Welcome to LowellHigh School

Honors Biology

Instructor: Mrs. Jennifer Kaser

Room: 624

Commitment to excellence in everything we do: academic, activities and citizenship.

Welcome to Honors Biology class! We are going to have a great year! We are here to help each other succeed in this course. The content of this aligns with the Massachusetts Science Frameworks and will provide the knowledge necessary for students to pass the MCAS science exam. Students are required to pass the MCAS science exam. This is a predominately self-directed course so you must be on top of your work at all times in order to do well.

By the end of this course students will in accordance with state standards be able to:

  1. Recognize that chemical elements form organic molecules that interact to perform the basic functions of life.
  2. Recognize that cells have specific structures and functions that make them distinctive. Know that the processes in a cell can be classified broadly as growth, maintenance, and reproduction.
  3. Recognize that genes allow for the storage and transmission of genetic information, that they are a set of instructions encoded in the nucleotide sequence of each organism and that genes code for the specific sequences of amino acids that comprise the proteins that are characteristic of that organism.
  4. Recognize that there is a relationship between the organization of cells into tissues, and tissues into organs, that the structure and function of organs determine their relationships within body systems of an organism and homeostasis allows the body to perform its normal functions.
  5. Recognize that evolution is the result of genetic changes that occur in constantly changing environments, that over many generations, changes in the genetic make-up of populations may affect biodiversity through speciation and extinction.
  6. Recognize that ecology is the interaction among organisms and between organisms and their environment.

To succeed in this course you should:

  1. Be Prompt –Be on time every day. Obviously being present is necessary to the learning process. Any one coming in after the four-minute bell will be marked tardy as indicated in the student handbook. If another teacher has detained you and there is the chance you will be late for class, get a pass. Being on time means that you will be in your seat and ready to work at the start of attendance taking (Four minutes after the passing tone). Tardies affect your grade so do not be late. Anyone entering the class 15 or more minutes late without a pass will be marked absent (unexcused). Do not loiter outside the room or by the classroom door as this creates a safety issue.
  2. When you come to class – take your seat quickly and quietly - read the board for directions or journal retries to get started on.
  3. Be Prepared – Bring all necessary materials to class everyday – book, notebook, planner, writing utensils, homework, etc. Textbooks must be covered.
  4. Do not touch anything in or on my desk without permission. This prohibition extends to my chairs, file cabinets, computers, television, overhead projector and bookshelves. And, of course, you would never, ever write on the boards without permission.
  5. Attendance is important – Be aware of the attendance policy of LHS as stated in the student handbook. You are allotted 8 unexcused absences per semester. Over 8, and you will not receive credit. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain any missing work. It is your responsibility to ask for and take any test or quiz you may have missed. Not knowing about the test or quiz is no excuse. Failure to take the test or quiz within the allotted time frame will result in a zero grade. You have one day for each day you were absent to make up any work missed.
  6. Asking to leave class at the beginning will result in an unexcused absence being recorded until an official note from the nurse, house office, or other school official has been brought to me indicating that you were not skipping.
  1. Study – for every hour you have class, you should spend an hour at home looking over your class materials. Academics are the primary concern. Athletics are important, but ALWAYS second. A part time job is also second to academics. If you need extra help, it is available before and after school. Athletic practice or a job is NOT a good excuse for failure to procure the necessary help to ensure success in an academic subject.Notes taken in class will be reviewed each and every day as regular homework. Printed material handed out in class will be read, reviewed and, if needed, completed, as homework.
  2. Be Positive – A good attitude goes a long way.
  3. Treat everyone with respect – raise your hand and wait to be called on to speak – do not talk over others including me. NO CROSS TALK DURING NOTES! I should be the only one talking unless you have been called upon to answer a question.
  4. Ask for Help – I cannot fix problems I do not know about so please speak up. If you have a hard time talking to me in front of the class slip me a note to meet before or after school. Do not come to me one week before grades are posted to make up points you failed to earn so that you pass the class. There are no miracles in this class. The best bet is to start on the right foot and stay there. The grade you earn is the grade you get even if it is a 64% or a 89%. This is to keep all things fair to everyone.
  5. I am the only person allowed to use red (or any shade of red) ink in this classroom. All written assignments, tests or quizzes will be done in either pencil or dark colored (black or blue) ink. Under no circumstances, will red, neon, pastel or metallic ink be acceptable. Class work that is to be handed in for a grade will not be corrected and will receive a grade of zero if it is written in red, neon, pastel or metallic ink.
  6. Keep in mind that all school rules and policies apply in this room as they do outside this room – refer to the student handbook for more detail.
  1. First offence – verbal reminder of the policy – you will be asked to correct the offence immediately.
  2. Second offence – verbal and written reminder of the policy and call to parents.
  3. Third offence – discipline card written and kept on file.
  4. Fourth offence – pass to see house office.
  1. Every student is to WEAR his or her ID on the given lanyard, hanging around your neck. It is not to be in a pocket or displayed on your backpack. If you have been careless enough to leave the ID home, the temporary ID must be presented.
  2. Cheating, of any kind, including plagiarizing will not be tolerated. Written work must be your own work. Copying of homework is cheating and will result in a grade of zero for the exercise in question for both the person who copied and the person who allowed his or her work to be copied. Any further offenses will result in a zero on the assignment, a call to parents/guardians, and their housemaster will be notified. Any student caught will not have the opportunity to make up the missed points. Copying homework does not get the information into your brain and this puts you at risk of failing quizzes and tests.

This year will be broken down by quarter:

Reference the Modern Biology textbook by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston for chapter details.

