Course Description Biology and Pre-AP Biology John C. Kimball High School Course Syllabus Ms. Phommachaly Biology is the study of living things. This lab-based course investigates aspects of living organisms, including the following topics: cell structure and function, ecology, molecular biology, evolution, human body systems and genetics. Students will be expected to take the state content examinations in biology. This course meets all California State Standards in Biology. UC and CSU accreditation: The University of California and the California State University systems have approved this course as a college-preparatory lab science course. It partially fulfills UC and CSU admission requirement D as a biology lab science. Classroom Rules and Expectations 1. Be prompt. 2. Be prepared. 3. Be productive. 4. Be polite. 5. No electronics, sunglasses, hats, gum, food or drinks in the classroom. In addition to these specific class rules, students are expected to know and abide by Kimball High School and Tracy Unified School District rules. These rules and policies can be found in your Kimball High School Student Handbook. Classroom Rules In Detail 1. Progress reports, attendance reports, grade checks for sports, etc. must be submitted before class and picked up after class. 2. Neatness and legibility: if your work cannot be easily read, then it is marked wrong. 3. Pay Attention: a student cannot learn if a student is not paying attention. 4. The teacher s desk, computer, and storage room are off limits to all students. 5. When the bell rings, be in your seat and ready to work or you are late. 6. Sit only in your assigned seat or you will be marked absent. 7. Come to class with #2 pencils, pens, paper, and any other needed materials. 8. Sunglasses and hats are not to be worn in class. 9. Do not talk or pass notes in class. 10. Do not create dangerous situations: throwing things, rough play, unauthorized experiments are just a few examples of dangerous behavior. 11. When moving from the regular classroom to another room, go directly there with the class. Make no unauthorized stops, do not lag behind, and do not stop to visit. 12. Grooming (combing hair, applying make up, etc.) is not to be done during class. 13. All business that is not class business is to be conducted outside of class. 14. Students are supposed to use the restrooms between classes. Do your personal hygiene on your time. Hall passes will not be issued without RR ticket fees. 15. Do not drop trash on the floor, use the waste baskets. Be respectful of our classroom. 16. Your first & last name, period, date, and title must be neatly printed in standard block letters on all papers you turn in or a 0 grade will be given for that assignment. 17. Do not staple together multiple assignments. Do staple together the pages of a single assignment. Stapled multiple assignments will receive a 0 grade. 18. Assignments are due when collected. After collection, the work is late. 19. Homework for other classes that is out in class will be taken and kept. Focus on science class. 20. The teacher, not the bell, dismisses the class at the end of the period. If you break a rule Minor disruptions can result in any of the following: a verbal warning, a seat change, and/or sentences. If the disruption recurs, the behavior may require a parent conference and/or a referral to an assistant principal.
Serious disruptions, especially those which jeopardize your safety or the safety of others or which demonstrate a gross disrespect for others may result in immediate referral to an assistant principal and a parent conference. Tardy Policy A tardy is defined as not being in your assigned seat, ready to work, when the bell rings (KHS Student Handbook). If you are tardy, wait inside the door until you are told to be seated. Sign the tardy sheet so you will not be marked absent. Walking in late disrupts ongoing class business and the learning environment. The consequences for being late to class depend on the number of times you have been late in the current semester: 1 st Tardy: No penalty. 2 nd Tardy: Sentences assigned. 3 rd and 4 th Tardy: One 20 minute detention. 5 th and 6 th Tardy: Assigned Saturday School. 7 th Tardy: Referral to Assistant Principal Academic Dishonesty All students are expected to do their own work. Cheating and plagiarism (copying someone else s work, even homework) will not be tolerated. The consequences for academic dishonesty are a 0 score on the test or assignment, parent contact, and a possible referral. Materials and Supplies Needed There are certain materials and supplies that you will need to bring with you to class every day. Not having the required materials may result in your not being able to complete class activities and may adversely affect your grade. Materials which you should bring each day include: Your required textbook A three-ring binder containing all of the graded and ungraded work from the current unit. This binder may be used for other classes, but there should be a distinct section for your biology work. A composition notebook dedicated only to your biology class (your Biology Notebook ) Blank paper (lined and unlined paper) A regular pen (black or blue ink only) and #2 pencil A set of colored pencils, markers, or crayons Textbook and Class Materials Policy At the beginning of the school year, you will be issued 1 textbook for this class from the Kimball High School library. You should cover this textbook. While in your care, you are responsible for this textbook and will be assessed