Year 12 Biology 2011 Welcome!

Let’s start with the basics  We have about 4 hours together each week. You should be complementing this with about 2 hours of homework!  You will also have one tutorial per week, which you are expected to attend. Time and day to be announced.

Contacting me  My office is in the Middle Years Bldg (year 7 area). See me most lunch times and after school  You may like to contact me through our website: 12biolcsc.wikispaces.com  If I’m not in my office, feel free to leave me a Post-it or message on my whiteboard.

Resources available  I have some extra books and practise exams available for loan from my office. Most are weekly loans, but some are only for a couple of nights. You will need to sign the books in and out on the sheet in my office  Find your own practise exams: ams.html ams.html

Extra class time  I can usually provide some extra time during the week for students who require it. Just ask!

Things I CAN’T do…  Tell you exactly what will be on the exam  Give you someone else’s results  Give you official Pathways information (see the Pathways office)  Your work for you  Lower your workload  Give you copious amounts of one-on-one time

Some quick classroom rules  Remember: this is your LAST YEAR! You want to do well, and so does everyone else – work to the best of your ability, and allow others to do the same  Behave in a safe manner at all times.  If you don’t know how to use equipment, ask for help  Rudeness is not tolerable. Ever.

The course – how it’s assessed  For Units 3&4 (must be taken together)  Unit 3 SACs: 17% of mark  Unit 3 Exam: 33%  Unit 4 SACs: 17%  Unit 4 Exam: 33%  SACs will be marked in the school by myself and/or Ms Morphy  Exams are marked externally

Unit 3 SACs  Each worth an equal amount: 1.A written report of a practical activity on the movement of substances across the plasma membrane 2.A summary report of a practical activity related to a biochemical process (Excursion, 23 rd March) 3.A summary report on the response of an animal, plant or bacterium to a chemical and/or physical stimulus 4.A presentation about one aspect of the human immune response

The exam tests you on the following:  Knowledge of concepts taught  Ability to understand and apply the scientific method  Use common sense and act sensibly in the lab  Apply understandings in a new context (eg. A species you don’t know)  Analysis of issues relating to technological developments  Analysis and evaluation of the reliability of information  Write and communicate clearly  Use scientific terms and conventions

Test: today  NOT worth stressing about!  Why? I need to know where you’re at so that I can work out where we need to go  Tested on:  Knowledge of the cell  Understanding of water  Signalling and responding  Photosynthesis and cellular respiration  Experimental design  Ability to use reason and logic