Biology Syllabus 2019-2020

Instructor: Mr. Dylan Box dlbox@iu.edu

Materials:
• 3-Ring Binder for notes, handouts, homework, etc. Binders help students stay
organized!
• Pen, pencil, loose leaf paper, index cards
• Biology Textbook (will be given on the first day)

Course Description/Objectives: This course addresses the study of living organisms and their
interactions with other living organisms and their environments. Standards will be taught
through lecture, projects, group work, and hands-on laboratory experiences. The objectives are as
follow:
• To gain a better understanding of the world.
• To be able to understand and demonstrate the process of scientific thinking.
• To understand the characteristics and structures of living things, the processes of life,
and how living things interact with each other and the environment.
• To make connections of biological concepts with practical applications to the “real
world”.

Workload: If students are productive in class and able to absorb the information during class
time, they will have minimal homework outside of studying for assessments and writing labs. If
work isn’t happening in class, then it will increase their workload at home! It pays to be on task
in class!

Class Expectations:
• Engagement – Participate in a courteous and respectful manner, ask for help when
needed, stay on-task, and do your work on time.
• Leaving the Room – Students may leave at the discretion of the teacher.
• Be on Time - Arrive on time with necessary materials
• Cell Phones – Cell phones or other electronic devices are allowed, before class starts
and for educational purposes. No cell phones are allowed during lecture, tests,
quizzes, and during lab.
• Safety - No food is allowed in class for lab safety. You may bring a water bottle to
class. It must be kept at your desk area. Follow all laboratory and safety guidelines.
Consequences:
• FIRST TIME: The teacher will try to resolve it with you.
• SECOND TIME: Your parents will be contacted.
• THIRD TIME: School disciplinary channels will be followed.
• SEVERE DISRUPTION: Student will be sent immediately to the office.
• Steps may be skipped if necessary.

Tech Suspension: Students on tech suspension will be given an alternate method of completing
technology-related assignments.
Attendance: Be in your assigned seat, ready to work, when the bell rings. The class will begin
as soon as the bell rings. If you arrive late, you will miss vital information. At the end of class,
wait in your seat until the bell rings and the teacher dismisses you.

• ABSENCE: You must see your teacher prior to any anticipated absence to schedule
homework and make-up work times. All sports and other school activities are pre-
arranged absences. You are still expected to turn in work before you leave and complete
any assignments given that day. Also, if you miss this class but are in school the rest of
the day, it is your responsibility to hand in homework and collect any materials given out
in class before you leave school. If you are absent the day before an announced test, you
will still take the test.

• PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCE: (per student handbook) A pre-arranged absence is an

absence based on an extended trip, consisting of five (5) or more days. Students who are
going to miss five (5) or more days consecutively, are required to present a ‘Pre-
Arranged’ absence form to each teacher prior to departure from school. The form must be
signed first by all classroom teachers and finally by the Administration. Make-up work
should be completed in advance of missing school and arrangements must be made
with each individual teacher; absence DOES count against the Attendance Policy.

Late Work: Late work will be accepted prior to the unit assessment. After the unit assessment,
late work will not be accepted.

Make-Up Work:
Per the Student Handbook:
“The student shall contact the teacher the following day after an absence or absences to make
arrangements to make up the work missed. Students have one (1) day to make up the work for
each day missed unless special arrangements are made between the student and classroom
teacher.

If a long-term assignment (term paper, book report, etc.) is due on the day a student returns from
an absence, the assignment is due as scheduled unless the student has made prior arrangements
with the teacher.

If a scheduled exam falls on the day a student returns from an absence and the material was
presented while the student was present, the student will be expected to take the exam as
scheduled unless the student has made prior arrangements with the teacher.

If a student fails to meet the agreed schedule, the work will be graded accordingly.

