Course Syllabus

 

 Biology

Laura Holdmann Phone:  262.369.3611 ext 1103 Office Hours:  After school until 3:00 or by appointment

Introduction:

Honors  Biology is  a laboratory‐centered  survey of general biology course for highly motivated students who have demonstrated excellent study skills and high aptitude in math.  The course will cover basic chemistry, cellular biology, genetics, evolution, ecology, and classification in greater depth than regular biology.  The class incorporates writing, critical-thinking, research and laboratory skills. The class will be beneficial and more challenging for the self-directed learner that has a great interest in the sciences.  Students in honors biology will have increased expectations and are expected to work independently on a variety of assignments and accept greater responsibility for their learning. In addition, students are expected to design and carry out independent investigations of biological questions, read and report on recent research in biology, and demonstrate a more in-depth conceptual understanding of major biological processes.

Location: Meet for class in S103 at unless otherwise posted or notified

Materials and Resources:  Bring to class on a DAILY BASIS

1. Binder containing paper
2. Your lab notebook
3. Laptop
4. Pens and pencils

Occasionally you will need your calculator, colored pencils, safety goggles (leave in locker or backpack for quick availability)

Course Outline and Learning Objectives:

The Arrowhead High School Biology curriculum is based on the Next Generation Science Standards.  Each semester will address life science topics using a variety of trending scientific phenomena. The ideas are building upon students’ science understanding of disciplinary core ideas from earlier grades. The topics listed below will be covered in all biology classes, but not necessarily in the sequences listed below. 

SCIENCE OF BIOLOGY

• Understand how living things are different from non-living
• Understand the basics behind experiment design and the scientific method
• Review and demonstrate appropriate use of scientific tools, biological statistics, and the metric system
• Gain a basic background knowledge of the domains of life and how different organisms truly are from each other
• Understand what viruses truly are and how they are different from living things

BIOCHEMISTRY:  This topic is a basis for the rest of the year.  Biochemistry is connected to many other topics.

• Understand that all life is based on simple organic molecules
• Understand that the structure of each type of molecule is important for its function
• Use knowledge of basic chemistry to understand how these small molecules interact with each other and form larger polymers
• Understand how the chemistry of water is essential in cellular function

CELLS

• Understand that all life is based on cells
• Understand the general size of viruses, bacterial cells, and eukaryotic cells
• Understand the differences between animal and plant cells and why these differences are important to how each type of organism functions
• Understand the bigger picture of how organelles are interconnected in the cell and how the endomembrane system works in protein production
• Understand how different macromolecules within the cell are built, used, and taken apart when they need to be discarded
• Understand how organelles and their function are crucial to human health

CELLULAR TRANSPORT

• Understand why the cell membrane is semi-permeable
• Understand how diffusion works and why gradients are important
• Understand how osmosis occurs and why it's important
• Understand the differences between facilitated diffusion, active transport and be able to analyze different types of transport scenarios
• Understand the importance of substrate specificity for protein transporters
• Understand what types of substances need to be transported by diffusion, osmosis, active transport, or endocytosis/exocytosis and why

CELL ENERGETICS

• Understand how different types of cells get energy to fuel their reactions
• Understand how enzymes and substrates specifically match
• Understand how photosynthesis and respiration are similar and how they are different
• Understand how free energy diagrams represent a reaction's energy change
• Understand how aerobes and anaerobes are different
• Understand how each process in respiration connects to each other
• Understand how each process in photosynthesis connects to each other
• Understand how leaf structure is specialized to support photosynthesis
• Understand how different plants adapt to their conditions to support photosynthesis
• Understand how cells break down other molecules besides sugar
• Understand how both respiration and photosynthesis are regulated

