Grade 10 Biology Course Syllabus
Grade 10 Biology
2011 to 2012
Aurora Mboya
Science Department aumboya@tac.k12.tr
BIOLOGY SYLLABUS
TAC Mission
The mission of SEV/ABH Schools is to contribute to the growth of individuals who combine self-confidence with a firm sense of personal, social, and environmental responsibility. We aim to enable our students to be strong bilinguals in English and Turkish, well-educated adults, lifelong learners, and efficient communicators, who have developed skills, accountability, and attitudes for leading a fulfilling life and for serving their country and humanity.
Science Department Mission
The mission of Science Department is to contribute to the growth of individuals who combine self-confidence with a firm sense of personal, social, and environmental responsibility. Through the student-centered and highly personalized classes, the Science Department helps prepare students for their university studies by providing them with access to an in-depth, challenging, and thought-provoking approach to the theories and practices of
Science. The courses offered in the Science Department provide students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The program offers students a thorough preparation for the national and international exams they will take prior to graduation; in addition, through their Science classes students will learn the critical thinking skills and laboratory techniques they will need to be successful in their university Science classes.
Teachers in the Science Department structure their classes to enable students to be strong bilinguals in English and Turkish, well-educated adults, lifelong learners, and efficient communicators who have developed the skills, accountability, and attitudes necessary for leading a fulfilling life and for serving their country and humanity.
These approaches have been developed in order to support the school mission and the IB learner profile in every grade of the school. In addition to their academic goals, teachers in the Science Department aim to develop internationally-minded young adults who, by recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
Course Biology
Grade 10
Hours Per Week
Language of
Instruction
Textbook(s)
Course Description
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English
IB Biology Course Companion (Oxford University Press)
In 10th Grade Biology, students build upon their knowledge from 9 th
grade biology in order to increase their understanding of, ability in, and value for biological literacy. This is done by
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Grade 10 Biology Course Syllabus studying several important biological processes and cycles, as well as by exploring the interactions between humans and various ecosystems.
Students begin Grade 10 Biology by examining, comparing, and contrasting the importance and mechanisms of energy transformations in living things; the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis, in particular, are studied to demonstrate the flow of energy between abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem. Students develop their understanding of cell growth and division by studying the phases of mitosis and meiosis; these processes of cell division are then related to growth of an organism and asexual and sexual reproduction. The year ends by studying and making connections between the concepts of habitat, population, species and ecosystem; ecosystems and sustainability are studied more in depth as students investigate energy flow and several biogeochemical cycles.
Possible Experiments and Projects
Experiments

Enzyme Lab

Measuring Aerobic Cellular Respiration in Germinating Seeds

Measuring Anaerobic Cellular Respiration in Yeast

Measuring the Rate of Photosynthesis

Viewing the Cell Cycle: Using a Microscope to Examine Onion Root Tips
Projects

Cell City Poster

Transforming Energy in Your Body: Workout Video and High Energy Food

Biofuels Project

The Cell Cycle and Cancer: Mitosis Gone Wrong

Environmental Awareness Brochure
IB Companion Guide, D Mindorff
Each student must attend class with own stationery including:

Textbook;

Notebook and/or Loose-leaf paper

Pen (blue or black)

Pencil and eraser

Colored Pencils or Pens

A folder, file, or binder
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Homework
Scoring Rubrics
Late Assignments
Grade 10 Biology Course Syllabus
Assessment Practices
Number of Written
Exams per Semester
All courses in the Science department follow the same practices for administering written exams, assessing Oral Grades, and calculating semester grades. Semester grades are determined by averaging the Written Exam average with the Oral Grade average; in addition, if a student completes a Term Homework assignment in a
Science class, that grade is included in the Semester 2 grade for the corresponding class.
1 Exam for courses meeting 1 hour per week
2 Exams for courses meeting 2 hours per week
3 Exams for courses meeting 3 or more hours per week
Length and Format of
Exams
The length and general format of the written exams is consistent between all courses and all grades. As such, all written exams

Can be completed in one class hour

Contain questions and sub-questions that may be multiple choice and/or open response, including graphing, performing calculations, and/or writing explanations
 Assess students’ ability to recall, apply, and evaluate key topics from the unit

Indicate areas in need of further enrichment or additional practice
Calculating Exam Grades Written Exams are graded out of 100 points. Partial points may or may not be awarded for open response questions. Each of the exams has equal weight, and all exam grades are averaged with the Oral Grades at the end of each semester.
Number and Categories of Oral Grades
There will be 2 Oral Grades per semester. Oral Grades are calculated as an average of four categories*: 1) Quizzes, 2) Application and Skills, 3) Independent Projects and Homework, and 4) Classwork. * Read descriptions of Oral Grade Categories below.
Calculating Oral Grades To evaluate student work on projects and lab reports, teachers use a common rubric template, which can be modified for the specifications of each project and lab report. Teachers also use a common checklist in order to evaluate and quantify student participation and use of English in class.
Students’ semester grades are calculated by an average of the Exams and Oral
Grade for each semester.
Calculating Semester
Grades
Cheating: Copying and
Plagiarism
Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated in the science department! If you are found to plagiarize, cheat, copy or “borrow” any work (including homework) in a science class, you and the person with whom you are cheating will receive a zero for the assignment, and your parents and other teachers (if work was from another class) will then be notified. If you are found cheating during an exam, your exam paper will be taken, you will receive a zero for the exam, and administration will be notified.
Number of Experiments At least two laboratory experiments, lab reports, and practicals are given each semester, although additional lab work may be given according to the grade, unit, and topics.
Number of Projects At least one project is assigned each semester, although additional projects may be assigned according to the grade, unit, and topic.
Number of Quizzes At least 2 quizzes for 2-hour courses and 3 quizzes for 3+ hour courses are given each semester, although additional quizzes may be given according to the unit and teacher preferences. Quizzes may be announced or unannounced.
Homework is assigned regularly, and is collected and graded several times during the semester according to the teacher’s discretion and in consideration of each grade, unit, and topic.
All Science Department Teachers will use a common template for scoring Lab
Reports, Projects, and Term Homework Projects
Assignments are accepted at the beginning of class . Late assignments are not accepted later in the day they were due—late assignments are accepted the next day with a deduction of 20%
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Grade 10 Biology Course Syllabus
Make-up Quizzes No make-up quizzes.
Make-up Exams
Use of English
Term Homework
According to the school policy (with doctor’s report and within one week of the original exam date). STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTACTING
THEIR TEACHER AND ARRANGING A MAKE-UP EXAM. Make-up exams are given after school .
Prep through Grade 10 - English is the language of instruction for all class hours.
Grade 11 - One pre-established hour of class is reserved for instruction in Turkish; all other instruction hours are in English. Grade 12 - Turkish is the language of instruction, though some notes, texts, or questions may be in English.
Students doing their Term Homework project may choose between a) conducting and experiment and writing a lab report, OR b) researching a scientific topic, writing a report, and making a presentation. Top projects may earn the opportunity to participate in the Science Fair.
Exam Grades
Oral Grades
The average of the 3 exams during the semester
The average of all Oral Grade Assignments
Quizzes An average of your results on quizzes
Application and Skills
Independent Projects and
Homework
Your completion of lab practicals/investigations and lab reports,
Your completion of projects, presentations, and homework assignments
Classwork Any work you do in class, such as taking notes, group work, and individual assignments as well as your attendance in class; level of engagement, participation, and use of
English in the lesson according to the policies of the school and department
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