Lundy’s Biology Syllabus 2015/16				 www.mrlundysroom.org

Course Description: Biology offers the study of ecology, biochemistry, cells energetics, chromosomes, cell division, genetics and evolution.  The course will minimally present all of the essential and core expectations provided in the Michigan High School Content “Biology” credit toward the Michigan Merit Graduation Requirements.

Textbook: Prentice Hall Biology, Miller and Levine, copyright 2002.

Course Content:

Semester 2:
DNA/RNA, Protein Synthesis
Chromosomal Mutations
Meiosis
Mendelian & Molecular Genetics
Evolution and Human Systems
Comparative Structures
Plants and Classification

Semester 1:
Scientific Method and Ecology
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Cells, Viruses, and Homeostasis
Energetics

Biology Grading Policy:
* Grades earned on “Unit Assessments” will be worth 50% of the total quarter.
* Students who do not score at least a 60% or better on a “Unit Assessment” may complete an appropriate remediation task and then retake a “Unit Assessment” on the same content.
* The remediation task and retake test conditions will be determined by the teacher and are detailed on the attached page.
* All other student work will comprise 50% of the total quarter grade.  This work can include Projects, quizzes, oral assessments, participation, presentations, performance assessments, classwork, lab reports notebook grades, warm-up questions, writing assignments, and homework.

Science grades will be proficiency based:
* Grades will reflect meaningful work tied to the standards and expectations designated for a specific course.
	* Grades will not reflect good citizenship or responsibility criteria.

Students must successfully complete Biology, and Chemistry or Physics and one Elective Science class to meet the Michigan Merit Graduation Requirements in science.
* ½ Credit is earned for successful completion of a current 1 semester class.
* Successful completion will be accomplished when a student has earned at least a 60% or D- in 2 of 3 grades given for each of 2 quarters and 1 final exam in a semester.
* To earn a full credit, students must successfully complete 2 semesters of a course.

Classroom Rules:

* Come to class prepared to learn. (Pencils sharpened, paper, textbook and notebooks)
* Respect all property. (School property, personal property, and other's property)
* Respect all ideas given in class and do not criticize anybody's ideas or thoughts.
* Students are expected to behave in a courteous and respectful manner to the instructor and to each other. 
* Students are expected to be sitting in their seats and ready for class to begin by the time the bell rings.  Failure to comply will result in the student being marked tardy
* All assigned formal labs or presentations must be completed in ink or typewritten. You must use a lead pencil for practice work and taking lab data. 
* Wait for a word or sign of dismissal by the teacher. The sound of the bell does not dismiss the class. 
* Do not enter the lab section of the classroom unless informed to do so. 

Extra Credit: 

No extra credit is available in this class, as your focus should be on assigned work

Make-up work:

* If your absence is excused you have the same amount of days you missed to turn in work.
* Late work is accepted up to the last week of the current quarter with a 20% penalty.

“Unit Assessment” part of grade:

* No Dropping of lowest score.
* No “extra credit” or “test corrections” used to improve test score.
* Test questions will be selected from the set of available pool questions.

Remediation Task:

* If your grade on a “Unit Assessment” test falls below the your expectations you may retake the test following successful completion of the remediation task.
* You must attend the scheduled after school remediation class and write test corrections to the questions you missed on the “Unit Assessment”.  
* All corrections must include the correct answer and a citation of where you found the correct answer.
* The retake must be completed within 1 week of the original test date.
* Students do not get class points/credit for remediation task.  The task is your ticket to retake the test.
* Your final grade for the “Unit Assessment” will be an average of the two test scores.