Honors Biology Desert View High School Spring 2014

Contact Information: Ms. Duffala Email: cduffala@email.arizona.edu Room: 7202 About Your Teacher: I am going to be your teacher this semester and I want to welcome you to Honors Biology. I am originally from California and lived there my entire life. I came to Tucson to pursue my education at the University of Arizona. From the University of Arizona I achieved my Bachelors Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Before college, I was a competitive gymnast for 10 years. With this I was able to travel a lot for competitions with some of my favorite ones happening in Hawaii. This sport allowed me to push myself both mentally and physically. I have always been interested in how things work and that is one of the reasons that I love biology so much. I cant wait to pass my love and knowledge of biology onto you guys! Course Description: Welcome to Honors Biology! In this class we will be looking at the properties of life, and cover many subjects within biology. This course is designed to meet the State of Arizona Next Generation Science Standards for biology, which includes Structure and Function, Inheritance and Variation of Traits, Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems, Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, and Natural Selection and Evolution. In addition, many of the Common Core Mathematics Standards will be reinforced in this course including organizing data into a graphical representation, constructing and making predictions from line graphs, and using basic statistics to analyze data. The Common Core English Language Arts Standards will be used when students write reports using the writing and reading standards for literacy in science. Required Materials: Techbook: Science Techbook-Discovery Education http://app.discoveryeducation.com/techbook2:course/view/techbook/scien ce

Materials: Paper, pencil/pen, folder, and a binder for class each day. o Binder: This binder needs to be organized and have dividers for the different sections of work. Other Resources: Biology by Kenneth R. Miller and Joseph Levine, 2004. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Publishing. Videos, Activities, Simulations and Laboratory Investigations from the Discovery Education (2013) website at www.discoveryeducation.com. Semester Outline: Third Quarter:

Cell Division Genetics Meiosis Human Genetics Molecular Genetics DNA & RNA Evolution Evolution Contd Biotechnology Human Physiology (if time permits)

Fourth Quarter:

Expectations: o Students are expected to be active learners in the classroom. o Students are to come everyday with willingness to learn and be engaged in the biology classroom. o Students are expected to respect their classmates, teacher, lab materials, and school property. Classroom Rules: o They need to come prepared with their required materials o When the bell rings, students should be seated with their materials out and backpacks on the floor. o No food, drinks, or gum allowed in class unless they have permission. o School dress code will be enforced. o The teacher not the bell dismisses class.

o Cell phones/iPods/electrical devices are not allowed to be used in class unless the teacher has allowed it. o Laptops are to be used in class only when there is assigned work on the computer for class. Consequences: Positive Consequences: Students will receive praise, DV scratchers to win prizes, Email/Phone calls home to parents. Negative Consequences: Students will receive a verbal warning first, then a second verbal warning. If the behavior continues a Student/Teacher conference will be held. If it still continues a Lunch Detention will be issued. If it still continues then students will receive a call home, then an office referral, then a meeting with an administrator. Classroom Procedures: Assignment Due Dates: All assignments are due at the beginning of the period by the late bell. For every day that the assignment is late, it will lose 10% per day, unless for an excused absence. Assignments will not be accepted after 5 days after the due date. Missed Work: It is recommended that everyone attend class when possible. If one misses class it is the responsibility of the student to get the work missed either from a friend or from the teacher. The student also has the responsibility to contact me to schedule a time to make up labs and exams. Excused Absences: o When your absences are excused and the assignments have been posted prior to your absence, you must turn in the assignment the day you return. o If you have an excused absence on the day of the exam or just prior to an exam, you are allowed two class periods to makeup the exam. After this time has expired, you will receive a zero for the exam. o Likewise, arrangements for making up missed labs need to be done within two class periods after you return to school, because labs need to be taken down to make room for other labs. Tardies: o Please avoid being tardy to class because it is quite disruptive. I will take attendance the minute the tardy bell rings.

o If you are not in your assigned seat at the time the bell rings, you will be marked absent or tardy. o The Freshman Academy process will be followed. Also refer to the tardy policy from the school. Hall Passes/Bathroom Passes: These will be issued for emergencies only. If using a bathroom pass, the student must sign out and sign back in once returning to the classroom. Digital Class: o Each Digital Honors Biology student will have access to a laptop for his or her own personal use to complete the course requirements. o All students in a digital class will have access to his or her own technological workspace; they will have the ability to work independently and collaboratively on a variety of unique projects and assignments using technology. Grading Policy: A course grade will be determined based on points accumulated over the course of the grading period per semester. Points will be given for a variety of assignments that include labs, Bell Work, classwork, homework, projects, quizzes, and unit and final exams. The grading scale is as follows: A= B= C= D= F= 90 100 % 80 - 89 % 70 - 79 % 60 69 % Below 60 %

The district grading policy for Freshmen Academy students in science at DV is as follows: 20%= Classwork/Assignments 40% = Projects & labs 30% = Assessments 10% = Homework Tips for Success: o Study your notes, daily o Keep everything in a folder or binder o Review worksheets o Organize your notes o Ask for clarification o Ask questions

I/we have read and understand the above agreement. Student signature Date

Parent/Guardian signature

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