IB Biology SL and HL

Mrs. Stuart

All school procedures and policies from the student code of conduct handbook will be followed. Conferences may be scheduled upon request. If the student or parent needs to contact me for ANY reason please e-mail me at . I check this address many times a day. Please note that all grades for all classes can be viewed on-line. Contact the main office (928-8309) for instructions and a password.

Course Rationale: IB Biology is designed to be equivalent to a two-semester college introductory biology course.The class is conducted at the college level and students are expected to work accordingly. IB Biology differs significantly from a traditionalhigh school biology course due to text content, depth of material covered, lab work, and time and effort required to achieve mastery in subject area. This course is designed to be taken by students after successful completion of high school biology and high school chemistry.

Requirements: You will be graded based on performance assessments throughout the semester so your attendance in class is vital. Much of what we will do will be hands-on, experiential learning and cannot be duplicated by just getting the notes from someone else. You should, of course, know (by now) how important it is to pay attention the first time and do your homework so you do not get behind.

Textbook: AP Biology – Campbell 7th Edition.

Online access to the textbook will be provided in this course. In order to access the site each student will need an access that will be provided by the teacher.

Student Supplies: 3 ring loose-leaf notebook, dividers, loose-leaf paper, pen or pencil, MacBook computer, composition notebook, graph paper, calculator, and colored pencils

*** Students must have access to a computer, internet and printer in order to pass this course. Outline notes and Power Point Presentations along with forms, resources and announcements are posted at www.learn.bcbe.org, IB Biology Moodle page. Students will also be required to do many activities that require Internet access and a printer.

If you are absent it is your responsibility to:

1. Show me an excuse within the time stated in the handbook--after that time the absence automatically becomes “unexcused” and no work can be made up.

2. Show me any work that was due while you were absent and anything due the day you return unless it was assigned while you were out. If normal assignments were given while you were out they will be due the next day after your return.

3. Check the board and/or with me for any materials/assignments or notes given out while you were absent. You can also use the web site as a means for checking assignments.

4. Make arrangements to take any test missed. THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, NOT MINE. If you fail to make arrangements for missed work, grades for that work will automatically become “0” as outlined in the Student Handbook.

Assignments

1. Assignments are due at the beginning of class.

2. Must be neat and easy to read. I want to give you credit for all the work that you do but I cannot give you credit for things I cannot read.

3. Assignments must be turned in on the due date--late assignments are NOT accepted.

Beginning Class

1. Be in your seat with sharpened pencils and class materials ready one minute after the tardy bell.

2. Check the board or overhead for your opening or “bell-ringer” activity. You will have a specific amount of time to complete this assignment.

3. If you complete the bell-ringer activity before other students, begin working on other assignments--check the board for these.

Ending Class

1. Put all books and materials in their correct storage places.

2. Remain in your seat until I dismiss you. The bell is a signal to me but you should wait to be dismissed. There are often last-minute reminders or assignments to finish for homework. You need to be quiet at this time for these instructions and clarifiers.

3. Leave orderly!

Grading

Lab Work 15%

Quizzes 10%

Homework 10 %

Tests 50%

Exams (Midterm/Final) 15%

Dishonesty will not be tolerated. Copying homework, cheating on tests and plagiarizing will all result in the following: Student Conference, Parent contact, Grade deduction.

Lab Component

The laboratory experience is extremely important in the IB Biology course and is used to emphasize that biology and science is a process, which involves development and testing of a hypothesis, collection, analysis, and presentation of data, and a clear discussion of results. Students are required to come in to the laboratory prepared and ready to complete the day’s procedure. Lab reports are then completed at home.

All of your lab work will be done in your composition or lab notebook. We will do a lot of lab work in this course. A standard laboratory or composition style notebook is not spiral bound nor does it have perforated pages that are easy to tear out. YOU SHOULD NEVER TEAR PAGES OUT OF THIS BOOK. It is a record of your work just like a scientist would keep. This notebook is DUE ON THE 2ND DAY OF CLASS. Bring it to class every day.

Formal lab reports will be required in this course. All lab reports are required to be typed and turned in on the appropriate date. No late reports will be accepted. These reports will be an opportunity for each student to practice and receive feedback on the most difficult part of the IB exam, which will be their internal assessment lab practicals.