BIOLOGY B

COURSE SYLLABUS

Instructor:  Ralph Weber

Phone: 506-6418

E-mail: Ralph.Weber@ahschools.us                                                                                             

Office Hours: After School or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to introduce the concepts of biology.  Students will learn about living things, their life processes, their interactions, and their relationships.  Through a variety of activities including lecture, discussion, group work, videos, and hands-on laboratory investigations, students will study DNA, genetics, evolution, diversity, and animal systems.  A dissection experience will be provided.

GRADING:

Grading will be weighted as follows:

Tests/Quizzes: 50%         Homework/Labs: 30%       Participation: 10%       Final: 10%

Grade updates will be posted once each week in the classroom and on AH Connect.  Letter grades will be assigned as follows:

            A=90-100%      B=80-89      C=70-79%       D=60-69%       F=below 60%

PARTICIPATION

These points will equal 10% of your grade.  You start out with 100/100 participation points.  Points are lost the following ways:                                                            1.) Excused absence (-5)      2.) Unexcused (Truant) absence (-15)

        3.) Tardy (-3)                     4.) Lack of Participation (up to -5/day)

        5.) Phone (unauthorized use, up to -5/day)

Participation points can be made up with current events article summaries, as well as other ways which will be explained – see participation point ideas sheet.

EXTRA-CREDIT

Your grade can be improved up to 3% by raising your participation points above 100 points.  You will be allowed to raise your participation points to a maximum of 130/100 points.   Participation points can be gained with current events article summaries, as well as other ways which will be explained – see participation point ideas sheet.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS:

Assignments are given full credit if they are turned in at the start of class on due date.  Late assignments can fall into 3 categories:                                                                                               1.) 3/4 credit– assignment turned in on due date, but after the start of class.

                                    2.) 1/2 credit– assignment turned in one day late.

                                    3.) 1/4 credit– assignment turned in two or more days late.

            * If you are absent, you will have one day to make up an assignment for full credit.

            * * 1 day for each day gone.

(if you miss 3 days in a row – you have 3 days from when you return)

Tests/Quizzes:

Students will have the ability to retake assessments.  Students with a score below 70% are encouraged to remediate to improve understanding and retake the appropriate assessment.  All retake assessments will be short answer questions focusing on the learning targets for the unit.  Test retakes must be completed by the following Friday.  Please make sure you contact your teacher to make arrangements to remediate prior to retaking the assessment.  Any student that is absent for the scheduled test date or retaking the test will be given a short-answer version of the test that covers the same learning targets as the original assessment.  Quiz/test make-ups and retakes must be completed by the Friday following the original assessment.  Students caught cheating will receive a zero on that test or assignment. At the end of the trimester your lowest test or quiz score will be dropped.

ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS:

Students are expected to organize their materials and time so that they can keep up with the pace of material and assignments in this class.  I will be available before and after school, as well as by e-mail, if you have any questions about assignments or information that we learn in class.  Individual help can be given if students arrange a time to meet with me.

COURSE OUTLINE:

v  Introduction to biology

v  DNA

Ø  Structure

Ø  Replication

Ø  Code

Ø  Protein synthesis

v  Genetics

Ø  Mitosis-Meiosis

Ø  Mendelian Genetics

Ø  Human Genetics

Ø  Mutations

v  Processes of Change (Evolution)

Ø  Evidence for Evolution

Ø  Natural selection

Ø  Selective pressures

v  Diversity and animal body systems

Ø  Classification

Ø  Kingdoms

Ø  Animal phyla

Ø  Digestion

Ø  Circulation

Ø  Respiration

Ø  Nervous