CELL DIVISION

• Understand the importance of the chromosome and chromosome number in species
• Understand the basics of human karyotypes and chromosomal abnormalities and how they affect human health
• Compare and contrast eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell division
• Understand how cells come from other cells
• Understand how DNA replication functions to produce new copies of the cell's genetic information
• Understand the importance of the cell cycle and mitosis
• Investigate how changes in cell cycle regulatory genes can cause cancerous cells to be produced

GENETIC INFORMATION FLOW

• Understand the history of how scientists discovered the genetic material
• Describe the general structure of genetic material
• Understand the importance of transcription and how information passes to mRNA molecules
• Understand how and why mRNA molecules are processed
• Understand how translation works to produce the final protein product
• Understand how changes in DNA (mutations) affect the protein product
• Understand the basic definition of a gene

BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Summarize the major discoveries that led to the development of recombinant DNA technology
• Understand how DNA technology is being used in modern applications
• Demonstrate how manipulation of nucleic acids through genetic engineering alters the function of proteins and subsequent cellular processes to give information about the genes
• Perform a series of labs to experience how DNA fingerprinting, gel electrophoresis, and bacterial transformation techniques are used to manipulate nucleic acids for a desired outcome

EVOLUTION

• Understand gene flow and how it affects populations
• Understand fitness and natural selection types
• Understand the differences between Lamarck and Darwin's theories of evolution
• Understand different types of speciation and how they create new species
• Estimate geologic time and understand the events that led to life as we know it
• Be able to read and interpret a phylogenetic tree
• Understand how geography affects species and their ranges
• Connect genetics to evolution by understanding Hardy-Weinberg population genetics 
• Evaluate a population to see if it is at equilibrium
• Estimate the number of heterozygotes in a population (assuming equilibrium)

ECOLOGY

• Understand how to draw and label food chains and webs
• Understand the differences between producers, consumers, and decomposers
• Understand the ecological pyramids and how they are different in different ecosystems
• Analyze how invasive species upsets the natural balance of energy in an ecosystem
• Understand habitat loss and edge effects
• Compare biomes
• Understand and label the nitrogen, carbon, phosphorous, and water cycles
• Understand community relationships (competition, amensalism, parasitism, predation, mutualism, etc.)

 Course Assessment:

Students will earn points for various assignments including:

• In class activities/Homework assignments
• Lab analyses
• Quizzes
• Tests 

Evaluation and Grade Breakdown:

Labs	45%
Homework	10%
Quiz	15%
Test	30%

At the end of each semester, the final semester grade will be calculated. The Academic Grade is 85% and the Semester Exam is 15% of the final semester grade.  

Your cumulative grade starts the first day of the semester.  Work hard each and every day of the semester to get and/or keep your grade where you would like it to be.  Your grade WILL NOT be "bumped" to the next grade level at the end of the semester.  In the long run, it is to your benefit that your grade is accurately documented.  Changing a grade is a very big deal.  Your grade is meant to communicate your academic performance to higher level science classes in high school and college.  

Homework: Homework is the practice piece of biology.  In order to give yourself the best chance for success, you will need to complete the homework for understanding and mastery, not simply completion.  Homework will need to be completed by the set due date in order to earn full credit.  Any homework not completed by the start of class on the due date will not be graded.  

Quizzes: The purpose of quizzes is to check for student understanding of the content.  Quizzes will generally be given every two weeks (or so, depending on when it would naturally make sense to assess).  Quizzes are very content based assessments which provide both the students and teacher feedback for mastery of concepts.

Late Work Policy: The expectation is that ALL WORK must be turned in on time! Late work will be accepted for 10% reduction in points (that is ONE WHOLE LETTER GRADE) for each school day past the due date, after the work has been assessed, up to 50% off.  Students may pick up extra paper copies of any late work in the black baskets located near the classroom door.

Absent Work Policy: Students with excused absences have 3 from the day they return to make up missed work without any points being deducted.  After the three days time line expires, the work is subject for a 10% grade reduction for each school day the work is late.  Students may pick up paper copies of any work missed in the black baskets located near the classroom door.  In the event of a long-term absence for medical/mental health issues, a plan will be devised with the student, family, teacher, and guidance counselor. 