a fine for any damage the textbook sustains during the school year. During the course of the year, you will also borrow and use a variety of materials in the class. These materials include, but are not limited to, your student desk, laboratory supplies and equipment, in-class computer equipment, books, resource materials, and art supplies. You are responsible for taking proper care of these materials while they are in your care. Please inspect your student desk and all materials you borrow in class at the beginning of each class period and report any new damage to Ms. Phommachaly immediately. You will be held financially responsible for any damage not reported at the beginning of class. Grading Policy Quarter grades are assigned based on a total points system. Each assignment during the quarter is worth a particular number of points. At the end of the quarter, the points you earned are totaled and divided by the maximum number of points possible. This percentage determines your letter grade. Biology and Pre-AP Biology class: Semester grades are based on a weighted average of the two quarter grades (worth 40% each) and the mid-term or final exam (worth 20%). 1. Grades: A+ 97-100% B+ 87-89% C+ 77-79% D+ 67-69% F 0-59% A 94-96% B 84-86% C 74-76% D 64-66% A- 90-93% B- 80-83% C- 70-73% D- 60-63%
2. All work is graded. You must do all the work in order to pass the class. 3. It is the student s responsibility to get make-up work for absences. 4. The student has ONE day to make up work for every day of excused absence. 5. The student has 1 week to make up tests and quizzes. A test or quiz which is not made up during this time will receive a score of 0. 6. ABSOLUTELY NO LATE WORK/PROJECT ACCEPTED! Homework Policy Homework is an essential part of a student s academic achievement. Homework is designed to reinforce academic skills taught and to help students become lifelong learners. You can expect short homework assignments in this class most nights. Your success is the class depends in large part on your dedication to completing these assignments regularly and thoughtfully. You should review course materials at home to reinforce classroom learning. TUSD Board of Education Policy 6154 states that, per night, 9-12 students will typically average two hours of homework. 9-12 students may be given limited homework on holidays and weekends to meet course objectives and acquisitions of skills. Make-Up Make-up work will not be accepted for a grade from students who were absent due to truancy or at-home suspension. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Suspension to the Support Room is not considered an absence for the purposes of make-up work. Therefore, students who miss class because they were in Support Room may get the work they missed from Ms. Phommachaly and turn in assignments that are due but do not get an extension on any work. It is the student s responsibility to contact Ms. Phommachaly during the school day or after school to turn in work and get the day s assignments. Late make-up work will not be accepted. Planned and Unplanned Absences It is the student s responsibility to have the previous work ready to turn in upon his/her return from an excused absence. Whenever you know in advance that you will be absent for a school activity, it is your responsibility to see Ms. Phommachaly ahead of time to get the assignments you will miss. You will be expected to have the assignments completed and ready-to-turn-in upon your return. Textbook and Course Outline Biology: The text used for this course is Biology published by Prentice Hall, Miller and Levine. Pre-AP Biology: The text used for this course is Essential Biology published by Campbell, Reece, and Simon. Topics covered during the year include introductory treatments of the scientific method, molecular and cellular biology, cellular processes, molecular genetics, heredity, evolution, ecology, and human physiology. Like all academic courses at Kimball High School, Biology/Pre-AP Biology is a standards-based course. The following California State Content Standards are a primary focus of this class. 1. Cell biology: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism s cells. (10 standards) 2. Genetics: Mutation and sexual reproduction lead to genetic variation in a population. (7 standards) 3. Genetics: A multicellular organism develops from a single zygote, and its phenotype depends on its genotype, which is established at fertilization. (4 standards) 4. Genetics: Genes are a set of instructions encoded in the DNA sequence of each organism that specify the sequence of amino acids in proteins characteristic of that organism. (6 standards) 5. Genetics: The genetic composition of cells can be altered by incorporation of exogenous DNA into the cells. (5 standards) 6. Ecology: Stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects. (7 standards) 7. Evolution: The frequency of an allele in a gene pool of a population depends on many factors and may be stable or unstable over time. (6 standards) 8. Evolution: Evolution is the result of genetic changes that occur in constantly changing environments. (7 standards) 9. Physiology: As a result of the coordinated structures and functions of organ systems, the internal environment of the human body remains relatively stable (homeostatic) despite changes in the outside environment. (9 standards) 10. Physiology: Organisms have a variety of mechanisms to combat disease. (6 standards)
