Shaw - 322100CW - 3(A) 7(B) - S2

South Carolina Standards:  (List the standards students are expected to master in this course)

• H.B.2: The Student will demonstrate the understanding that the essential functions of life take place within cells or systems.

• • H.B.3: The student will demonstrate the understanding that all essential processes within organisms require energy which in most ecosystems is ultimately derived from the sun and transferred into chemical energy by the photosynthetic organisms of that ecosystem.
  • H.B.4: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the specific mechanisms by which characteristics or traits are transferred from one generation to the next via genes.
  • H.B.5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of biological evolution and the diversity of life.
  • H.B.6: The student will demonstrate an understanding that ecosystems are complex, interactive systems that include biological communities and physical components of the environment

Biology I Syllabus

Mrs. Jaimie Shaw - Seneca High School

2019

Welcome to Biology which means the study of life! This course is designed to guide the student toward a better understanding of the fundamental concepts and research in the science of Biology, the study of life. A major goal of this class is for students to learn and understand the facts, formulas, and principles that compose general Biology. Additionally, students will sharpen their critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they learn to successfully perform scientific experiments. Students will also develop an appreciation of how Biology relates to their everyday lives.

Materials needed:

Textbook: “Biology” – Miller & Levine

Notebook: one 2-inch 3 ring binder or spiral bound notebook with pockets

Paper, pens, and pencils (one regular graphite pencil and one pack of colored pencils)

Two packages of 3” x 5” note cards

One Composition notebook

*cover your book as soon as possible!

Schedule for topics this year:

• Units are based on the science education standards for South Carolina;

Science Engineering and Practices

Unit 1: Chemistry of Life (Biochemistry)

Unit 2: Cellular Biology (Form & Function)

Unit 3: Cell Energy

Unit 4: Cell Division & Cell Reproduction (Mitosis & Meiosis)

Unit 5: Patterns of Inheritance                                        

Unit 6: Molecular Genetics (Gene Expression)                                                                                             

Unit 7: Evolution

Unit 8: Ecology

Rules for a learning environment:

All rules in the Seneca High handbook should be complied with.

Show respect

Students must show respect towards the teacher, themselves, and other students (talking while others are talking, staying on task, not getting up out of seat during class unless told to do so, etc.)

Inappropriate language will not be tolerated

Students should not use phones during class unless otherwise instructed to do so.

Take care of equipment, the classroom, and the property of others (any misbehaviors or horseplay in the lab will not be tolerated and will result in a written referral and immediate removal of the area).

Be accountable

Be on time to class (in your seat with materials, working on the bell work when the tardy bell rings); Doors will be closed and locked at the tardy bell. All students not in class will report to attendance.

Be prepared for class with all materials everyday (turn in work upon entering and get started on the day’s assignments immediately; pencils should be sharpened before the tardy bell rings)

Get your makeup work completed and turned in within 3 days of your return

If you know you will be absent, get your assignments ahead of time

Be resourceful

Take care of bathroom breaks, guidance, etc. before or after class

Studying and completing assignments is up to you! You are responsible for getting and completing all assignments on time. I will provide extra help throughout the semester during 5^th Block. It is up to the student to schedule a time for additional help.

Rules and Consequences:

Anyone who chooses not to follow Mrs. Shaw’s rules will be subject to the following consequence:

1^st Offense:  Verbal Warning

2^nd Offense:  Teacher Detention

3^rd Offense:  Teacher Detention

4^th Offense:  Office Referral

***Severity Clause:  if at any point the student’s behavior is deemed to be extreme or excessive, the student will be immediately sent to the office or removed from the class

***Parent contact may occur at any time

Grading scale:

100-90: A             89-80: B          79-70: C            69-60:D           >60: F

 

Seneca High School Science Department Grading Policy:

**point values are approximate and may be changed by the teacher depending upon the amount of material

Major Assessments – 60% of Final Grade

                Test – 40%

                Formal Lab reports & Projects – 20%

Minor Assessments – 40% of Final Grade

                Quizzes & Informal Lab Reports – 25%

                Homework & Class work – 15%

Daily Assignments will be given throughout each chapter (will include vocabulary words, objective sheets, problems, study guides, Bell ringer activities, etc.)

