HONORS BIOLOGY

COURSE DESCRIPTION Biology is designed to give students a concise and thorough understanding of living things and how they interact in their environment. Presentations will be created using MS PowerPoint, create data tables and graphs in MS Excel, and type lab reports in MS Word.

IL State Goals The students will understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments and solve problems. The students will understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences. The students will understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.

Goals and Expectations in Biology: Come to class EVERYDAY, ON TIME prepared to work. Act your age (no horseplay, grabbing pencils, name calling, etc…) Complete ALL assignments, stay on task! Participate in class regularly. Don’t just do the minimum requirement, push yourself! Study daily (vocab flashcards, pre-read sections, review notes, outline sections, etc…)

HONORS HOMEWORK POLICY Most assignments are due in class the next day. “Personalized” assignments, like lab reports, science in the news, science reports, have an electronic deadline extension of that day’s end (11:59pm). Excuses like “I left it at home, it’s in the locker, or in another classroom” are late. This includes a printer not working, is down, I ed it but it didn’t go through, etc… –If the work is reviewed that day in class, it’s worth 50% credit. –If the work is just collected and graded, there’s a 10% fine per day until the work is returned. –Work will NOT be accepted more than three days past the due date.

ABSENTEE POLICY Your student should RETURN from the absence with a note from doctor, dentist or home and submit it to Office A to receive the form. He/she will have 3 days to make-up the work. Remember, the assignments are posted online daily. Only 9 excused absences are allowed per school year….. Until JUNE! –This is State of IL law –Students are NOT qualified to teach themselves the material and completing worksheets and answering questions is not the same as being in class and receiving the presentation.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES Qualifications for this category: –Returning w/out excused note –Cutting class –ANY non-emergency absence over the allowed 9 (not recommended to miss 9 days) Zero credit is given for missed assignments. The student has ONE WEEK to bring in excused documentation after the unexcused event.

Class Activities:  Labs & Reports  Notes (kept in 3-ring binder)  Participation and Bellringer  Group Activities  Graphic Organizers  Science In the News Reports  Cross-curricular projects  SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT (starting next week!)

Honors Grading Scale: A = 100 – 95 B = C = D = F = below 64