First quarter covers chapters 1-8

Second quarter covers chapters 9-12, 14-17

Third quarter covers chapters 18, 24, 25, 19-22

Fourth quarter covers chapters 46, 47, 49-51

There will be Common Exams at the end of each quarter to measure your comprehension of the subject matter. Every Biology class will be taking the same or a similar exam at the end of each quarter.

Keep all assignments and exams until the end of the year.Throw nothing away!

Class activities are planned to include a variety of learning experiences including both small and large group as well as individual projects, hands-on-activities, demonstrations and lectures. A variety of assessments, designed to allow students to demonstrate their critical thinking skills and understanding of the concepts presented, will be used. These assessments include oral, written and practical applications of material presented in class.There will be tests at the end of chapters and quizzes that are both planned and unplanned so keep up with your course work and readings. Along with tests and quizzes, there will also be class work such as worksheets, and bookwork. There also will be work done in the lab room including dissections (this class does fulfill a lab course requirement) and larger projects such as reports, experiments, and class presentations, some of which will be worked on at home.

Late assignments will be marked down 50% per day they are late! No assignments will be accepted after the test for that unit has been handed out. Assignments are designed to help you prepare for the test. It is very important that you complete assignments to the best of your ability and hand them in on time. If you have a valid reason for not completing an assignment on time, please come see me to make arrangements for making up the missed points. There will be no extra credit given on an individual basis. There will, however, be opportunities where the whole class will be offered opportunities for extra credit. Students who have excused absences have one day per day they were absent to make up missed work and this includes tests and quizzes missed. Students who have unexcused absences, such as skipping, will not have the opportunity to make up the work, and again, this extends to tests and quizzes. Students who miss class are responsible to get notes from fellow students and assignments from me. I will not track YOU down. Tests and quizzes missed will be made up before or after school only and may consist of alternative format at my discretion.

The grading scale is as follows: A = 100%-90% B = 89%-80% C = 79%-70% D = 69%-60% F = 59%-0%

Your grade is based on the following:

Homework = 15%

Tests/quizzes = 35%

Projects = 15%

Class participation/attendance/preparedness = 10%

Quarterly = 25%

Performing poorly on the quarterly exam can lower your grade significantly so be prepared to study more for the quarterly exam than any other exam during the quarter.

Books

You will be issued a textbook for use in this class. It is your responsibility once it is in your hands. Write your name on the inside cover in ink. It needs to have a cover placed on it, as it is a brand new book. Where ever you choose to leave it whether in the classroom, your locker, or your friend’s car it is your responsibility to return it at the end of the semester in good condition. Loss of a textbook will result in a $65 fee that must be paid if you ever wish to graduate from this school.

Supplies

It would be helpful for you to have the following supplies available at home to use for projects:

2 poster boards that you will cut in half to use for several projects, Construction Paper, Markers, Colored Pencils, Crayons, Scissors, Glue, Tape, Computer, Printer, Internet Access, Public Library Access

Above all, remember we are here to have a great year studying LIFE!

This is a science class and you will periodically be in the laboratory room. Please follow these safety procedures to protect you and others.

  1. Learn where safety showers, eyewash, fire extinguishers, and fire blankets are in the labs and how to use them.
  2. Approved safety glasses must be worn at all times. Do not wear contact lenses in the lab area.
  3. Appropriate clothing should be worn in the lab. Avoid synthetic material and open toed shoes in the lab.
  4. Long hair is dangerous in the lab area. Tie loose hair back during lab activities.
  5. Rings, watches, and dangling jewelry are dangerous in the lab area. Leave all jewelry at home.
  6. Horseplay will not be tolerated. Act in a mature and responsible manner at all times during lab activities.
  7. No eating or drinking in the lab! Never taste, touch, or smell any chemical in the lab unless directed to do so.
  8. Lack of pre-lab preparation is the biggest threat to lab safety. Read instructions thoroughly before you do anything.
  9. When you are not actively heating something - turn the burner off.
  10. Report all accidents immediately to the teacher, no matter how small they appear.
  11. If there is a fire, broken glass, blood, or chemical spill and you are not involved – stay away! The teacher will help the students involved in lab accidents.
  12. Dispose of chemicals and other lab materials in the correct place – ask the teacher before dumping anything in the lab. Never return used chemicals to the original container.
  13. Clean your workstation before you leave the lab. Return all materials to their correct place, wash your hands, and hand in your work unless otherwise directed by the teacher.

LowellHigh School

Mrs. Kaser’s

Honors Biology Class

Commitment to excellence in everything we do: academics, activities, and citizenship.

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Attached are the room management and lab safety procedures for Biology class. These rules and procedures were designed for your student’s benefit and safety. Good science classroom laboratory work habits learned this year would benefit your student throughout his/her educational and professional career. Please express to your student your support of our efforts to promote laboratory safety and cooperative classroom behavior. If you have any questions for me please feel free to contact me via e-mail at or call the school to set up a conference.

Thank you for you cooperation,

Jennifer Kaser

Biology Teacher

Acknowledgements

I have read the room management plan and laboratory safety procedures given by my teacher. I am agreeing that while in the Biology room and laboratory room I will behave in a mature and cooperative manner.

Student name: ______

Please print

ID # ______House assignment ______Advisory room # ______

Student signature: ______Date: ______

I have received and read these documents and discussed my support of appropriate classroom and laboratory behavior with my student.

Parent/Guardian Name: ______Contact number: ______

Please print

Parent/Guardian Signature: ______Date: ______

e-mail address: ______