Syllabus and Guidelines for Intensified Biology

Mrs. Maria Sotomayor Room 4002

Biology Email:

Welcome to Int. Biology! Learning biology is important to better appreciate and understand our world, including your body, life around us, and information discussed in the news. The curriculum for this class is consistent with the National Science Education Standards, and is designed to prepare you to pass the SOL Exam at the end of the year. Although intensified biology is a rigorous subject; ALL of you can be successful in this class with some hard work. It is important that you keep up with your daily homework and do all of the assigned readings. If you are having difficulty with the material please ask me or one of your classmates for help as soon as you find yourself confused. Study groups are highly encouraged and students having difficulties should attend help sessions during lunch labs or after school.

CLASSROOM

1. Students are expected to come prepared for class on a daily basis. Requirements for everyday class:

  • Macbook Air (we will use it all year)
  • 1 inch binder
  • 5 dividers: Label them as: Warm up, Notes, Assignments, Labs, Science Fair
  • Loose leaf paper
  • Pen and pencil
  • Colored pencils
  • highlighter

•Box of tissue

2. I encourage all students to ask questions during class.

3. I expect all students to be respectful of themselves, others and other’s property.

4. I expect students to be responsible for all of their actions

5. I expect students to be prepared to learn and contribute while in class.

6. You will get 3 Coupons for hall passes each quarter. I will not give you a pass once your coupons are gone. The bathroom is very close to my room. Visit it on your way to class. UNUSED Coupons can be turned in for extra credit on your test grades.

7. Food and drink (excluding water) are not allowed in the classroom or lab.

8. Electronic devices arenot allowed in the classroom, unless permitted by me.

I am not opposed to technology, but it must be used appropriately and at the proper time.Students will not have cell phones on their person, their desk, or visible in any way. Cell phones must be silenced and out of sight at all times unless specifically permitted for instructional purposes. Texting during class is both rude and disruptive. Silence them and place them inside your backpacks to avoid any temptation. Cell phones, iPods, MP3 players etc. will be confiscated if they are visible or audible in the classroom. Please see the full cell phone policy attached to this document.We will be using your Macs, but I will let you know when it is appropriate to take them out. You are expected to bring your Macbooks to class everyday. You will lose participation points if you do not bring your laptops to class, especially during test days.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

  • I will be using Blackboard extensively for posting assignments, power points, review sheets and other handouts that are in electronic format. . username: student id and your password: birthdate ex: mm/dd/yy. note: The username for students is now 7 digits, the username will begin with a 0 followed by 6 digits(student id) or will be the new 7 digit id that begins with a 1.

ATTENDANCE

1.Consistent attendance to class is critical to success in any course. Specific school rules regarding absences from class are explained in the Student Handbook. I will apply these rules in a just and fair manner. You are required to read them and follow them.

2.Parents will be notified, by the attendance office, when a student misses class without permission. Such absences are truancies and all work missed will receive a grade of “0”.

3.Tardiness to class is a serious disruption to class instruction and a loss of learning for you. These will be considered "unexcused” if there is no note from the teacher who caused the tardiness. Any warm up activities missed due to an unexcused tardy will receive a grade of zero.

4. If a student is late to class, they must sign in on the tardy clipboard and turn in a pass if they have one.

This will be used to change an unverified absence (UV) to either an excused (EC) or unexcused (UC)tardy.

Consequences for unexcused tardies (UC) are:

  • 1st offense: Verbal warning
  • 2nd offense: Teacher will email or call parent/guardian
  • 3rd offense: After school detention
  • 4th offense: After school detention and teacher call home
  • 5th offense or greater: Referral to administrator and after school detention

5. In order to have an absence(s) excused, a student must bring a note from his or her parent/guardian to the attendance office within two days of the absence(s). Failure to bring in a note within 2 days will result in an unverified absence (UV) AND a grade of ZERO for any work for that day.

GRADINGStudent grades reflect student achievement and not student behavior.

