BIOLOGY SYLLABUS Mrs. Pfenninger, Welcome to Biology.  Please contact me at spfenninger@gdrsd.org or come see me in my classroom in 207 if you have any questions.   I check my email frequently and am happy to communicate with students and parents via email.  I do not currently have a website, but plan to have one by the end of February.  When it is complete, I will forward the address.  I am available after school most days until 2:30, Tuesdays until 4:00, mornings at 6:45 and other times by appointment.     The text being used is Glencoe Biology:  An Everyday Experience, although I will be using many additional materials.  As Biology has its own language, vocabulary will be stressed in this course.  We will cover the following topics: I       Cells II      Classification III     Body Systems CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS I expect all students to exhibit respect for self, community and education at all times.  The following guidelines will help. Please remove your hat before entering the classroom.  Cell phones are to be turned off.  Music is to be put away.  Eating or drinking is not allowed in the classroom, as doing so would be breaking safety rules in a science lab.   Having one person speak at a time is essential.  Students must be respectful of others when they are speaking and be quiet while they wait for their turn. I expect you in the class before the late bell rings.  If you do not make it to Room 207 before the late bell, you will need a pass. We will work until the bell. All work handed in should be your best work.  Work should be neat and complete.  Class work and homework are graded on a 1-3 point basis.  Being able to communicate effectively is important in science and work will be assessed with emphasis on understanding concepts with attention paid to complete sentences and correct grammar and spelling. I will keep a folder in class for each student’s work in which tests, quizzes and labs will be kept.  We will have occasional check-ins and you may keep track of your grades in your notebook.   I urge you to pay attention to your average as the semester continues so you will always know where you stand in terms of a grade in my class. It is your responsibility to make up any missed work.   Please refer to the Student Handbook for guidelines regarding make up work. NOTEBOOK REQUIREMENTS         Students are required to keep a three-ring notebook in this class.  This notebook will be checked at least once during each unit and this notebook check will count as a quiz grade for the unit.  Sections should be as follows for each unit of the class: Class notes.  Notes should be taken in class daily. Handouts Class work Homework Lab information HOMEWORK         Homework counts for 10% of your grade.  Homework is collected on the date it is due and will not be accepted after that date.  We will discuss a homework rubric to encourage you to do thoughtful work. PLEASE BRING TO CLASS (in addition to the above-mentioned notebook) Calculator.  Texas Instruments TI-83 is recommended, but not required. Pencils and erasers.  Pens may be used for taking notes only.  All work should be done in pencil.   An agenda book for keeping track of assignments.  We recommend the Staples education agenda book that has monthly and weekly pages.  The model number is #721557 and it is available at Staples stores for approximately $17.00.   A USB flash drive.  Recommended size is 2.0 GB which should be sufficient for all academic purposes.  Cost is approximately $15.00. Three-ring paper for taking notes. Graph paper. GRADING     *  Projects and Labs                               35%     *  Tests                                                   35%     *  Quizzes                                                 20%     *     Homework                                     10%