Biology+Syllabus

South High School Biology 2012 Fall Semester

Teacher Name: Ms. Rachel Aldrich Phone Number/Voice Mail: 720-423-6110 E-mail Address: Rachel_Aldrich@dpsk12.org Room Number: 126 Tutoring Hours: Tuesdays during lunch; Thursdays 1:20 – 2:00; after school by appointment Website: http://msaldrichscience.wikispaces.com/
 * __Contact Information __**

Course Number: 03560

BSCS textbook Composition notebook Pen/pencil 12-inch ruler
 * __Materials __**

Students must bring these materials to class each day. Any student who does not have one or more items may purchase them (composition and spiral notebooks, pens, pencils, 2-pocket folders) from me. These items are available for **purchase only**—no loans will be given.

Grading is based on weighted points earned from assignments (25%), hands-on activities (25%), tests/quizzes (25%), and participation (25%):
 * __Grading __**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A 100 – 93% <span style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif';">A- 92 – 90% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">B+ 89 – 87% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">B 86 – 83% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">B- 82 – 80% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">C+ 79 – 77% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">C 76 – 73% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">C- 72 – 70% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">D 69 – 60% <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">F 59 – 0%

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We will work together in class, but there are times when homework will be assigned and must be completed outside of class. Please see me during scheduled tutoring times or make an appointment for after school if you need help. I will always make time to help students learn, but you must make the effort to see me before it’s too late! <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Late work will be accepted for half credit. Late work will not be accepted after three weeks from the due date.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">HOMEWORK/ASSIGNMENTS __**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Cheating is not acceptable at South High School. This means that you are not writing your own answers or doing your own work. Some examples of cheating include:
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">CHEATING __**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">copying someone else’s work/answers
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">allowing someone else to copy your work/answers
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">talking during a test or quiz
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">writing the answers/doing the work for someone else
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">allowing someone else to write your answers/do your work

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Please see pages 21-22 of the student handbook for consequences of cheating.

**__<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">ATTENDANCE __**
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Your attendance can greatly affect your grade. This year, South High School has a 95% attendance goal. If you have poor attendance, you will miss important lessons and fall behind in your work, which may cause you to fail the class. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Infinite Campus system will notify your parent(s)/guardian(s) of absences each evening by phone and/or email. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Absences can be excused with a parent/guardian phone call to the school attendance clerk or attendance line (720-423-6081; Español, 720-423-6070), a note from the parent/guardian, or a doctor’s note. A parent/guardian can also come to school in person to excuse the absence. It is the **__student’s__** responsibility to contact me about make-up work. Students missing classes for excused absences, suspension, or school business related absences are **NOT** excused from completing class work. You have one day for each absence to make up any missed assignments. Students with excused absences will be allowed to make up work for full credit. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Any student who misses an assignment because of an unexcused absence will be allowed to make up the work for half credit. Students who are truant will not be permitted to make up any assignments.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Parent/Guardian Notification **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Excused Absences **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Unexcused Absences/Truancies **

**__<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">PARTICIPATION __**
Participation points (30) will be given each week. You are expected to come to class every day prepared and ready to work. Points are automatically lost for unexcused tardies, and all points are lost for the week for truancies. Failure to follow classroom rules will result in an automatic loss of participation points. **The rules are clearly posted on the wall, so you will not receive warnings.** If you cannot follow the rules, I will call home and speak to your parents about your classroom behavior. Any dangerous or offensive/aggressive behavior will be an automatic referral to the deans’ office. Participation points are lost (5 per incident) when students:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arrive late to class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Have an unexcused absence
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Bring food or beverages to class (water bottles are OK)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Use of any electronics, such as cell phones, MP3 players hand-held games
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Are disrespectful to the teacher, other student(s) or property
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Do not bring required material(s) to class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Any other behavior that affects teaching and/or learning

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students are required to be in class and in their seats when the bell rings. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">If you are late to class, you will be marked tardy. Students arriving after 20 minutes will be marked absent. If you are late to class, you will be assigned lunch detention.
 * __<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">TARDY POLICY __**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students are expected to arrive to class on time and prepared. Any trips to lockers or the bathroom should be done during the passing periods. Any student who asks to leave the room to go to a locker or the restroom must provide a current student ID (no bus passes, driver’s licenses or Colorado ID cards) for a hall pass. If the student does not have a student ID, he/she will not be allowed to leave. Each student will be allowed __three__ passes per semester, which may not be “transferred” to another student and expire at the end of the semester. The teacher may refuse a pass to any student, or cancel future passes if the privilege is abused. Any student who interrupts the lesson to request a pass will not be allowed to leave. Passes will not be given during the first and last 15 minutes of the period.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hall Passes __**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">South High’s dress code will be enforced. Please see page 19 of the Student Handbook.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Dress Code __**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">It is recommended that students check my website at least once a week. It contains important information, such as:
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teacher Website __**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Syllabus
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Class notes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Worksheets
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif';">My schedule and contact information
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif';">Important links

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Your grade will be based on tests/quizzes, in-class work and activities, projects, homework and participation.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Course Expectations __**

//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Evolution: Change in Living Systems //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">How do organisms, including humans, change through time? That is the central question of Unit 1. Learners will assess the unique qualities of humans and the diversity of life while trying to place humans in the scheme of living systems. Then they will consider how evolution provides and explanation for the adaptations organisms display and the existence of great biological diversity on Earth. Unity, diversity, common ancestry, and evolution, including cultural evolution, are the major conceptual themes in Unit 1. //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Homeostasis: Maintaining Dynamic Equilibrium in Living Systems //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Unit 2 explores the requirement of a controlled internal environment for optimal functioning of an organism. Learners will use familiar examples to develop an understanding of the concepts of response, regulation, and feedback. Then will examine the division between internal and external conditions and the processes by which internal conditions are maintained in spite of changes in external conditions.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Course Overview __**