1.Grades will be determined through evaluation of tests, quizzes, projects, laboratory work, class work and homework. I use a point system.

Tests 50ptsQuizzes 20 pts Science Fair 20-30 pts per assignment plus final paper

HW 10-15ptsClasswork 10-20 pts each

Labs 15-20 ptsProjects 30-50 pts

Quarter Exams 60-100 ptsWarm ups/Participation 5 pts

2.Grading scale: Grades of .4 or below are rounded down; grades of .5 and above are rounded up.

For example: 88.4 = 88 and 88.5 = 89

GRADING SCALE
Letter Grade / Percentages / Quality Points / AP & IB
Quality Points
A / 90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98, 99, 100 / 4.0 / 5.0
B+ / 87, 88, 89 / 3.5 / 4.5
B / 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86 / 3.0 / 4.0
C+ / 77, 78, 79 / 2.5 / 3.5
C / 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76 / 2.0 / 3.0
D+ / 67, 68, 69 / 1.5 / 2.5
D / 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 / 1.0 / 2.0
E / 0 – 59 / 0.0 / 0.0

3. Quarter grades are based on the following percentages: (note: I use a point system).

60% Tests, quizzes, projects and activities

25% Labs

15% Homework

4. The final grade for the class is a average grade of all quarter grades and the final

exam grade, with each grade being worth 20% of the final grade.

5. Any student in danger of failing will receive a written advisory detailing the student’s performance.

6. Parents and Students will have access to grades and missing assignments through Synergy’s ParentVUE and StudentVUE portals. Check grades on a regular basis.

FINAL EXAM GRADE:

To allow for a multi-modal final assessment for the year the final exam grade will be earned in 3 parts. The first part, a multiple choice exam will be given during the last two weeks of May. Part two consists of creating a final project during the time after SOL exams and then presenting the project during your final exam period in June, the third part incorporates your Biology SOL score.

No part of the final exam may be given earlier than scheduled. Students who miss the final project/presentation portion of the final exam during the designated final exam periods must give their presentation and answer questions, during the summer and will receive an incomplete. Only after that point will the final grade be calculated.

Final Course Grade

Indeterminingfinalcoursequality points,gradeswillberoundedupat.25 intervalswithingradesandat .75 intervals between grades

Grade Rounding to Determine Final Course Quality Points
3.75 to 4.0 / A
3.25 to <3.75 / B+
2.75 to <3.25 / B
2.25 to <2.75 / C+
1.75 to <2.25 / C
1.25 to <1.75 / D+
0.75 to <1.25 / D
<0.75 / E

Whenateacherhasevidencethatastudentdemonstratesahigherlevelofperformance thanacalculatedmarkingperiodorfinalgradeindicates,theteachershouldassignthe highergrade.Inthecaseofthefinalgradethismeansthatthecalculatedgradeif donebypercentagesishigherthanthecalculatedqualitypoints’gradethenthehigherof the two grades will be assigned

Grading of late work:

For Homework: full credit will be given at the time the homework is checked on the due date. After this time, the assignment will receive 50% of the grade; the deadline for the late Homework is at the end of each unit. Missing assignments will receive a grade of 0 (zero). No assignments will be accepted after the deadline.

For labs and activities: Up to full credit will be given if turned in on the due date. After the due date, work is worth 50% of the grade earned. The deadline for late labs and activities is at the end of each unit. NO work will be accepted after that. A grade of zero will be assigned for missing work.

  1. Grading of late long term projects:1 day late – 10% lowering of grade

2 days late - 50% lowering of grade

3 or more days late - 0 credit

MAKE-UP WORK DUE TO ABSENCE:

  1. Tests/quizzes: You will be asked to make up any missed test or quiz within one week of the last day of your absence. You must take the responsibility to schedule a make-up time. Credit will not be given if you have an unverified absence (UV) on the day of a test or quiz. If you are only absent on the day of the test you should expect to make up the test on the next class day. A make-up test will be given.