If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to determine what happened while you were
absent. Ask for any handouts you need. Lab points must be made up, but the assignment may
differ from the lab that you missed.
Cooperative Learning: Students will sometimes work in groups to solve problems. The
advantages of group work are many. Students become active learners. By discussing and
explaining ideas back to others, students can develop a deeper understanding of the topics.
Students are exposed to more ideas and can tackle more complex problems with each other’s
help.

For group work to be successful however, students are expected to follow these guidelines:
• Be considerate
• Listen without interrupting
• Ask questions when needed
• Help others in the group
• Make sure everyone in the group understands the ideas well enough to present them to
the class.

Assignments: They will be announced in class and posted on the classroom whiteboard. For
individual lab reports/activities/ or homework, you may confer with your lab partner and share
ideas. However, written answers must be your own. If your answers are identical to your
partner’s answers, expect point deductions or no points at all.

Grading: Your grade will be determined in the following way. All of your class work will be
assigned a point value. Generally, the points will fit into these guidelines:
Classwork – 1 to 5 points
Quizzes - 10 points
Labs - 10 to 30 points
Tests - 50 points
Projects - 50-100 points

I will use the total number of points you earn divided by the number of points available to
determine your percentage grade. We will be following the District Grading Scale:

A = 89.5-100
B = 79.5 - 89.4
C = 69.5 - 79.4
D = 59.5 - 69.4
F = Below 59.5

Semester Grade: There will be a cumulative assessment at the end of each semester that will
cover the standards for that semester. This assessment will be part of your second or fourth
quarter grade. Each quarter is worth 50% of your semester grade.
 Biology Syllabus
2019-2020 First Semester

Unit/Chapter Number Topics Approximate

Unit One: Introducing Biology Dates
No Chapter Safety in the Science Classroom
Chapter 1 Biology in the 21st Century 8/17- 9/13
Chapter 2 Chemistry of Life
Unit Two: Cells
Chapter 3 Cell Structure and Function 9/16- 10/18
Chapter 5 Cell Growth and Division
Unit Three: Energy
Chapter 4 Cells and Energy 10/21 – 11/15
Unit Four: Genetics Part 1
Chapter 6 Meiosis and Mendel 11/18 - 12/13
Genetics in Today’s World Project
SEMESTER EXAMS: The Week of December 16, 2019

Biology Syllabus
2019-2020 Second Semester

Unit/Chapter Number Topics Approximate

Unit Five: Genetics Part 2 Dates
Chapter 7 Extending Mendelian Genetics 1/6 – 1/24
Chapter 8 From DNA to Proteins 1/27 – 2/14
Unit Six: Evolution
Chapter 10 Principles of Evolution 2/17 – 3/13
Chapter 11 The Evolution of Populations
Chapter 12 The History of Life
Unit Seven: Classification and Diversity
Chapter 17 The Tree of Life 3/16 - 4/17
Chapter 23 Invertebrate Diversity
Chapter 25 Vertebrate Diversity
Unit Eight: Botany
Chapter 20 Plant Diversity 4/20 – 5/1
Chapter 21 Plant Structure and Function
Chapter 22 Plant Growth, Reproduction,
and Response
Unit Nine: Ecology
Chapter 13 Principles of Ecology 5/4 – 5/20
Chapter 14 Interactions in Ecosystems
Chapter 27 Animal Behavior
Chapter 15 The Biosphere
Chapter 16 Human Impact on
Ecosystems If Time…
Chapter 18 Viruses and prokaryotes
Chapter 31 Immunology (if time permits)
FINAL EXAMS: Week of May 25, 2020
 Biology Course Syllabus and Science Safety Contract 2019-2020

Parents and Students:

Please read and discuss the Biology Syllabus and the Science Safety Contract. Then, please sign
below and return this sheet as an indication that you have been informed of our expectations in
this class and agree to abide by the safety rules.

Thank you,

Dylan Box
High School Biology Teacher

Parent/Guardian Name _____________________________________

(please print)

Parent/Guardian Signature ______________________________________ Date_____________

Student Name _______________________________________

(please print)

Student’s Signature _____________________________________________ Date____________