Course Description
Kelowna Secondary School
Mr. Kruger
Phone: 870-5000 ext 4931
Email:
Biology 11 is a course that deals with the following areas of biology: Taxonomy, Evolution, Microbiology, Botany, Zoology & Ecology. Students will be able to develop an interest in and understanding of Biology by looking at the complex and integrated systems of the organisms of all types. To be successful in this course, regular review and study is required. You will find that you can conquer all the topics if you put in the effort and time… often it is not the individual details but the shear amount of information that will give you difficulty.
Course Outcomes
The learning outcomes of Biology 11 follow a sequence from classification, evolution and through different types of organisms from simple to complex. The learning outcomes are divided into the following areas:
1. Taxonomy: classifying living things into different groups
2. Evolution: DNA and how organisms change through time
3. Microbiology: Viruses and Bacteria
4. Botany: Seedless & seed-producing plants
5. Lower Invertebrates: Sponges, Cnidarians, Flatworms & nematodes
6. Higher Invertebrates: Annelids, Mollusks, Echinoderms & Arthropods
7. Vertebrates: Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds & Mammals
Evaluation
The following is a break down of how your class mark will be determined:
Tests and Quizzes 60%
Labs, Projects and Assignments 40%
Total 100%
Your overall course mark will be determined in the following manner:
Term 1 mark 40%
Term 2 mark 40%
Final Exam 20%
Total 100%
Course Expectations:
1. Homework, Lab Work & Assignments
· All homework, assignments or lab reports are due at the beginning of class of the due date.
2. Tests and Quizzes
· You can expect many quizzes and tests . . . you will be given plenty of advance notice for major tests, however, you can expect small quizzes at any time
· If you miss a quiz or test for any reason, it will be entirely your responsibility to make up the test/quiz outside of regular class time. You will be issued a mark of zero until you have arranged to complete the test.
Attendance and Lates
Arrive to class on time, truancy will not be accepted. Continuously being late is rude and inconsiderate to both me and other students. Biology 11 is a difficult course that covers a great deal of information in detail; your attendance is necessary for success.
I encourage you to be proactive if you are absent . . . find out what was covered from me or other students, leave a message via email or voice mail. Pretending or assuming nothing happened while you were away ultimately only hurts your mark.
Resources
Your resources for this course are your textbook (Mader Biology), your class website (www.kevankruger.com), the BC education website (www.bced.gov.bc.ca) and me. Please use them all.
If you are having difficulty with portions of the course, extra assistance is available. See me to arrange a time. I may also conduct review sessions throughout the year if there is interest.
It is very important for students to commit a little bit of time every day throughout the semester to solidify the ideas in their mind and avoid the “cram and dump” pattern of studying. Cramming may get some students bye during the individual quizzes or tests but will severely backfire when it comes to the final exam.
Your mark is up to you! If the work hard throughout the year, attend tutorials and get help when you need it … you will succeed! However, it will require commitment… once you get behind it is very difficult to get caught back up!
CONTACT INFORMATION
I encourage parents to keep in touch with me over the course of the year. I am happy to provide you information about the topics we are covering in class and feedback about student achievement.
I can be contacted at any of the following:
Email: (please be aware your first email to me at this address will likely get caught in the school district spam filter and there maybe some delay in my first response. Once I have cleared your email address those problems disappear)
Voicemail: 250-870-5000 ext 4931
School phone: 250-762-2805
You will receive a form for your online access to grades through Jupiter grades within the first 2 weeks of the course.
Sincerely,
Kevan Kruger
BIOLOGY 11 STUDENT QUESTIONARE
Name:______Block:______
What other courses are you currently taking?
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How do you expect to do in Biology 11?
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Why are you taking Biology 11?
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What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
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Do you currently have a job? If so, how many hours do you work in a week?
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What are your career plans?
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What post-secondary programs are you currently considering?
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How does Biology 11 fit into your future educational and career goals?
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