2. Labs should be made up the day the student returns or the following day. This is necessary because many of the supplies and specimens we use in the lab are perishable.

3. Homework: assigned prior to an absence and due on the day a student is absent will be due on the day on which the student returns to school from an excused absence. No credit will be given for homework assignments missed due to an unverified absence (UV). Homework assigned while the student was absent will be due within one week of the last day of the absence.

4. Long Term projects: Will be due on the due date, unless other arrangements are made

with your teacher PRIOR of the due date. After this time papers and projects will follow the previously stated late project policy.

5. In class work: You will have one week from the last day of your absence to complete work that was assigned and completed in class on the day of your absence. Credit will not be given if you have an unverified absence.

6. If the student has an extended absence, the teacher, with input from the student, will determine a calendar for making up the missed work that results from an extended absence.It is the students’ responsibility to make an appointment to make-up missing work, get missing notes from fellow students, and to pick up any missing handouts.

INDEPENDENT SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT

  1. The Science Fair project is required and the student will receive a grade in quarters 1, 2, 3 for the portions of the project they complete during that quarter.
  2. Extra credit : Students who enter and present at the W-L Science Fair will receive bonus points on their 3rd Quarter grade. If a student advances to and participates in the Regional Fair they will earn a further bonus points for their 4thquarter grade. Help sessions will be scheduled throughout the fall after school and on Saturdays to assist students with their projects. I strongly suggest that students attend these sessions if they wish to participate in the fair.
  3. VJAS : the Research Symposium and Annual meeting is at Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2016, specific dates to be announce shortly. I strongly encourage all my students to submit their research paper to VJAS for the annual competition.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: The WLHS policy on academic honesty will be followed. Cheating on any homework, quizzes or tests will result in a grade of “0” on that work. Cheating not only means copying another person’s work, but also allowing someone else to copy your work. Group work often facilitates similar answers, so please write down the names of classmates with whom you worked and shared ideas on your assignments, or you risk not receiving full credit. Regardless, you should NEVER HAVE IDENTICAL WORDS OR PHRASES AS ANY OTHER STUDENT.

Students will be honoring the honor code pledge before turning in each major assignment, test, quiz, or laboratory report. When work is turned in for a grade, students will acknowledge their understanding of the honor policy and that they have not violated that policy in any way. The pledge is below per W-L student handbook

“On my honor, I pledge that I have neither given nor received information on this assignment.”

EXTRA SUPPORT SESSIONS

  1. Support is available to all students. Support is available during Generals Period; Lunch Labs 1st or 2nd lunch by appointment) and most afternoons also by appointment. The student must remember to check with the teacher about before and after school availability, for on any of the given day there may be required faculty meetings which conflict with the help sessions.

Semester/Final Exam Schedule:

Semester exam: 1/25 for L days and 1/26 for W days

Final exam: 6/17 period 1; 6/20 periods 2 & 3; 6/21 periods 4 & 5; 6/22 periods 6 &7

Final Words

I strictly follow all APS policies as stated in the Student Handbook.This includes dress code, attendance, grading, acceptable use and the policy for personal electronic devices. Please read the Student Handbook carefully as you are responsible for knowing the school rules and requirements stated in your handbook.

Biology Ms. Sotomayor

I have read and understand the guidelines stipulated in the Biology Syllabus, Cell Phone Policy and I have read and understood the Laboratory Safety Contract. I understand that I can access these documents any time online in the WL Webpage or Blackboard.

Date: ______

Student Name (print): ______Student Signature: ______

Parent Name (print): ______Parent Signature: ______

On the space below, tell me a little bit about yourself: (hobbies, interests, future aspirations, science experiences, anything interesting you want to tell me about you, etc….)

If you have any questions or concerns, please write them below or attach an additional sheet of paper or contact me by email at

Remember to bring this signed document back to your Biology Teacher.