Instructor:
Mrs. Jennifer Boyd
E-mail: jboyd@conejousd.org
Room: 43E
AP Environmental Science
Voicemail: (805) 497-6711 ext. 4305
Class Website:
http://www.conejousd.org/whs/Departments/Science/Boyd.aspx
Dear Student and Parents,
My name is Jennifer Boyd. This is my tenth year at WHS and I am excited to be teaching AP
Environmental Science and working as Science Department Chair. I graduated from UCSB with a B.S. in
Biology and minor in Japanese. I also graduated from the Teacher Education Program at UCSB, through which
I earned my teaching credential in Biology and a Masters in Education.
I had the opportunity to visit Costa Rica through the ECO classroom program provided by the Northrop
Grumman Foundation and Conservation International. This program gave 16 science teachers from across the
nation an opportunity to live in a rainforest for two weeks. We learned research techniques used by scientists
and had the opportunity to meet the locals and observe the variety of animal and plant life in a rainforest. After
experiencing the biodiversity of the rainforest, I decided to have my students grow a butterfly garden behind
building 4. This outdoor space has become an extension of my indoor classroom as students record and collect
biodiversity data from the garden. The money to buy the plants was raised by the students through the collection
and recycling of bottles and cans on campus. Instead of just learning about what biodiversity is, my students had
a part in increasing the biodiversity on campus. They were amazed at the quick transformation of the area
behind the building from a dirt hill to a beautiful garden with salamanders, frogs, lizards, birds, insects, and of
course, butterflies! This feeling of accomplishment and awe for the garden translates into a greater feeling of
awe for the planet and a desire to take care of it. Two years ago, I was awarded the Community Enhancement
Grant from the city of Thousand Oaks to plant a native garden next to the butterfly garden. I have also
participated in a biotechnology workshop at Moorpark College where I learned about DNA bar-coding of plants
and insects that is used to monitor genetic diversity in a community. Using this experience, I created a lesson
where the students collected a plant specimen from our gardens, extract the DNA, amplified a gene with PCR,
and sent the DNA samples out to be sequenced. This lesson shows the importance of genetic diversity in
conservation efforts and allows the students to experience biotechnology techniques in the classroom.
We were also able to purchase recycling equipment to help us further our efforts to reduce waste going
to landfills. Last year, with the help of the PTSA, my classes transformed the planters outside of the school
office to drought tolerant plants. Students commented on how they felt good about saving water and making
their campus more beautiful.
In addition to teaching in the classroom, I have participated as a presenter at the National Science
Teacher Association’s National Conference, UCSB’s Research Education for Teachers program, and for the
local community in the Discovery Science Center Speaker Series. I also worked for Adaptive Curriculum
making virtual science lessons. I enjoy the creative aspect of teaching and hope to inspire other teachers by
sharing ideas and collaborating with other educators. I am also working on the implementation of the Next
Generation Science Standards and Common Core for the school district in the area of Life Science. The new
standards teach students to become independent learners, capable of gathering and evaluating information that
they will be able to communicate to others. It focuses on 8 science practices integrated with cross cutting
themes that occur in different areas of science such as earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Science
will also be integrated into classes such as math and English. The AP Environmental Science course is exciting
and fun to teach because of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject matter. It draws on elements from the
different fields of science and also touches on such diverse topics as ethics, economics, and social science. It
requires students to learn, think, and question as they delve deeply into a scientific study of the interconnections
between all living things (including themselves) to the environment.
My goal as an educator is to provide a caring classroom with positive experiences for each student. Over
the years, I have realized that true learning does not come from the memorization of facts. Learning should be
relevant, meaningful, and inspire critical thinking. Learning should also be an active process. This means
students need to be outside of the classroom collecting data about the environment. They need to do labs,
simulations, webquests, service projects, read articles, and participate in class discussions. To increase the
amount of time in class for such activities, I am using a “flipped classroom” approach. This means that I will
record a lecture and post it on my website (through YouTube) for the student to watch as homework. Students
will watch the lecture and take notes at home. The following class we will have a pop quiz and Q/A session as
well as time to review the main ideas. The class period will have guided practice based on the material and an
activity. The videos will allow students who are absent to have access to the lectures. Students can also control
the speed of the lecture and have the opportunity to re-watch any difficult topics. In addition to this, students
will complete 1 service project per semester related to the class. This activity must have prior approval and a
second service project can be done for extra credit. Students will also read Ishmael: An Adventure of Mind
and Spirit, by Daniel Quinn. Themes from this book will be discussed throughout the year.
Communication will be an important part of working with you. Please look over the class syllabus and
feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions or concerns (email is the preferred method
of communication). Grades will be updated frequently on Zangle/Q so you can monitor your progress. Please
obtain your Zangle/Q password as soon as possible. Safety Contract and Classroom Procedures are posted on
my website. In addition to my classroom policies, all school policies will be enforced.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Boyd
Type of Assessment
Percent value for each
Assessment
Grading Scale:
Zangle/Q Key
Classwork/Homework
Quizzes
7%
15%
90-100% A
80-89.99% B
Zero = test/quiz needs to be made up.
Tests/Projects
Labs
Participation
60%
15%
3%
70-79.99% C
60-69.99% D
0-59.99% F
“No names” and missing assignments
are also recorded as a zero.
Blank= grade has yet to be recorded.
 Grades will be posted on Zangle/Q and homework and lecture videos will be posted on my school website.
 Homework is collected at the beginning of class. Don’t forget to turn it in or it is late. Late work is marked down!
Work turned in a day late will not be accepted!
 Additional weekly participation points turn into extra credit points. (max. of 5 participation pts per week)
 I do not round up grades!
(Cut and return the portion below)
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------I ask that you and your son/daughter sign in the spaces provided, thus acknowledging that you have read and understand the
information on the classroom procedure/safety contract and syllabus found on my website under “Class Information.”
http://www.conejousd.org/whs/Departments/Science/Boyd.aspx
Student Name (Please print):
________________________________
Student Signature:
________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name (Please print): ________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature:
________________________________
Date: _____________
Date: _____________