Mrs. Leslie Schramm MS Biology Biology Honors
Room C215
Voice mail: 623-376-3215 Email: [email protected] https://www.dvusd.org/domain/2924 Course Description
This course exposes students to the fundamental concepts of biology. Because this is an honors level course, the topics below are covered in more depth, and at a more rigorous pace.
Course Objectives: By the time the student completes the course of study he or she will be able to:
1) Acquire and apply appropriate scientific processes to interpret the natural world.
2) Identify the historical contributions in science and the context in which they were made and will impact and have impacted society.
3) Develop integrated thinking skills through scientific experimentation.
4) Identify the limits, possibilities and interpretations among science, technology, society and the environment using the scientific method.
5) Describe the characteristics of life.
6) Identify the basic parts of atoms and describe how they influence chemical characteristics and how these properties influence biological studies.
7) Describe the structure and function of the four kinds of organic molecules found in living things.
8) Identify the parts of a cell and describe their structure and function.
9) Describe cellular transport, membrane structure and membrane function.
10) Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
11) Describe the Laws of Thermodynamics as they relate to biology.
12) Describe the purpose and components of cellular energetics.
13) Describe the biological process of mitosis, meiosis, DNA replication and protein synthesis.
14) Describe Mendelian genetics and predict the outcome of genetic crosses.
15) Identify the key components of evolution.
16) Define and describe the fundamentals of ecology and human factors that impact biology.
Classroom Expectations: In addition to strictly following all MRHS handbook rules, I expect the following to occur in my classroom:
1. Be There – It is important that you are in class regularly and on time. Not only should you physically be in class but also mentally. Students should take advantage of time with the instructor to pay attention and ask questions as needed.
2. Choose your attitude – You have no control over the things that other people do. You only have control over your reactions. Make a conscious effort to have a positive attitude. It is not always easy but if you are aware that only you can control your mood every day can be a great day.
3. No food or drinks in the classroom – We might be using substances that may contaminate what you put in your mouth. This is for your own health and safety.
4. Listen and participate- A lot of the learning for this class takes place when I am talking with you or you are collaborating in your groups! So, please be sure to truly and actively listen and when appropriate, participate.
5. Don’t procrastinate-Study what was done in class for 20 minutes (minimum) PER DAY and start any homework as soon as you can after school before you are tired, etc. If you do these things, learning will come more easily for this challenging class!
Grading: Grades will be composed of 3 areas: class assessments (tests, pop quizzes & long term projects), assignments (homework, labs and class work), and district assessments. The percentages will be broken down as follows: District assessments = 20%, class assessments = 50%, assignments 30%.. The
percentages will be rounded to the nearest whole number, a 79.5% will be rounded to an 80% and a 79.4% will be rounded to a 79%.
Grading Scale:
90% – 100% – A 80% – 89% – B 70% – 79% – C 60% – 69% – D 59% or below – F
Power Schools On-line Access: Grades and attendance may be accessed 24 hours a day online with your Power School access code. Access codes are available in the Administration front office Monday – Friday 7:00 – 3:30. You must provide picture ID to be issued a code. MRHS also offers a guest computer and log- in for Power Schools, available in the Counseling office for parent/guardian. In an effort to conserve resources and harness the capacity of our electronic grade reporting program (described above), district schools will no longer print hard copies of report cards unless requested by individual parents. To request a hard copy of your student’s report card, please contact the front office at 623-376-3000. In accordance with school policy there will be no extra credit available.
Homework-Makeup Work-Long Term Assignments
• Homework assignments on paper are collected at the beginning of class. No late assignments will be accepted. A majority of the assignments in this course will be submitted digitally via Canvas.
Those assignments will be due by 7:30am on the due date. Assignments are not accepted via email, they must be submitted to Canvas for credit.
• If you are absent, you have one school day for each day missed to make up any assignment done that day. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed and turn in that work. The
assignments for the week will be posted on the board and in Canvas. Please check canvas and speak with peers as well as asking the teacher any additional questions to make sure you are caught up. If you are absent for a pop quiz, the next pop quiz given in class will count twice. This is because it is impossible to recreate the pop quiz environment. If a student is absent for the last pop quiz of the semester, the last pop quiz taken will count twice.
• For all district assessments, students will be allowed one retake per assessment as long as the student was present and took the original exam. No retake is available for students who miss the scheduled/announced exam and are taking a make-up test. (No retest for a make-up test) After the original, announced exam students must wait one week for the retake. During that week, in
addition to preparing for the retake, the student must come to at least one Aca-prep with their teacher.
• Students who are absent the day before a scheduled/announced exam are expected to take the exam as scheduled/announced the following day.
• All retakes are to be done afterschool and that retake date will be announced in advance by the teacher. Students will have the same amount of time to take the re-take exam as they would an in class exam. The re-take tests will start after school at 2:17 and will end at 3:12, giving them the full 55 minute class period. If a student comes in after the start test time they will still be expected to turn in the exam before 3:12.
• No supplemental resources are allowed on any assessments.
• If a student is absent on a scheduled/announced exam day, multiple retest options are announced and occur afterschool. It is the responsibility of the student to communicate with the teacher as to which day they will attend. If a student commits to an appointment and does not come in, or notify me in advance, he or she will lose the opportunity of making up that assessment.
• On occasion, in order to re-enforce content mastery, PG and PG-13 science based video clips and science based instructional videos will be shown.
Plagiarism and Cheating: Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s work and reporting it as your own, or the giving of your work to another student to use as their own. Both instances are considered cheating and will not be tolerated. Any assignments that are plagiarized, or copied will not be accepted and the student using the copied work as well as the original author of the work (if the cheating is “peer to peer”) will both receive a zero for the assignment and may both face additional consequences at the school level in accordance with the MRHS Student Handbook. There are also strict “no talking” and “no technology access” during all assessment (tests, quizzes and final exam). Any violation of these policies, regardless of the reasons/motives will result in the assessment being confiscated and a score of zero entered into the grade-book on the assessment. In addition, consequences at the school level may also occur in
accordance with the MRHS Student handbook.
Daily Device Use (iPads)
Students should come to school with their iPads charged and ready to use in each class every day. Within each classroom, there are three possible technology environments. Teachers will identify for students the environment expected during their class period.
Devices may not be used to record or take photos of other people without their consent. Consequences for classroom disruptions and misuse of devices will follow a progressive discipline model, beginning with a phone call home and progressing to office referrals for repeated or more serious offenses. Students who have devices out during a Red environment or during testing, may lose credit on their test or quiz. See the Student Rights and Responsibilities consequence chart in the handbook for more specific descriptions of infractions and consequences.
MRHS Laboratory Breakage Policy
The Mountain Ridge Science Department has a policy regarding the damage or breakage of laboratory equipment. In the event a student breaks any laboratory materials, that student will be responsible for paying the replacement cost of each item. A complete list of all laboratory materials and their costs are posted in each classroom. The students are taught proper procedures and laboratory etiquette to ensure the safety of our students during lab activities. This policy helps hold the students accountable for their actions and reinforces careful laboratory procedures.
The Deer Valley Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. For any inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies contact the DVUSD District Office, 20402 N 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ
85027 (623) 445-5000
