Biology is the study of living things.  The course will build on your science foundation from physical science and chemistry in order to develop your conceptual understanding of the structure and function of living organisms, particularly at the cellular level.  Biology is a very important subject whether or not you plan to continue your study of science in the future.  Many current issues frequently in the news require significant biological knowledge to understand including: stem cell research, cancer and other diseases, global warming, and evolutionary theory.  These issues are ones that your generation will have to make many important decisions about, and it is important that you understand how scientific knowledge is acquired and used.

The Lansing Catholic High School Science Department teaches science as "an approach based on the analysis of evidence used to explore and propose explanations for occurrences in the physical world."  It is important to understand that although content knowledge is essential, science is not a set of facts to be memorized.  At Lansing Catholic, Biology is not taken until the junior year so that you are well prepared with the background knowledge and skills you will need to understand biological concepts and apply them to social and environmental concerns. Biology will be challenging and will require a diligent effort on your part, but it will help you to become a critical thinker and a scientifically literate citizen.  
 

Required Materials
Please bring all materials to class with you every day: pen or pencil, 3-ring binder solely for biology (1" hard cover with pockets), notebook paper, and textbook (BSCS Biology: A Molecular Approach).

 
Course Objectives
1.    Understand how living organisms:
        a.  obtain and use matter and energy
        b.  store, use, and transmit chemical instructions
        c.  grow and develop
        d.  have characteristics affected by genes, environmental factors, and differences in gene expression
        e.  respond to their environment
        f.  change over many generations in response to genetic and environmental factors
2.    Develop critical thinking skills by applying scientific principles to explain complex living systems and understand important societal issues.
3.    Recognize how science is different than other ways of knowing and appreciate its benefits and limitations.

Classroom Policies
All school rules will be enforced in my classroom.  This includes the policies on tardies, gum chewing, and dress code.  Cheating will result in a zero for the assignment for everyone involved as well as parent notification.  Cheating includes copying another student's work, discussing a quiz or test with someone who has not taken it yet or is currently working on it, and plagiarizing another person's work.

Assignments and Grading
All school grading policies will be followed including the calculation of semester grades and the grading scale.  A total points system will be used for grades.  Tests will be worth 100 points and other assignments and activities will range from 5-50 points.  Each quarter's grade will be made up of approximately 50% test scores and 50% classwork and homework.

Grades are updated weekly in Skyward.  An asterisk (*) in the grade book may indicate that the grade has not been entered, you are still working on the assignment, or that you are excused from the assignment.  An asterisk will not affect your grade.  A zero will appear if you received a zero for the assignment.

You are required to keep all assignments in a 3 ring binder:

• Buy a 1" 3-ring binder that will be used solely for biology and bring it each day to class.
• Write your name and class period on the front of the binder.
• The syllabus will always be directly in front of the current unit's work.
• The table of contents comes after the syllabus and must be filled out exactly like the poster on the wall.
• Each page in the binder is numbered in the bottom right hand corner and put in the correct order in the binder.
• When you return from an absence use the poster to update your table of contents, pick up any handouts, and complete all assignments by the day of the unit test.
• Assignments are stamped by the teacher on the date they are due. A stamp on a page indicates full credit. Late work may be completed and placed in the binder for half credit.
• Write "absent" in large letters at the top of any make-up work or assignments that were due while you were absent.
• The binder is generally worth between 80 and 100 points each unit when you add up the 5 points for each page and the 20 point binder grade
• You must turn in your complete and organized binder before you take the unit test.
• No late binders are accepted.

Absence Policies
You are expected to be in class and ready to learn each day.  If you are absent it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and make up all assignments by following these instructions (not by asking the teacher).  Certain activities such as group projects and labs will not be available to make-up and will therefore not be counted for or against your grade.  On the day you return from an excused absence you should check the table of contents poster (also found online on Blackboard) for what you missed.  You will need to copy any notes you missed from a classmate (sometimes available on Blackboard).  Assignments should be completed and placed in the correct order in the notebook.  Write "ABSENT" in large letters on the top of the page of any makeup work or work that was due on the day of your absence so that the assignment is not marked late.  Copies of any handouts from the day you were absent will be located in that date's file folder in the filing cabinet for you to pick up.  If you are absent the day of a test you will take the test and turn in your notebook on the day that you return to school.  The school rules pertaining to absences and long-term assignment due-dates will be followed in this class.

Daily Procedures
I expect you to come to class prepared to learn each day.  As soon as the bell rings you should begin the warm-up activity written on the board; failure to do so will result in loss of points.  If you are distracting others from learning during class I will ask you to leave the room.  You will receive two free hall passes per quarter.  If you need to leave the room during class, fill out the spaces on the clipboard on top of the filing cabinet and return as soon as possible.  Only one student is allowed in the hallway at a time.

Each day a learning objective will be written on the board.  These are the objectives that the unit tests will assess.  It is your responsibility to make sure that you have mastered each of the objectives before the test.  All objectives, lists of assignments (the table of contents for the binder), and many of the handouts and notes from class are available on our Blackboard website at lcc.gennet.us.  Your login and password are preset to "lcc.firstnamelastname" unless you have changed them for another class.  On the Blackboard website you can also find the link and login information for accessing your textbook online.

Understanding biology is a building process.  Each unit we will build on the concepts developed in earlier units to better understand living organisms.  Everything we will learn is connected!  This means that falling behind in biology will severely affect your ability to succeed.  You are responsible for monitoring your own learning and getting help when you need it.