Ms. Curtin
E-mail: curting@smhs.org
Voice Mail: x4057
Office C-109 Hours M, T, Th, Fri. 7:00-7:25 am
M, T 2:30-2:45 pm
Materials Required:
Biology – Textbook and Study Guide
(Miller and Levine 2007) Prentice Hall Publisher
1-2” Notebook with dividers
Pens (Black, Blue, Green, & Red)
Set of Colored Pencils (12)
Notebook Paper
Safety Goggles
Multi-colored 3 x 5 cards
Post-it Notes
2 dry erase markers (chisel tip)
Eraser
#2 Pencils
Highlighter yellow, blue, pink green
Wite-Out ExactLiner
Course Description: Biology is a challenging course for sophomore students. The course will emphasize the development of critical thinking using the scientific method and laboratory activities. This is class is a lecture, laboratory, and discussion course involving regular homework outside of the classroom. There will be a wide variety of individual and group projects, presentations and testing. Laboratory work will include microscope work, experimentation, research, and simulations.
Course Requirements

Lecture Notes – Taken Daily. Notes should be in pen. Students should be prepared with all necessary materials. Students will not be permitted to go to their lockers for materials. Failure to bring materials will result in loss of participation points. Students will need separate notebook for Biology. Tabs in the notebook need to include homework, labs, notes, handouts, and current events. Notebooks will be checked once a month.


Assignments – All assignments and their due dates will be posted on my Web Page.
This is subject to change if there should be a change in the school calendar. Changes will be announced in class. Assignments will include study guides, laboratory writeups, supplemental materials and vocabulary enhancements. These items are expected to be the student’s BEST effort. Assignments should be neatly written or typed.
Formal papers must conform to the MLA format. These items are due at the beginning of the class period. All written assignments are to be done in BLUE OR
BLACK INK ONLY. ASSIGNMENTS WRITTEN IN ANY OTHER COLOR
WILL RECEIVE A “0”. ANY ASSIGNMENT (LAB, HOMEWORK, EXAMS,
QUIZZES OR PROJECTS) TURNED IN WITHOUT A NAME WILL
RECEIVE A “0”. ANY TEST OR QUIZ TURNED IN WITHOUT AN ID ON
THE SCANTRON OR TEST WILL RECEIVE A “0”.

Homework – this assigned daily. It includes chapter reading and review, vocabulary, chapter review questions and problems, Study Guide assignments and
WebAssign. Homework assignments are expected to be the students’ best effort.
Homework should be neatly written or typed. Assignments are due at the beginning of class. A homework assignment may be turned in late at the next class meeting for a maximum of 50% of the assignment. When reading assignments are given, students can be expected to be quizzed on the material.
The teacher reserves the right to add/drop/change homework assignments or other curriculum as need.

Current Events - Due once a quarter. Each current event must be on a topic related to what is currently being studied in Biology. Sources can be a newspaper or journal (e.g. Scientific American, Scientific News, Discover) . Along with a copy of the article, students will submit a one to two page typed summary. The summary must contain the following information: introduction, facts about the article, and a conclusion. The article may not be more than three months old.
Students will be asked at various times during the semester to share their articles with the class. Current events may not be turned in late.

Special Projects
– required by all students during each quarter. These assignments will be discussed at the beginning of the semester. The projects are to be on a topic relative to the area of Biology being studied at the time the project is due. Special projects may not be turned in late.
Course Evaluation

Pop quizzes will be given. These will not be announced and will be given at the beginning of class. Other quizzes will be given – these will be announced. There are NO make-ups for those students who are late or absent for pop-quizzes and other quizzes. This does not count against the student’s grade.


Tests are given after the end of each chapter or unit. Make sure you have a good eraser or wite-out for tests, so if you change an answer the machine will not pick up the eraser marks. Tests may include objective questions (multiple choice and matching), short answer and essay questions. Material for the test will be derived from reading material, lecture, laboratory work, films, articles and various homework assignments. Any test turned in without a name or a test ID will receive a “0”.
Make-up tests are essay questions and/or free response.
Normally one week notice will be given prior to a test, therefore, being absent the day before the test is NOT an excuse to take the test on the scheduled day.

Semester Exams will cover large amounts of material. Topics and dates are given in advance.

Laboratory Safety Exam – A student must successfully pass the safety exam in order to participate in and receive credit for the laboratory exercises.

Greek/Latin Root Quizzes are given each week on the first class day of the week. Missed Root Quizzes must be made up before the next quiz.
Make-up Work

Any work missed, due to an illness, is the responsibility of the student. All assignments posted on the web page are due upon the students’ return to class.
NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!

If a student misses a class due to a school activity (sports event, drama, chorus, choir, cheerleading, MUN, KAIROS, etc) it is the responsibility of the students to get assignments PRIOR to the missed class (s). The assignments will be due the next day the student is in class.

All missed tests must be made up in the Science Testing Center. Make-ups will be on either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning in C108. All tests must be made up within 2 weeks that the test was given.
The test will be all free response. No make-up tests will be given for unexcused absences.

Any assignments that are requested for the student to complete during his/her absence (illness and/or trips) are to be handed in immediately upon the student’s return. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!

