Biology Syllabus
Coach Shelton
2020-2021
Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men
bshelto3@houstonisd.org
Topic Outline
UNIT 1 Cells
UNIT 2 Genetics
UNIT 3 Evolution
UNIT 4 Ecology
UNIT 5 Systems
UNIT 6 STAAR Review
Student Expectations
Students are expected to –
Be responsible for their own learning and assignments. Come to class prepared, having
completed the required homework/reading assignments. Contribute to the classroom
community and school community. Follow the Student Code of Conduct. Be respectful to
everyone, their opinions, and their property. Arrive to class on time and attend class every day.
Regularly check Microsoft Teams for assignments and communications.
Grading
GRADES
GPA
90 – 100
A
4 points
80 – 89
B
3 points
75 – 79
C
2 points
70 – 74
D
1 point
69 or below
F
0 points
30%
Tests, Labs, Projects
30%
Homework and Classwork
20%
Quizzes
20%
Warm Ups
Distance Learning
2020 has been a year truly unlike any other, and so will the 2020-2021 school year. Here is
some information to help clear things up:
Patience is a constant practice. Teachers, students, and parents will all need to be
patient and understanding with each other. We all are dealing with stress and hurdles we have
not dealt with before, and we are all learning new things. Communication is key to your
student’s success. Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.
The schedule includes “synchronous” times, where we will meet live, in real time, via Microsoft
Teams. There are also “asynchronous” times, where students will not have to be in a meeting
and can work on their own or with small groups. I understand that family circumstances may
have changed since March 2020. Due to this, each synchronous class on Microsoft Teams will
be recorded and be available to the students in that class at a time that is more convenient for
them, if needed. All the work, material, and meetings for this class will be on Microsoft Teams
and on the HUB.
Tardy and Absent Policy
Refer to the Student Handbook for specifics regarding tardies and absences. All lessons are
posted in Teams and the HUB, and students are responsible for obtaining their make-up work.
Students are encouraged to discuss absences with me.
Supplies
All of the following are optional, and if/when we return to the physical classroom they will
remain individually owned supplies. If you already own the supplies, do not worry about
purchasing anything additional.
•
Headphones
•
Printer Paper (for drawing, notes)
•
Colored Pencils
Office Hours & Tutorials
To get your questions, comments, and/or concerns addressed most timely, e-mail is the best
way to contact me. My office hours are 12:05-12:50pm Monday – Thursday. Tutorials will
happen as needed during the day, during the scheduled asynchronous time.
Internet Etiquette/Participation Points
Class Norms for Distance Learning will be collaboratively created during the first day of school.
Students will need to stick to the norms they created for class or their grade will be affected.
Internet Etiquette grades will begin as a free 100 and points will be deducted due to
inappropriate behavior.
Retesting
If a student fails a test, they will be able to retest after they have attended tutorials. When a
student retests the highest grade that can be earned is an 75%. Homework, classwork, projects
and quizzes can only be redone at my discretion.
Late work
The late work policy outlined in the Student Handbook will be followed. 25% will be deducted
from the overall grade for each school day the assignment is late. Example: If the assignment is
due on Tuesday and is turned in on Wednesday, the highest grade possible is a 75%.
Assignments will not be accepted after the third day.
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty
According to Cornell Law School, plagiarism is “Deliberately passing off somebody else’s original
expression or creative ideas as one’s own.” Typically, at the university, plagiarism, and all other
forms of cheating, is penalized with suspension and expulsion from school. Please keep in mind
that this is a college-level course. If a student is unsure of their work being classified as
plagiarized, they are encouraged to re-write the work in question and try again. Students can
utilize paperrater.com, which is a free online service, to check for plagiarism in their work.
Cases of cheating and plagiarism will result in a phone call home from me, and a referral will be
written and sent to the office for further handling of the matter. The student will receive a zero
for the assignment, and an alternative assignment will not be given.
Remind
Remind is a free and easy way to text Coach Shelton privately, and to receive announcements
and updates from her. On your phone create a new text message and put 81010 as the
recipient. Type the following message, including the “@” symbol: @37ehhg. Send the message.
If you have not used Remind before it will ask for your name, and once you have done that you
are signed up. If you have used Remind in the past it will not ask for your name.