AP Biology Course Syllabus
Air Force Academy High School
Instructor: Nichole Lowery
Phone: 773.535.1590
Email: NMLowery@cps.edu
Course Overview and Objectives
The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a two semester college introductory biology course. After
showing themselves to be qualified on the AP Examination, some students, as college freshmen, are permitted to
undertake upper-level courses in biology or register for courses for which biology is a prerequisite. Other students may
have fulfilled a basic requirement for a laboratory-science course and will be able to undertake other courses to pursue
their majors.
The AP Biology course is designed around four “big ideas” and the enduring understandings that students should retain
from their learning experiences in the course. In addition to a deep and meaningful understanding of the four big ideas,
students who complete an AP Biology course will develop their skills in scientific investigation and reasoning. Students will
engage in scientific inquiry and develop their skills in relation to science practices identified in the AP Biology curriculum
as those that are necessary to scientific investigation. Students will be engaged in laboratory investigations for at least
25% of the time they spend in class and will complete a minimum of 8 inquiry-based investigations (two per big idea).
These investigations will be supplemented with various other activities.
This combination of content understanding and science practice skills will leave students prepared for more advanced
science courses at the college level. And, I hope, an appreciation of the fascinating and complex organization of the world
around us and its diverse inhabitants!
Required Course Materials
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Textbook: Mader & Windelspecht, Biology, 11th AP Edition © 2013. McGraw – Hill.
AP Biology Investigative Labs: An Inquiry Based Approach. Student Manual. © 2012.
Binder with dividers to organize notes, handouts, references and assessments. Your binder should be stocked
with paper for use in class. You should keep ALL course handouts, ALL year.
Notebook for bellringers, in-class questions and data collection.
Be aware that the loss of a school-issued textbook will result in a mandatory replacement fee.
Course Requirements and Expectations
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Attend class every day – be on time and prepared to discuss readings and assignments. Bring your book to
class when asked.
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Read, read, read and then read some more! You are responsible for reading assigned chapters for each
topic and taking notes! Your notes/outlines will be collected routinely and graded to be sure that you are keeping
up.
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Talk, talk, talk and then talk some more! Well, as long as it’s about Biology. In order to develop the kind of
understandings that we are striving for, you need to be able to communicate your learning. You also need to be
able to express when you don’t understand something. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t get it.”
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Formal lab reports will be required of many of the investigations that you conduct in class. The lab reports will
typically be due within one week after the completion of an investigation.
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Your lab reports will emphasize your developed hypotheses, data collection techniques, data analysis
and your ability communicate your results and connect them to content. You will be provided with a rubric
outlining how your lab reports will be evaluated.
Unit exams will often be given after each major unit. Each topic we learn in this class builds on what we have
learned previously and everything supports the understanding of the BIG IDEAS. Because of this, unit exams are
cumulative and will emphasize the connections between the four BIG IDEAS.
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Unit Exams will reflect the format of the AP Biology test you will take at the end of the year.
Therefore, you must be prepared to answer multiple choice questions, do calculations and write
responses to free response questions. We will practice answering all types of questions in class;
usually as bellringer activities.
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Complete research, presentations and homework as assigned; respecting all given due dates.
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You are expected to take the AP Biology Exam in May, 2015.
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Academic dishonesty of any kind (plagiarizing, cheating or copying) will not be tolerated and will result in an
automatic zero on ANY assignment. This could result in a significant reduction in your overall course grade.
Late Work Policy
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All assigned work is due at the beginning of class.
Late work is accepted for 5 school days after the due date. The grade of the assignment will automatically be
reduced by 50%. Late work is NOT accepted after 5 days and you will receive a zero for the assignment.
Please note that an assignment is considered late if it is not turned in at the beginning of class. For some
projects I may NOT accept late work and I will announce this in advance.
Absences
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Homework due on the day of the absence is due the day you return or it is considered late (see the late
work policy above). Homework assigned on the day of the absence will be due the day after you return.
Obtain the notes you missed from a classmate and THEN see me with questions and concerns.
If you are absent for more than one day in a row please see me for the missed homework and extended due
dates.
**Make-Up work is only granted credit if it is an excused absence and handed in by the due date**
If you have an unexcused absence, you will NOT be able to make up any work you missed the day of
your absence. This includes quizzes and tests taken on the day that you have an unexcused absence.