Laboratory Assignments

Laboratory exercises are to be typed or written in BLUE OR BLACK INK.
Assignments not written in blue or black in will receive a
“0”.
All answers are to be in complete sentences. Labs must be made up at the teacher’s convenience within one week of return to school. If a student misses a lab that cannot be made up an alternative assignment will be assigned. Goggles are
“REQUIRED” for labs. Students who do not have goggles when the bell rings may not participate in the lab and will receive a “0” for the lab. A lab assignment may be turned in late at the next class meeting for a maximum of 50% of the assignment.

Students must take and pass a pre-lab quiz before certain labs.. If a student does not pass the quiz, they may not due the lab with the class. They will have one opportunity to make up the lab. The make-up day will be at the convenience of the teacher.
Grades

All exams, labs, quizzes, class assignments and homework will contribute to the student’s grade. Grades will be posted on the internet every two weeks. Each student will be assigned a code for reference. Only semester grades are rounded.
See the Student Agenda for Grading Scale. Any grade dispute must be resolved within 2 weeks of the return of the assignment.
Weight for each category
Tests/Quizzes ……………….55%
Laboratory/Projects……..........30%
Homework/Root Quiz………..13%
Participation………………… 2%

Extra credit may be offered once a semester worth a maximum of 1%.

Athletic eligibility is determined at the end of each of the four official grading periods. Teachers cannot change grades to make students eligible once grades have been submitted to ABI. The end of the grading period is the end of the grading period.
Classroom Behavior

Students are expected to be in their assigned seats when the bell rings.
All back packs are to be left in the front of the classroom/lab. Take out required materials and take them to your seat.
 IPOD’s, MP3 players, cell phones (pages 43 & 44 of student agenda) and calculators are to remain in backpacks AT ALL TIMES. Backpacks are
ALWAYS in the front of the classroom/lab.
Extra Help

Students are encouraged to seek additional help upon encountering difficulty.
Assistance will be done on either a group or individual basis. See Office Hours
Posted or make an appointment.

To encourage a classroom environment conducive to learning two specific areas will be addressed this year. The first is RESPECT. That includes respect for yourself, your peers, and your teacher. Respect is best demonstrated in the following ways:
1.
by raising your hand and waiting to be acknowledged before asking or answering a question
2.
by attentively listening to your classmate who is asking or answering a question, and to the teacher’s response
3.
4.
5.
6.
by remaining seated at all times by being quiet and reflective during prayer by allowing a student to speak with me without being interrupted by speaking charitably about and to your peers and teacher, in other words,
7.
avoid sarcasm and verbal ‘put downs’ by speaking with me about a private concern during my office hours (not before, during, or after class)
The second area to be addressed is that of Academic Integrity. Academic integrity and ethical behavior are expected from all SMCHS students. Academic dishonesty and unethical behavior are contrary and counterproductive to the philosophy and goals of
SMCHS.
Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
Plagiarism Plagiarism is defined as the theft and use of another’s ideas or writings as one’s own, with or without the knowledge of the other person. This includes not properly citing sources in a written work.
Cheating - Cheating is defined as having unauthorized notes, materials and/or resources of any type (calculators, or any electronic device, the help of another student, looking at another paper, answers and/or pertinent information written on any item, paper or body part etc.) for any exam, quiz, root quiz, paper, lab and/or homework assignment.
Presenting previously submitted works from other classes as new work is considered cheating. Allowing another student to obtain information from one’s own exam, paper, and/or homework is also considered cheating.
Failure to follow a teacher’s directions regarding how to complete any assignment, quiz, test, and/or paper may be interpreted as academic dishonesty.
Consequences will be appropriately assigned according to the Parent/Student handbook, or refer to pages 55 & 56 of the Student Agenda.

Rules
1. Follow directions the FIRST time they are given
.
2. Be in your assigned seat before the bell rings.
3. Come to class with all necessary materials.
4.
Do not eat food, candy, chew gum or drink during class.
5.
Respect others.
Consequences
1.
Warning
2.
Teacher/Dean’s Detention
3.
Parental Phone Call or Conference
4.
Referral/Suspension
All students will be held responsible for the Attendance and Discipline rules as stated in the Student Agenda. The Dress Code will be strictly enforced.

Student,
I ______________________ have reviewed the Course Outline and Discipline Plan for Ms. Curtin’s Anatomy/Physiology classroom with my parent/guardian. I realize that I have a set of very high expectations. Also, I have a set of rules and consequences that will be set in place if I do not follow through. It is my choice.
Student Signature Date
Parent,
I ________________________have reviewed the Course Outline and Discipline for
Ms. Curtin’s Anatomy/Physiology classroom. Also, I am aware that a set of rules has been set and that consequences will be issued as warranted. If at any time I have questions
regarding my child’s academic performance or behavior I will not hesitate to contact
. the teacher.
Parent Signature Date
Home phone__________________________________________________________
Work phone__________________________________________________________
E-mail_______________________________________________________________
Film Permission
As a parent/legal guardian of ______________________, I permit him/her to view clips from or entire films which have received a “G”, “PG”, or “not rated rating when such films are shown in the context of his/her Biology class. For example, the film
The Miracle of Life is an Emmy Award winning film by Nova which is not rated.
The footage in the film enhances class discussion.
____________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature Date