Course Description: This is the first semester of an introductory laboratory course emphasizing process skills relating to biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, and ecology.

Materials: Text book: Biology: Living Systems (Glencoe/ McGraw Hill, 1994)

What do you need to bring to class?

1. Ringer binder with loose-leaf paper and any papers I have given you for the current unit of study.

2. Sharpened pencils or pens (black or dark blue ink for assignments, colored pencils)

3. Your agenda.

Evaluations will be given every Friday. Occasionally, but rarely, exceptions to this rule will be made. All tests will be cumulative. Questions will cover predominantly the material discussed Monday through Thursday of that week, but several questions from information discussed previously will be included on the test. Do not brain dump information after the test on it!!!

Grading:

35% - Major grades (tests, notebooks, projects)

25% - Daily grades (class work, homework, quizzes)

30% - Laboratory assignments (written and participation)

10% - Final Exam

A notebook is required to be kept for this course. Students are to keep all assignments and related materials to the course in their notebooks. A notebook check will be done at least once every six weeks. Notebooks are to be divided into five sections: notes, labs, homework, quizzes, and tests.

You should spend a minimum of 20 minutes a day working on Biology outside of class. You will have weekly reading assignments, but you will not always have written assignments outside of class. However, this does not mean you do not need to study biology every day. Tests will come predominantly from lecture notes, so it is a wise idea to review them daily.

Late Work will not be accepted!

Make up Work:

1. It is the responsibility of the student to inquire about make-up work on the day of return to class.

2. Make-up work is due within five days following the student's return to school. For extended absences, the student's parent should request assignments through the attendance office.

3. For all prior assignments, the due date is the day of return from an excused absence.

4. Makeup work must be done outside of class. Tuesday afternoon from 2:00-3:00 I will be available for completion of makeup tests/ quizzes.

Help! I am available every day after school until 3:00 for extra assistance.

Classroom Rules / Policies and Procedures:

All students are responsible for all school rules found in your student agenda.

Because you are here to learn, any behavior that interferes with that purpose will be considered inappropriate.

1. Be prepared for class everyday. Students are expected to be on time to class and to be in class for the entire period. Passes will not be issued to leave class; take care of personal matters between classes.

Tardies: You are expected to be in class in your seat when the bell rings. Tardies to class will be handled accordingly.

1st offense: 15 minutes detention

2nd offense: 30 minutes detention

3rd offense: 45 minutes detention

The PHS attendance policy states that 3 tardies to class results in an unexcused absence for that class. Eleven unexcused absences from class results in no credit for the course unless appealed.

2. Absolutely no food, drink, candy, or gum are permitted!!

3. Follow all lab safety rules at all times.

4. Clean up lab area after all labs.

5. Wait quietly to be dismissed by the teacher.

Violations of the rules above will result in either a warning, detention, parent conference, or possible referral to an administrator if a problem continues. The consequence will be based on the severity of the infraction and decided on by the teacher.

Academic, Knowledge and Skills (AKS) addressed:

The student will be able to:

1. design and conduct a full scientific investigation.

2. identify questions and concepts which build and underlie scientific investigations.

3. summarize data graphically and verbally.

4. use technology to manipulate, communicate, and transmit data and findings.

5. use valid critical assumptions.

6. use advanced laboratory tools appropriately to gather analyze, and interpret data.

7. identify and illustrate the conservation of matter and energy as it exits in the living world.

8. analyze and describe the process of photosynthesis that stores light energy as chemical energy and cellular respiration that releases that same energy for use by living organisms.

11. explain how DNA controls heredity.

12. analyze the process of gene recombination in production and variation in organisms.

13. describe how biotechnology has the potential to manipulate genetic traits of plants, animals, and microbes to further improve agricultural production, as well as produce new vaccines, antibodies, medicines, and diagnostic procedures.

14. compare various methods by which materials move into and out of cells.

15. analyze the needs of a cell for survival, reproduction, and growth.

16. compare and contrast how cells grow and divide by mitosis and meiosis.

17. describe the influence of environmental factors on populations and communities within an ecosystem, although they may be relatively stable over time.

18. analyze the impact of humans and human activity on the equilibrium of an ecosystem.

21. explain that biology is the science of life and has many different components.

22. assess the behavior of organisms in terms of what is necessary for their survival.

Teacher reserves the right to adjust the syllabus, policies, and / or grading as necessary.

ABOUT THE GATEWAY EXAM: All students must demonstrate knowledge of the Gwinnett County Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) Curriculum. Students will be provided a booklet listing each of these AKS by course at the beginning of the school year. Ninth graders enrolling in 1998-1999 and beyond will need to pass the Gwinnett County Gateway Exam over the AKS before graduation. The Gateway Exam will measure students' ability to write effectively about the science and social studies AKS covered in ninth and tenth grades. The exam will be administered in the spring of the tenth grade year. Students will have several opportunities to retake the exam if they are not successful the first time.

E-mail: [email protected]

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