BIOLOGY COURSE GUIDELINES
Ms. Galdes
Contact Information:
Email: kgaldes@houstonisd.org. Room: E-226
Dear Parents and Student,
Welcome to Pre-AP biology! Students who work hard and participate with a positive attitude
should have a great experience in this class.
Major Topics:
Cell Biology
Biochemistry
Microbiology
Biotechnology
Genetics
DNA/RNA
Taxonomy
Plants
Ecology
Human Body Systems
Evolution
Homeostasis
Classroom Rules and Requirements:
1) Be prepared and punctual.
2) Be courteous and respectful.
3) Be honest.
4) Participate, No-Opt Out.
Consequences:
1) Warning.
2) Student/Teacher conference.
3) Classroom detention.
4) Parent contact.
5) Discipline referral.
6) Student/Parent/Teacher conference.
Grading Policy:
Major Grades: 60%- tests, projects, and labs
Daily Grades: 40%- quizzes, homework, and
class work.
Supplies:
 1 ½ -inch 3-ring binder with clear plastic
cover and dividers
 8½ x 11 inch notebook paper
 pencil and blue or black pen
 Modern Biology textbook (Owl on cover)
 Colored Paper
 5 Glue Sticks
 Scissors
 Latex (or non-latex) Gloves
 2 Rolls paper towels
 1 box tissue
 One box thin markers
 Liquid soap
 Clorox wipes
Quizzes may or may not be announced.
Exam Days:
Mondays and Wednesdays/Thursdays.
Bring all required materials by Tuesday, September 2. We will assemble
notebooks during class.
Textbooks will be needed immediately (prior to September 2).
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Important Topics
Warm-ups:
Warm-ups are daily assignments. When you enter the classroom, you will immediately begin
working on the warm-up activity. There are three pieces of information that should be recorded in
your warm-up each day:
(1) date (e.g. 8/26/14)
(2) warm-up question
(3) answer
If you miss a warm-up, you are responsible for getting the warm-up from another student. You will
have pop quizzes over information from the warm-ups.
Agenda:
You are required to bring your binder to class every day. Upcoming assignments will be posted.
After completing your warm-up, you should enter your assignments into the Agenda section of your
notebook. This can count toward your daily grades. Instructions given in class take priority over
lesson plans posted online: don't rely on online assignments.
Labs:
Participating in lab activities is a privilege. All students will be briefed on lab and classroom
safety, and both parents and student must sign a Safety Contract before the first lab. Cleanliness is
essential in a lab setting and will be included as part of your grade.
Absences:
If you must be absent, please notify me at the earliest possible time to receive your assignments
ahead of time. If your absence was not anticipated, it is your responsibility to gather the
assignments that you missed. Additionally, I keep a copy of every handout that was given in class
for one week only. The handouts can be found near the classroom door in the appropriately labeled
folder. You should check the folder for missed handouts when you return to class. I will not remind
you of missed assignments. You will have three weekdays to complete your missed assignments. If
you miss an exam, be prepared to take it when you return to class. Keep in mind that the format of
the re-test is at my discretion.
Missed assignments should be obtained outside of class hours only.
Re-takes:
Refer to school policy for re-takes. Please do not ask me about a re-take during class.
Important points of re-takes
 Students are required to retake any assessment they scored below a 75% on.
 No re-takes will be given the last week of the grading cycle.
 In order to qualify for a re-take, students must complete the following:
1.
Provide a parent signature on the re-take document.
2.
Write a 1 paragraph reflection to Ms. Galdes explaining the following:
a. Explanation of the original performance score.
b. How you plan to improve your score.
3.
Attend at least 1 tutorial (Student must bring the re-take document)
4.
Schedule a time with Ms. Galdes to complete the re-take.
5. Numbers 1 through 4 must occur within seven days of original exam.
 All retakes are at the teacher discretion.
 A re-take may not be taken on the same day as a tutorial.
 Projects and Labs are not eligible for retakes.
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Late Work:
Classroom assignments and homework are expected to be completed on time. Additionally, you
have received two homework passes. Please use them wisely. Late assignments will not be
accepted.
Academic Integrity:
I take cheating very seriously. I have complete trust and faith in my students until that trust is
broken. If you are caught cheating, you will face the full consequences of your actions as outlined
in the Westside Way. In addition to disciplinary action, you will receive a zero on the assignment.
Detention:
If you fail to follow these procedures or are disrupting the classroom environment, you will be
given a personal detention with me. You will be required to spend 20 minutes during lunch
cleaning up the classroom, lab stations, or lab equipment. You will have one week to serve your
detention. Failing to serve detention will result in referral to your dean. In high school classes, it
falls to the student to inform the parent of a detention.
PROCEDURES:
1) Immediately begin working on the warm-up activity. You begin class when you walk through
the door.
2) After finishing the warm-up, record objectives, any homework assignments or upcoming tests
into the agenda section of your binder.
3) Hall passes: Only one person may be out of the classroom at a time
4) You will be expected to actively participate in all tasks and discussions in the classroom. This
means asking questions, contributing answers, and playing an active role in lab activities.
5) You should always bring the appropriate materials to class. Every day, you will need your
binder/notebook, paper, and a pen/pencil.
6) The bell does not dismiss you, I do. Please never line up at the door unless instructed to do so.
7) Keep your desk, lab station and surrounding areas clean. Desks should be kept free of writing
and trash. Please be sure to keep the sinks free from litter. All individuals at a particular lab station
will be penalized for a lab station that is not clean at the end of class.
8) Students will be required to learn safety rules and sign a safety contract. Students should follow
safety rules at all times. Failure to comply with safety rules will result in a zero for the lab grade
and a “P” in conduct.
9) All work that is to be turned in must be legible. If I can not read your work, I cannot grade it.
10) If there is something about you that I should know (e.g. poor vision) please tell me ASAP, so
that I can accommodate your needs.
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11) Electronics may not be used in class unless instructed to do so by the teacher. No electronics
should be visible unless it is being used at those times when the teacher has instructed the student or
students to use such devices.
Parents:
You play a crucial role in your child’s education. I ask you to participate in your child’s learning by
checking grades on Gradespeed (instructions can be found at www.houstonisd.org), encouraging
your child and requiring them to attend tutorials if necessary. The easiest way to communicate with
me is by e-mail. Additionally, you can access my lesson plans via the WHS website:
www.westsidewolves.org
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COURSE GUIDELINES CONTRACT
BIOLOGY
STUDENTS
I have carefully read and understand these rules, procedures and guidelines for Ms. Galdes’ class. I
will honor them at all times.
____________________________
Student Name
_______________________________
Student Signature
_________
Date
PARENTS
I have carefully read and discussed these guidelines with my child. I understand them and support
them. (Please write your email address legibly. I will never send out information that does not
directly pertain to my class.)
____________________________
Parent Name
(____)________________
Daytime Phone Number
_______________________________
Parent Signature
_________
Date
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Parent E-mail Address
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