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Course: Honors Biology

Instructor: Dr. Robert Pohlman (http://users.rcn.com/rpohlman/)

Description: Honors Biology is an intensive college preparatory course emphasizing biological principles, concepts and processes. Biology, the science of life, is presented as a web of overlapping concepts concerning the functioning of living things, the relationships among living things, their interactions with other living things, and their interactions with the environment. Biology is presented as being organized around three great themes: The Cell Theory, DNA and Evolution. A comprehensive understanding of biology is presented within the context of the biological, physical and chemical laws of nature. The Honors Biology curriculum prepares students to take the Advanced Placement Biology test. Students in this class are strongly encouraged to take the AP Biology Test.

Objectives: The overall objectives of this course are:

• to gain knowledge of the facts, principles and processes of biology;

• to develop an understanding of the means by which biological information is collected, how it is interpreted, and how one formulates hypotheses from available data and makes predictions;

• to nurture an understanding that science is a human endeavor with social consequences;

• to give students an idea of the evidence upon which our current understanding of biology is based;

• to have students appreciate the questions in biology that are still not answered, and give them some idea of how these questions will be approached in the coming century;

• to present the basic principles of biology as an intellectual discipline and to achieve an appreciation of biology as a creative pursuit of human knowledge;

• to develop facility in critical thinking;

• to develop scientifically literate citizens through an understanding of the methods of science and the role of biology in society and everyday life; and

• to stimulate interest in biology, and to provide adequate preparation for further scientific studies.

Text: Biology, Fourth Edition

By Neil Campbell

Notebook: You are required to keep a notebook throughout the year. It is recommended that it be loose-leaf, complete with a supply of paper and a set of tabs. Your notebook needs to be large enough to hold work from an entire semester. There should be one tab for each unit. The tab should include all work for that unit, including class notes, photocopied handouts and all laboratory reports and homework assignments for the unit.

Grading: Each student will receive a term grade based on the quality of his or her work according to the following guidelines, here ranked in order of importance.

Tests

Projects and Laboratory Work

Homework, class work, quizzes and class participation

The work will be weighted approximately as follows:

Tests and Quizzes 60%

Projects and Laboratories 25%

Homework, class work, and class participation 15%

At the end of the academic year, a final examination will be administered. The final examination will count for up to 10% of the final grade. Your research project will count for 10% of your final grade for the year.

Tests will be given at the end of each unit and will be announced well in advance. They will take a full class period. You can expect at least three tests per term.

Independent projects may be assigned in any term. This grade will count as a test grade unless otherwise announced.

Laboratory reports and homework will be assigned regularly and will count in the term grade as indicated.

The underlying philosophy behind this grading policy is that the more you study, the better you will do. If you are not happy with your grade, spend more time on your homework, do it more carefully, and come for extra help. You are encouraged to work in study groups with other students. Practice explaining things to each other. However, all work you turn in must be entirely your own.

Homework: Homework is an important extension of activities in the class. It will enrich class experiences and promote a permanent interest in learning. There is simply too much material covered in this class to master without extensive preparation outside of class. A secondary goal of homework is to stimulate individual initiative, personal responsibility and self direction. Homework is a learning tool, not a disciplinary strategy. You are responsible for understanding and recording the directions for homework; following a schedule and keeping materials in order; handing in neat, accurate and meaningful products on time; and planning time for the completion of long-term assignments. Homework will be assigned with each unit of the course. A random sample of items from each homework assignment will be graded. One point will be taken off your quarter grade for each missing homework assignment.

Laboratory: This class offers a rich laboratory experience. There will be a double period lab every week, and each laboratory will have many activities. In order to use your time efficiently, it is essential that you read the laboratory assignment before you come to class. Each student is required to submit a completed laboratory report for each formal laboratory.

The laboratory reports should include the following sections: Title, Abstract, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Bibliography and Appendices (as needed).

I am especially interested in an excellent presentation of your data (graphs, data tables, charts etc.) and discussion of your results. Although you may work with assigned partner(s) to discuss and question outcomes, work on solutions and share data, you are to turn in an individual report for each laboratory.

NOTE: In addition to formal laboratories, you will perform activities that require a less-rigorous report format. You will be instructed of the nature of these reports when they are assigned.

Research: Involvement in scientific research is of value for future scientist and nonscientist alike. In an increasingly technological world, we need more and better scientists and we need a scientifically literate public. Thus, scientific research takes on an even greater importance today than it has in the past. Participation in the Lexington High School Science Fair is strongly encouraged for this course.

Each student is required to complete an original research project. Details will be available early in the year. It is important to select a topic as soon as possible if you have not already done so. Please see me early in the first quarter to discuss what your project will be and how you will go about performing your experiment. The sooner you get started the less hurried and more rewarding your experience will be. You will be required to have a topic by the end of the first quarter, and there will be periodic deadlines to meet until the science fair itself.

GENERAL STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

Attendance: Science courses are activity-oriented such that frequent absence for any reason diminishes the chances of successfully completing the course. Class activities and discussions can never be fully reconstructed in one-to-one help sessions. Therefore, your presence in class every day is very important. It may be inappropriate for a student to continue in science if he or she cannot attend class regularly. Attendance requirements described in the Lexington High School Student/Parent Handbook will be applied.

Preparation: You are expected to be in the classroom, seated and ready to begin work, when the bell rings. You are expected to report to class each day with your notebook, a pen and pencil, and other necessary materials. Because your textbook is very heavy, I will try to work out a system that does not require you to carry it to school every day, but there may be days where it is required to bring it to class.

NOTE: If you are absent the day before a scheduled test and return to school on the day of the test, you are expected to take the test with your class. If you are absent on the day of the test, you are expected to take the test after school on the day you return to school. There will be no make-up opportunity for those students who deliberately cut a test.

Make Up: Make-up tests may be more difficult and/or longer than the regular tests.

For a planned absence, advise me in advance and check on the work to be missed ahead of time.

Behavior: You are expected to behave in a dignified manner at all times. During both classroom work and laboratory sessions there will be much lively discussion and small group work. You are expected to be courteous to everyone in the classroom and to cooperate by being respectful and paying attention.

NOTE: Safety in the classroom and laboratory is of paramount importance. You are expected to adhere to the safety regulations that you are given, and to the special precautions noted for specific experiments. You will be banned from a laboratory session and may receive a zero grade for that session, for any deliberate violation of the safety rules. Repeated violations will be cause for expulsion from the course; safety violations by one student may make the laboratory unsafe for all.

Plagiarism: All work you submit must be your own. Copying another's work or allowing another to copy your work will be considered cheating. Knowingly quoting directly from a source without giving credit to the source is considered plagiarism. Students who have plagiarized or cheated on any assignment, quiz, test or exam will receive a zero for that assignment, quiz, test or exam. Other actions, as outlined in the Lexington High School Student/Parent Handbook may be applied.

Assistance: I am available most days during posted free periods and after school to give extra help, and for consultation about science fair projects. While drop-in visits are welcome, making an appointment will insure my availability. I will try to accommodate you whenever possible.

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