Absent/Late/Incomplete Work Policy: The last day at the end of each quarter (every 9 weeks), ALL work (absent/late/incomplete work) will be due by 2:30 pm.  Depending on the timeline, the grade may be reduced according to the policies mentioned above.  After 2:30 pm, no credit will be earned and the grade will be changed to or remain a zero in the grade.  If an absence occurred within 3 days or over the end of a grading period, a plan will be devised with the student, family, teacher, and guidance counselor for the timely completion of the missing work.  As we move through the Honors Biology Curriculum and Learning Targets, concepts build upon one and other so having work completed in a timely manner is important for a thorough understanding and mastery of the Life Science Standards.

Skyward Gradebook Symbols/Codes:

Code	What it conveys
*	Pending - Student is still working on task or teacher is still grading the assignment.  Skyward automatically populates the assignment’s grade with this until the teacher changes it.
0	Missing - Student needs to take action to remedy the situation.
No Count	Assignment does not count towards the grade, but is recorded in gradebook.
Late	Assignment was turned in after the due date - it may or may not be penalized accordingly

Extra Credit: Extra credit assignments could be assigned at the teacher’s discretion and will be available to the entire class. Do not depend on it.  Your cumulative biology grade starts on the first day of the semester; do not depend on extra credit points added at the end of the semester to get you to a desired grade.   

Attendance:  Good student punctuality is an expectation and reflects a high degree of self discipline and responsibility.

Honors Biology is lab intensive so excellent attendance is crucial!  Nearly every day, you will be collaborating with your peers.  When even one class is missed, you can very quickly fall behind.

A tardy is considered when a student is less than 20 minutes late to class (more than 20 minutes is an absence).  A student that is tardy is not in their assigned classroom desk when the bell to begin class sounds.   If a student accumulates 4 tardies in a semester, there will be a Saturday detention issued by administration.

Behavior Expectations & Classroom Conduct

Be Appropriate Be Respectful Be Responsible

 

All policies and expectations stated in the “Arrowhead High School Student & Parent Information Guide" for the current school year, apply at all times, including attendance, dress code, cheating, and general student conduct.

1. You are accountable for yourself and your success.  It is expected that each student work towards a solid understanding and mastery of each learning target.
2. All students will be expected to be on time.  Do not be late for learning!
3. Be prepared for class.  You are required to have materials listed above every single day!
4. You are expected to focus on and participate in class.  Be present. Cell phones must remain in backpacks or locker during class time.
5. You will be expected to maintain high standards of citizenship by respecting the rights and properties of others.  Honesty and integrity will be expected and cheating will not be tolerated.

The sequence for consequences** of misbehaving is as follows:

1. Warning
2. On-the-spot- chat between teacher and student (most often used)
3. After school conference with teacher, parent/guardian contact  (I will call coaches and advisers to advise of meeting as reason for being late to event, practice, etc.)
4. Saturday morning detention or subsequent detention, as seen fit

**Please note:  Mrs. Holdmann reserves the right to skip to higher consequences in the sequence for more severe infractions as she deems fit.

Lab Safety Please see Lab Safety Page

Technology Use Policy: In following the District Network and Personal Device Responsible Usage Agreement, students are not to have their phones out in the classroom unless the teacher has explicitly given permission to do so.  Phones should be in lockers or backpacks during class time. When you are in biology, it is expected that you focus and participate with your classmates, teacher, and the lesson.  Cell phones are a distraction and will quickly move you away from success.   Per the Arrowhead High School Student Code of Conduct,

"Arrowhead Union High School recognizes the value of technology in fostering engaging, relevant and personalized learning. Therefore the use of personally owned devices including laptops, Chromebooks, cell phones, and others are permitted to students. Because of the potential for increasing student learning, personally-owned laptops and Chromebooks will be used in the school. Students may have cell phones in school but should not have them out in classrooms unless students are given explicit permission by instructors. With teacher permission, these devices must be used for educational purposes only."