Grading
Throughout the year, work will be collected to evaluate your progress in class. Your grade will be based on the number of
points you earn out of all possible points and assigned as follows:
Percent of Total Possible Points
Letter Grade
100 – 90%
A
89 – 80%
B
79 – 70%
C
69 – 60%
D
59 – 0%
F
Grades will be weighted according to the following categories and percentages:
Category
Exams/Assessments
Laboratory Reports/Activities
Homework/Classwork
Participation/Bellringers
Category Weights
30%
30%
30%
10%
Teacher Conferences/Assistance
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Parents & Guardians:
 I am available for conferences throughout the year. Please e-mail me anytime to inquire about your
student’s progress or set up a meeting. E-mail is my preferred form of communication and is
checked on a daily basis. If you prefer to call, please leave a message with a call back number.
 Please be advised that your child is always fully aware of his/her grades. All students and parents
have access to their grades online and I update and post grades by student ID number on a weekly basis
in my classroom.
Students:
 I am often available before and after school. Please let me know IN ADVANCE that you are coming to be
sure that I will be around.
 I check my email almost every night. If you are having a problem, send me an email and you will likely get
a response before class the next day.
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The Big Ideas and Enduring Understandings
As previously stated, our course will develop your understanding of the four big ideas identified as unifying principles in
the study of biology. Each big idea has “enduring understandings” which are the core concepts that you should retain and
understand in order to develop a lasting understanding of the big ideas. In addition, each enduring understanding has
supporting statements of “essential knowledge” that you must know to fully comprehend the enduring understanding.
The big ideas and their supporting enduring understandings are listed below. Each unit references these enduring
understandings. You will notice that enduring understandings and big ideas overlap and are covered in more than one unit
– this is because the big ideas are all connected to each other and developing an understanding of one will help you
understand others! Statements of “essential knowledge” can be found in the introduction of your textbook.
Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
 Enduring Understanding 1A: Change in the genetic makeup of a population over time is evolution.
 Enduring Understanding 1B: Organisms are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry.
 Enduring Understanding 1C: Life continues to evolve within a changing environment.
 Enduring Understanding 1D: The origin of living systems is explained by natural processes.
Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to
maintain dynamic homeostasis.
 Enduring Understanding 2A: Growth, reproduction and maintenance of the organization of living systems require
free energy and matter.
 Enduring Understanding 2B: Growth, reproduction and dynamic homeostasis require that cells create and
maintain internal environments that are different from their external environments.
 Enduring Understanding 2C: Organisms use feedback mechanisms to regulate growth and reproduction, and to
maintain dynamic homeostasis.
 Enduring Understanding 2D: Growth and dynamic homeostasis of a biological system are influenced by changes
in the system’s environment.
 Enduring Understanding 2E: Many biological processes involved in growth, reproduction and dynamic
homeostasis include temporal regulation and coordination.
Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes.
 Enduring Understanding 3A: Heritable information provides for continuity of life.
 Enduring Understanding 3B: Expression of genetic information involves cellular and molecular mechanisms.
 Enduring Understanding 3C: The processing of genetic information is imperfect and is a source of genetic
variation.
 Enduring Understanding 3D: Cells communicate by generating, transmitting and receiving chemical signals.
 Enduring Understanding 3E: Transmission of information results in changes within and between biological
systems.
Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.
 Enduring Understanding 4A: Interactions within biological systems lead to complex properties.
 Enduring Understanding 4B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of biological systems.
 Enduring Understanding 4C: Naturally occurring diversity among and between components within biological
systems affects interactions with the environment.
Science Practices
In addition to developing your understanding of biology content, the goal of this course is also to help you develop the
habits of mind that scientists use in their work. As such, the AP Biology course is also designed around seven science
practices that the investigations and activities you participate in during class will help you develop. Each of the
science practice statements has supporting information that will help you understand all aspects of the practice that
you will develop (I will provide you with a separate handout that details these). Engaging in these practices will enable
you to gather and analyze evidence and develop your own testable explanations for scientific problems. You will find
evidence of activities that help you develop these practices in the schedule following this section. Activities and
discussions that develop science practices will be followed by “SP 1, 2, 3, etc” depending on which practice is being
targeted during that activity.
 Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena
and solve scientific problems.
 Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.
 Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide
investigations within the context of the AP course.
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 Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a
particular scientific question.
 Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
 Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories.
 Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts
and representations in and across domains.
A.P. Biology Schedule 2014-2015
(This schedule is tentative and is subject to change.)
*Prior to beginning this schedule, please expect a few days of orientation and reflection on the nature of
science and the study of biology.*
Unit 1: Evolution and Biodiversity (15 - 25 days)
Required Readings: Chapters 15-19 and portions of 20-23, 28-30
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 1, 2A-B, 2D-E, 3A & 3C, 4B-C
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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How do we distinguish between Lamarck’s idea of evolution and Darwin’s?
What evidence did Darwin use to develop the theory of natural selection? What is all current evidence of
evolutionary change?
What is the difference between microevolution and macroevolution?
How do interactions between populations and their environments drive natural selection?
What is the relationship between alleles, allele frequency and gene pools of populations?
What is Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and how can we use the Hardy-Weinberg Equation to calculate allele
frequencies?
How do we define “species?”
What are the different modes of speciation?
How do phylogenetic trees represent the relationship between taxonomy and evolutionary history?
What are the current hypotheses regarding the origin of life?
What is the basic timeline for the evolution of life?
What is the endosymbiotic theory and what is the evidence that supports this explanation of the evolution of
eukaryotic cells?
How is life organized in systematic biology?
What is the difference between the kingdoms in terms of evolution, structure and function of structures,
processes, organization, role in biosphere and life cycles?
Activities:
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Model natural selection using Evodots software available online (SP1-7)
Describe various natural selection and speciation scenarios
Hardy-Weinberg Goldfish cracker activity to practice calculating allele frequencies (SP1, 2, 5, 7) & Mathematical
Modeling: Hardy Weinberg (Investigation 2 in Student Lab Manual) (SP1-7)
Comparing DNA Sequences to Understand Evolutionary Relationships with BLAST (Investigation 3 in Student
Lab Manual – part 1 only). Also used in Unit 3 connecting Big Ideas 1 and 4. (SP1-7)
Creating and analyzing cladograms activity (SP 1, 3-7)
Create posters/charts of kingdoms in terms of defining characteristics
Write an essay comparing artificial and natural selection in an organism
Write an evaluation of at least 2 current hypotheses of the origin of life on Earth and the evidence supporting them
Unit 2: Ecology (15 – 20 days)
Required Readings: Chapters 43 - 48
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 1A, 2A & C-E, 3E, 4
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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How do both the environment and genes influence behavior?
What are some types of animal behaviors in various environments? In response to varying stimuli?
What are the various means of communication between animals?
How do various behaviors (societal, altruistic) and reproductive strategies influence organisms’ fitness?
How is the biosphere organized? How does one level of organization depend on another?
What characteristics of populations allow us to analyze them and make predictions?
What is the difference between exponential and logistic growth in populations?
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What information can we obtain by analyzing survivorship curves and population age structure diagrams?
What are the ways in which populations interact in communities? Symbiosis and coevolution? (Connecting Big
Idea 4 to Big Idea 1)
What is the structure of ecosystems? How does energy flow through ecosystems and how is matter cycled
through them?
What are similarities and differences between the various biomes?
What is the human impact on the biosphere in terms of population growth and interference/influence with natural
systems and cycles?
How do humans interact with other populations? (Relate to internal association with bacteria, etc.)
Activities:
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Fruit Fly Behavior (Investigation 12 in Student Lab Manual) (SP1-7) and Chi-Square activity using M&Ms as a
model (SP1, 2, 5, 7) to prepare for chi-square calculations in student lab
Energy Dynamics (Investigation 10 in Student Lab Manual) (SP1-7)
Analysis of age structure diagrams and predictions on populations’ futures (SP1, 5, 7)
Researching local environmental issues and relating to human impact (past and future)
Discussion/debate on climate change and evaluation of evidence
Comparing and contrasting human behaviors in light of discussion of reproductive fitness
Modeling exponential growth and graphing data (SP1, 4, 5)
Analysis of survivorship curves – compare and contrast (SP1, 5, 6)
Unit 3: The Chemistry of Life (10 days)
Required Readings: Chapters 2-3
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 2A, 3A, 4A-B
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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What are elements that make up living organisms?