How to Contact Ms. Phommachaly I am available for additional help or consultation most days by prior arrangement before and after school. If a parent wishes to contact me regarding their child s performance, progress or behavior in my class, feel free to contact me by email at kphommachaly@tusd.net. Laboratory Safety It is extremely important that you keep safety in mind at all times while in the lab. See the attached Laboratory Safety Contract for specific guidelines. Students who do not adhere to proper safety procedures may be disallowed from participating in future lab activities. Students will be fined for damage or breakage caused by failure to follow proper procedures. Laboratory Rules 1. Follow all directions carefully. 2. Do not play with the equipment, chemicals, or fire. 3. Do not perform unauthorized experiments. 4. Any cuts or injuries must be reported immediately to the teacher. 5. ALL STUDENTS MUST WEAR THE DESIGNATED SAFETY EQUIPMENT from the time they are instructed to do so until they are instructed to remove it. There are no exceptions. 6. No dangerous acts, even if done in play, will be tolerated. 7. Students breaking the safety rules will be removed from the class (sent to Support Room) with no prior warning and given a 0 grade for the lab activity. Signature Form Ms. Phommachaly Student Agreement: I have read and agree to abide by the behavior, grading and safety rules given in the syllabus and the Lab Safety Contract. I also agree to take reasonable care of all laboratory equipment, and I will pay for or replace any equipment that is damaged due to my negligence or misconduct. Student Signature Printed Student Name Date Parent/Guardian Agreement: I am aware of Ms. Phommachaly s rules and policies as contained in this syllabus and I will support my child in adhering to them. Parent/Guardian Signature Printed Parent/Guardian Name Date Daytime phone: Evening phone: Please use the space below for any comments to Ms. Phommachaly:
Laboratory Safety In order to make the laboratory a place of learning and discovery, it must be a safe place in which to work. Safety is everyone s responsibility. If you have any questions about safety or about laboratory procedures, be sure to ask Ms. Phommachaly. Electrical Safety Chemical Safety Caustic Substances Eye Safety Fire Safety Glassware Safety Hand Safety Hygienic Care Proper Waste Disposal and Clean-up General Laboratory Behavior Never overload an electric circuit. Make sure all electrical equipment is properly grounded. Keep electrical cords away from areas where someone may trip on the cords or where the cores can tip over laboratory equipment. Never unplug equipment by pulling on the cord. Before leaving the laboratory, be sure all electrical equipment is turned off and unplugged. Never taste any substance in the laboratory. Do not eat or drink from laboratory glassware. Do not eat or drink in the lab. Properly label all bottles and test tubes containing chemicals. Never return unused chemicals to the original container. Alert your teacher to any chemical spills. Do not let acids and bases touch your skin or clothing. If a substance gets on your skin, rinse immediately with cool water and alert your teacher. If acids spill down the front of you, you must rinse in a full shower wash. Know where the emergency show is! Wear your laboratory apron to protect your clothing. When shaking or heating a test tube containing chemicals, always point the test tube away from yourself and others. Wear approved safety goggles in the laboratory when using chemicals of any kind, fire or when participating in a dissection. Know where the emergency eye wash station is in the lab. Know where the fire extinguishers and fire blankets are in the lab. Tie back long hair and confine loose clothing. Never reach across an open flame. Check the condition of glassware before and after using it. Inform your teacher about any broken, chipped, or cracked glassware. Air-dry glassware; do not dry by toweling. Do not use glassware that is not completely dry. Do not pick up broken glass with your bare hands. Never place glassware near edges of your work surface. Use tongs when heating test tubes. Never hold test tubes in your hand while heating them. Always allow heated materials, including glassware, to cool before handling them. Extreme care should be taken when handling sharp instruments such as pins and scalpels. Always wash your hands after the lab. Keep your hands away from your face and mouth. Tie long hair back away from your face. Use correct sterile techniques when transferring bacteria or other microorganism from one culture to another or to a microscope slide. Do not open a Petri dish to observe or to count bacterial or fungal colonies inside. Clean up the laboratory after you are finished; dispose of paper toweling, etc. in its proper place. (Not the sink!) Follow your teacher s directions regarding proper procedures for waste disposal, especially for chemical disposal and microbial disposal. Clean all work spaces with Lysol spray or bleach. Horseplay is not allowed. Instructions must be followed. Work only in the assigned lab groups. No switching lab groups without advance approval. Do not sit, stand or lay on the tables. Lab tables must be cleaned and left in an orderly manner. These lab safety rules are a part of your course syllabus. If you violate these rules, you will be subject to disciplinary procedures including, but not limited to, the loss of your laboratory privileges. Also be aware that you will be fined if equipment is broken or damaged through your negligence or misconduct.