• Tests will be given at the end of each unit
• Students may be assigned a project to complete outside of class during each of the two nine week periods
• Students are expected to participate in classroom discussions and exhibit appropriate behavior that will enable all students to learn. Participation counts!
• Reading outside of class is encouraged!
• No “last minute” extra credit will be given to “bail out” students if their grade is lower than desired at the end of a grading period.

Professionalism- You are a professional student - TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR WORK! A good rule of thumb is to compare your behavior in this class to that at work.  What is not acceptable in the workplace is not acceptable here.  The following guidelines will be used to grade written assignments:

1. No pen will be allowed on work that will be turned in.
2. Complete sentences will be used in assignments unless otherwise directed.  A one word or short phrase answer will not earn full credit on assignments needing complete sentences.
3. Support for answers should be included in your response.  Referring to the text is an example of how to support an answer.

Power of I Policy- 2018-2019

Goals:

1. To hold individual students accountable for their own learning.
2. To eliminate zeroes from student grades.
3. To increase remediation opportunities for students.

Policy:

1. Missing Assignments- Major and Minor
   1. Students are expected to turn in all assignments throughout the nine weeks.  Failure to turn in assignments will result in the following process:
      1. Once the assignment is recorded in the gradebook, the student will be assigned 5^th block to complete the assignment.  The student must either turn in the assignment before the 5^th block date, or attend the 5^th block session to complete the work.
      2. Students who fail to attend the 5^th block session or turn in the required work will be referred to administration for skipping a teacher assigned detention.
   2. Homework
      1. Homework assignments must be completed on time or a zero will be recorded in the gradebook.  The maximum percentage of the nine weeks grade for homework is 15%.
   3. For major assignments, students will receive an “I” for any incomplete assignments or assignments scoring below 60%*.
      1. For projects or lab reports which score below 60%, the student will be required to re-submit the assignment. 
      2. All students have the right to retest one major test per nine weeks.  Scoring for the retest will follow SDOC guidelines.  This excludes benchmark tests and midterm or final exams.
      3. Students who choose to retest will be required to complete a remediation session before retesting within the time frame announced by the teacher.
      4. Students are required to retake tests for which they score below a 50%.

Seneca High School strives to provide students with the knowledge, skills, judgment, and wisdom they need to function in society as educated adults.  Students are expected to take responsibility for their learning and experience the pride that accompanies academic achievement.  To falsity or fabricate the results of one’s research; to present the words, ideas, data, or work of another as one’s own; or to cheat on an examination corrupts the education the educational process, impedes a student’s academic progress, and compromises the trust between teacher and student that is fundamental to the learning process.

Guidelines for Academic Integrity

Students assume full responsibility for the content and integrity of the coursework they submit.  The following are guidelines to assist students in observing academic integrity:

• Students must do their own work and submit only their own work on assignments (including homework), examinations, reports, and projects, unless otherwise permitted by the instructor.
• Students may benefit from working in groups.  They may collaborate or cooperate with other students on graded assignments or examinations as directed by the instructor.
• Students must follow all written and/or verbal instructions given by instructors prior to taking examinations, tests, quizzes, and performance evaluations.
• Students are responsible for adhering to course requirements as specified by the instructor in the course syllabus.

 

Classroom Procedures

In order to be successful in my class, there are certain procedures that we will follow that can help to ensure that everyone is provided the platforms for completing tasks. We will review these procedures and then practice them daily.

• Entering the class: Bell work, tardies, etc. Exiting the class.
• Getting my attention.                                 Listening to/responding to questions.
• What to do when you need help. Leaving the room during class.
• Interacting in class. When you need pencil/paper.
• Working cooperatively. Appropriate lab clean-up.
• How papers are labeled. How/where to turn in assignments.
• Where to do if you’re absent. What to do with food, drink- water ONLY!                         Emergency drills                                                           Redoing/retaking tests/assignments.
• What to do with book bags, purses, etc. What to do with electronic devices/phones.
• What to do with graded assignments that have been returned to you.
• What to do if we leave the classroom (media center, outside, etc.).

 

Extra Help Procedures-

 

Students are always welcome and encouraged to come for extra help. To avoid any conflicts, it is a good idea to let me know ahead of time if you plan to drop in, but drop-ins are always welcome. Students entering the building before school are required to have a signed agenda/pass. Seneca HS will be implementing the 5^th Block program again this year; a teacher from the science department will be available for help every day before and after school except Fridays. This time will be used for students to receive extra help as well as to make up tests and labs.