What is the difference between organic and inorganic compounds?
What are the major categories of organic molecules?
How does structure control function at the level or organic molecules?
What are the unique properties of water? Why are these properties vital to living organisms?
How does the structure of the water molecule determine these properties?
Activities:
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Chemistry Concept Map/Cartoon & Diagram review
Create charts on structure and function of organic molecules
Unit 4: Homeostasis at the Cellular Level & Cellular Energetics (15-20 days)
Required Readings: Chapters 4-8
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 1B-C, 2A-D, 3B & D-E, 4
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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What are the similarities and differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
What are the structures and functions of cellular components? How does structure affect function?
What is the structure and function of the plasma membrane? How does the structure determine how materials
move in and out of cells?
What is the difference between passive and active transport?
In general, how do cells communicate?
What is homeostasis? How do cells use transport mechanisms to maintain homeostasis?
How do the laws of thermodynamics apply to biological systems and evolution?
How is energy transferred in metabolic reactions?
What is the relationship between an enzyme and its substrate?
What are the major stages of photosynthesis and what are the raw materials required for each stage?
Where does each stage of photosynthesis take place inside a cell and how do the structures of cellular
components relate to their functions in the process of photosynthesis?
What are the differences between C3, C4 and CAM plants and how are they adapted to particular environments?
(Connecting Big Idea 2 to Big Idea 1)
What is the difference between an aerobic and anaerobic process?
What are the major stages of aerobic respiration and where inside cells do they take place?
Activities:
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Diffusion and Osmosis (Investigation 4 in Student Lab Manual) (SP1-7)
Discussion of water potential and practice problems on calculating water potential (SP1, 2)
Student created story, comic or model depicting/describing structure and function of cellular components
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Toothpickase activity (SP1-2, SP4-5)
Enzyme Activity (Investigation 13 in Student Lab Manual) (SP1-7)
Photosynthesis (Investigation 5 in Student Lab Manual) (SP1-7)
Role play processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration
Watch animations of process of photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration (Investigation 6 in Student Lab Manual). (Connecting Big Idea 2 to Big Idea 4) (SP1-7)
Write the story of one oxygen molecule and its path from outside the body to use in a single cell and a description
of the path of a carbon dioxide molecule leaving an animal cell until it enters a plant cell and participates in
process of photosynthesis and describe how the same carbon atom could have been present in a dinosaur via
carbon cycle (Connecting Big Idea 2 to Big Idea 4)
Unit 5: Reproduction at the Cellular Level & Mendelian Inheritance (15 days)
Required Readings: Chapters 9 – 11
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 1A & C, 2A & E, 3A-C, 4A & C
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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What are the stages of the cell cycle?
How is the cell cycle regulated in a normal cell? How is this regulation disrupted in cancerous cells?
What are the major events in cell division and what are the differences in division between plant and animal cells?
What are the differences between the processes of mitosis and meiosis?
How is meiosis a source of genetic variation? Why is genetic variation important for evolution? (Connecting Big
Idea 3 to Big Idea 1)
What is the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction?
What are some modern biotechnological practices in relation to reproduction?
What are stem cells and how is development/differentiation regulated?
How did Gregor Mendel determine patterns of inheritance?
What are some major patterns of inheritance of traits?
How can we use Punnett squares to predict the outcome of genetic crosses?
How can we use pedigrees to trace the appearance of traits in families?
Activities:
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Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis (Investigation 7 in Student Lab Manual) (SP1-7)
Complete online cell cycle activity regarding role of cyclin and then read about cell cycle controls and summarize
in a written assignment (Connecting Big Idea 3 to Big Idea 4 and Big Idea 2) (SP1-7)
Solve genetics problems using Punnett squares (SP1, 2)
Evaluate and create pedigrees (SP1, 5, 7)
Translate descriptions of cells with varying chromosome numbers into drawings of mitosis/meiosis (SP1)
Unit 6: Molecular Basis of Inheritance (15 days)
Required Readings: Chapters 12-14, portions of Chapter 42
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 1A & C, 2A & E, 3A-C, 4A & C
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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What is the relationship between genes and chromosomes?
