sincerely,

Megan Henson

______

(PRINT student’s name)

______

(Parent/Guardian # 1) (Email Address)

______

(Home Phone) (Work #- if acceptable to contact you there)

______

(Best time to contact at home) (Best time to contact at work-if applicable)

Dear Parent or Guardian:

Laboratory experience is a large part of the curriculum in this course. Due to decreased funding in the system, I really need some help meeting this goal with your students. If you are able, please send a donation to the science fund with your student. This money will go toward materials needed to complete labs throughout the year.

It is in your son or daughter’s best interest that we work together in relation to his/her schooling. You will be able to access my plans for each week and information about upcoming tests and assignments from my classroom website, which is accessible from the school website. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the syllabus and requirements of this course by email or comment on the back of this sheet. Please complete and sign this form and have your student bring it back to school tomorrow. I want nothing more than for your student to be successful, and I look forward to meeting that goal with you.

Sincerely,

Megan Henson

______

(PRINT student’s name)

______

(Parent/Guardian # 1) (Email Address)

______

(Home Phone) (Work #- if acceptable to contact you there)

______

(Best time to contact at home) (Best time to contact at work-if applicable)

Henson, 2010-2011