If there is a lab, lesson, or activity that requires the use of a cell phone, you will have verbal permission from Mrs. Holdmann to utilize the cell phone during and ONLY for the activity.  After the lab, lesson, or activity concludes, cell phones will be returned to the backpack or locker.  

Failure to abide by the Technology Use Policy:

1st offense: Warning to put the cell phone away.  

2nd offense: Mrs. Holdmann will confiscate** your cell phone and hold it for the remainder of class in a cell phone pocket located near her desk.

3rd offense: Cell phone will be turned into the office** and student will be able to pick it up at the end of the school day.  This will also be recorded in the student record by administration.

4th offence: See Arrowhead Acceptable Use Policy.

**Please note: Per Arrowhead High School administration, ALL cell phone confiscations will be entered into Skyward discipline (student record) so other teachers and administration can see how many offenses the student has accumulated.

Academic Integrity

“Academic integrity is ethical behavior most visibly expressed by respecting the value of words, thoughts, images and ideas; as well, it includes an understanding of the principles of ownership with respect to words, thoughts, and ideas.”  

Niels, G.J. (2008). Academic practices, school culture and cheating behavior. Unpublished manuscript, Head of School, Winchester Thurston School, Pittsburg, PA. Retrieved from http://www.winchesterthurston.net/uploaded/About_Us/cheating.pdf

Cheating is the deliberate or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, technology, study aides, or unauthorized group work on assignments, projects, tests, or other academic exercises. A violation occurs when one represents or attempts to represent oneself as another in the taking of a test, quiz, and/or preparation of an assignment or anything graded, either given verbally or written, are passed along from student(s) to other students. ALL students involved are in violation.

Plagiarism includes an exact copying of another’s work, or a rewording, paraphrasing, partial quotation or summarization of another’s work without properly giving credit to the creator of the original work.  Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty that can be done intentionally or unintentionally.

Intentional plagiarism is the deliberate presentation of another’s work or ideas as one’s own

Unintentional plagiarism is the inadvertent presentation of another’s work or ideas without proper acknowledgement because of inadequate practices or lack of preparation

In short, NO CHEATING!  If any student(s) is(are) caught cheating, the following consequences will follow as outlined in the Arrowhead High School Student & Parent Information Guide:

1. First Offense – The classroom teacher will contact the student’s parent/guardian, administration, and school counselor. The teacher will also require the student to redo the work involved. The student may receive a reduction up to 50% off the original value for the work redone. For instance, the original value of  the work is 100 points. The student may receive 50 points if done well. If the work is not completed or redone but deemed unsatisfactory, a zero may be given. The student’s eligibility for honor societies, athletics and activities, and academic awards will be reviewed.

2. Second Offense (in the same class) – The cumulative grade for the nine-week period for the respective course will be lowered one full letter grade. The parent, school counselor, and administrator will be informed by the teacher and the student will also be referred to the activities office for conduct unbecoming of an athlete.

   A student who has two or more violations in separate courses will be referred to Administration for disciplinary action. The parent and school counselor will be informed and the student will also be referred to the activities office for conduct unbecoming of an athlete. If a violation occurs, the student’s eligibility for honor societies, athletics and activities, and academic awards will be reviewed.

3. Third Offense (in the same class) – The student will be dropped from the respective course and fail the semester. The parent, school counselor, and administrator will be informed by the teacher and the student will also be referred to the activities office for conduct unbecoming of an athlete.

**Please note: Per Arrowhead High School administration, ALL instances of academic integrity will be entered into Skyward discipline (student record) so other teachers and administration can see how many offenses the student has accumulated.

All rules and policies stated in the

Student and Parent Information Guide

apply.

For inquiries on other issues, please do not hesitate to ask.