What are the benefits and implications of genetic screening and genetic counseling? How much information
should be available to you and others?
What is the basic structure of the DNA molecule and how does this structure make replication possible?
What are the major steps in DNA replication?
What are the similarities and differences between DNA and RNA?
How does the structure of DNA determine the structure of a polypeptide?
How do changes in the structure of DNA change a polypeptide and how does this affect an organism’s
phenotype?
What are the types of mutations that can occur in DNA and what are some of the agents that cause them?
How is gene expression controlled in eukaryotes versus prokaryotes?
What are techniques that are being used to manipulate the genome (recombinant DNA, transgenic organisms,
etc)? What are the implications of these techniques?
Activities:
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Create models of DNA molecule (SP1, 6)
Watch and evaluate animations of replication, transcription and translation – compare models and representations
which each other for accuracy and detail. How could we improve these models?
Model processes of transcription and translation (SP1, 6)
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Create cartoons depicting regulation of gene expression
WhY are we Different? Lab activity from NUBIO utilizing PCR & Gel Electrophoresis (SP1-7)
Biotechnology: Bacterial Transformation Lab (Investigation 8 in Student Lab Manual). Connecting Big Idea 1 to
Big Idea 3. (SP1-7)
Unit 7: Comparative Animal Biology and Homeostasis (15 – 20 days)
Required Readings: Focus on chapters 32-33, 35-37, 40-41
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 1B-C, 2A, 4
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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How does each of the following systems contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis in animals?
 Cardiovascular and respiratory system in relation to gas exchange
 Digestive system in terms of nutrient absorption
 Immune system
 Excretory system
 Endocrine system
 Nervous system in terms of sensory perception and response
What are some examples of disruption of homeostasis in humans? How do our lifestyles, diets, exercise habits
affect our body’s systems and maintenance of homeostasis?
What are the functional components of the each system in humans?
Activities:
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Create posters with examples of homeostatic mechanisms in various animal systems
28 Days Later and You’ve Got Male Labs – from NUBIO curriculum – female and male hormone cycles
Research and report on one example of disruption of homeostasis and its effects on the human body (SP7)
Unit 8: Major Plant Structures and Homeostasis (10-15 days)
Required Readings: Chapters 24 – 26
Enduring Understandings to be addressed: 1B, 2A & E, 4A & C
Essential Questions for Discussion:
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How are plant structures (roots, stems and leaves) organized to maximize photosynthetic output?
What are the transport mechanisms that plants use to regulate the movement of water and organic materials?
What are the classes of major plant hormones and what is the experimental evidence used to determine their
functions?
What are plant tropisms and how are they regulated?
What are the differences between long-day, short-day and day-neutral plants and how are these regulated?
What are the reproductive strategies of plants?
Activities:
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Transpiration (Investigation 11 in Student Lab Manual) (Connecting Big Idea 4 to Big Idea 2) (SP1-7)
Create flow charts of plant hormones and their actions
Flower dissection (SP5)
After Unit 8: Review, AP Exam, Post AP Exam
 After completing Unit 8, we will begin an intensive in class review of the material covered throughout the year in
preparation for the AP Biology Exam. The specifics of this review will be determined by you and your classmates’
needs.
 Don’t worry – you will take exams and work with practice questions that are modeled after the AP Exam
all year!
 After the AP Exam, we will set our schedule based on your interests and on continuing to develop your science
skills. Activities may include: creation of presentations on biology concepts to display in school, mammalian
dissection, content not covered during the course of the year, videos related to course content and researched
reports.
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Dear Parent/Guardian & Student,
A class syllabus is an extremely important tool to help you and your child succeed in this class. Please read the
entire syllabus together with your child. Please fill out the slip below to indicate that you have read this syllabus
together and have discussed the expectations and requirements of this course.
Detach this page and return to Ms. Lowery by Friday, September 5th, 2014.
Students, keep the rest of the syllabus in your binder.
Student Name: __________________________________________________
Period: ____________
Student Signature: ________________________________________________
Date:
Parent/Guardian Name:
____________
_________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________________________ Date: ____________
Please write any questions, comments or concerns that you have in the space below:
RETURN THIS SLIP BY
September 5th FOR HOMEWORK CREDIT!!
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