HTH Biotechnology Vavra/Gastil
Phone: Heather (619) 787-4115, Dr. Vavra (619) 243-5032
Email: hgastil@hightechhigh.org
and jvavra@hightechhigh.org
August 26, 2013
Dear Students, Parents, Relatives and Guardians,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce both of your instructors and communicate what you/your student will be working on while under our supervision at High Tech High (HTH). Dr. Vavra and I will be co-teaching this course.
Dr. Vavra:
I graduated from Stanford University in Biological Sciences and have a Ph.D. in Marine Biology from the
University of Southern California. I also have experience working as a biologist in the field of biotechnology and as an environmental consultant. I have applied my education in biology to other fields as well, including archaeology. I will be sharing many of these experiences with students throughout the year and demonstrating the many applications of this exciting area of study.
I was a biology teaching assistant for 7 years at USC, and taught various biology courses at San Diego
City College and San Diego High School. This is my 11 th year teaching at HTH and I am very excited about the year ahead! Exploring biology with students is one of my greatest passions and project-based learning is fundamental to my teaching philosophy.
Heather:
I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a degree in Marine Biology and received my Masters in Education from the University of Phoenix. I have taught marine and environmental science in the coastal areas of North Carolina, Maine and the New England area. Most of my teaching experience has involved getting students out in the environment to explore and learn.
I have taught Biology and Marine Biology at San Ysidro High School, and trained high school science teachers in new labs for their classroom based on current research at UCSD. I am excited to work with your student on an amazing watershed project and a variety of fun and interesting projects throughout the class that will get your students excited about science if they aren’t already!
What is Biology/ROP Biotechnology?
This course will be much more than a regular high school biology class. Not only will we be covering the
California State Biology Standards, but students will also complete an extensive list of competencies in biotechnology in order to fulfill the requirements of a certification program with the Regional Occupational
Program. If they do complete these competencies, they will receive a special certificate at the end of the year and have a great chance of participating in a paid internship during the summer with a local biotech company.
The main objectives of my class are to:
1. Introduce fundamental biological concepts and how they these concepts can be applied to
improve our lives through advances in medical, environmental and agricultural biotechnology.
2. Design and conduct numerous original research projects in a safe laboratory environment.
3. Involve science projects that have an underlying theme of benefiting humanity.
The text we will be occasionally using is Biology: The Dynamics of Life (by Glencoe McGraw-Hill).
Additionally we will use the new digital biology textbook E.O. Wilson’s Life on Earth which is currently being developed, in part, by this class. The course will reinforce biological standards/concepts from class projects and cover those not directly completed in our project-based learning environment. Much of the instruction will be using primary literature instead of textbooks.

HTH Biotechnology Vavra/Gastil
The research projects conducted in class will begin with an introduction to the scientific method and will culminate with genetic engineering. During the year students will learn extensive laboratory techniques and job skills that will build their resume significantly. They will learn techniques such as: gene splicing, tissue culture, solution preparation, sterile technique, and much more. This will benefit them tremendously by giving them the edge during job or college application screening --regardless of career path. The focus will be on inquiry -- making observations, asking testable questions, designing experiments, having controls and replicates, collecting data, analyzing data, assessing error, presenting results, and making inferences/decisions based on data. The HTH Habits of Mind (perspective, evidence, relevance, connection, supposition) and the scientific method (observe, hypothesize, test, analyze and conclude) will be constantly employed and emphasized.
Basic daily format of class (all class meetings will be in a block format over 2 periods):
1. Introductory assignment (lab prep, quiz, writing assignment, reading) -quiet- 10 minutes
2. Discussion of introductory assignment, lead-in to lesson/activity, 5-10 minutes
3. Lesson or activity, 80 minutes
4. Reflection, 5-10 minutes
Student Materials:
All students must have the following (by Tuesday, September 3 rd ) and bring them to class everyday
1. Three ring binder with dividers and supply of lined paper
2. Writing instrument
3. Calendar or planner
I will be providing a laboratory notebook (with graph paper) for each student for recording our experiments and for note taking. Students can bring their own lab notebook with my approval.
The composition notebook and three-ring binder will serve as organizational tools for student work. All assignments, writings, quizzes, experiments, lab notes, handouts, etc.
will be kept in these folders.
Folders will be collected periodically for grading, both announced and unannounced . At the end of each semester, students will formally present their learning through an oral presentation of learning, and will turn in their completed folders for grading (weighting is described below).
Assessment:
Students will receive one year of Biology credit for successfully completing this class. They will also receive an ROP Biotechnology Certificate if they complete the required competencies for the course.
Students will begin each semester with a participation/behavior grade of A+. For each infraction, this grade will decrease. Since this will be a sophisticated laboratory based course, behavior is critical for everyone’s safety and productivity. Infractions include, but are not limited to the following: arriving late
(unexcused) to class, misbehaving in class, unexcused absence, use of cell phones in class etc.
Assessment will be weighted as follows for the overall grade:
Homework 10% Behavior/Participation 20%
Quizzes
Presentations
Lab Activities
20%
10%
20%
In Class Assignments 10%
Lab Notebook 10%
In addition to attendance, behavior and safety, and participation, the following will be formally assessed:
1) Time management and organization:
Does the student make effective use of the time given to work on assignments? Are assignments well organized in the lab notebook and binder?
2) Quality of product:
Is the student, according to his or her ability, and time limitations, producing the best product possible?
3) Satisfactory completion of classroom assignments:

HTH Biotechnology Vavra/Gastil
These assignments include reading, writing, and problem solving tasks as well as self and peer editing, presentations, and formal testing by the teacher.
4) Successful collaborations:
Is the student able to work with other students to create a quality product?
5) Digital Portfolio:
The student digital portfolio must be current and represent the student’s growth and achievement at HTH.
Students will lose points for excessive unexcused absences and tardies. Students with more than 12 unexcused absences or more than 12 tardies may automatically fail the class.

HTH Biotechnology Vavra/Gastil
Homework Policy:
Assignments not completed on time will be discounted one full letter grade per day that they are late.
Example: if your assignment was due on Monday and you do not turn it in until Wednesday, the highest possible grade (assuming you did “A” level work) would be a “C.”
Honors Option:
The Honors program at High Tech High exists for students who desire an additional challenge. Students who wish to take the class for honors credit are committed to the regular class workload, plus additional project work. The additional workload requires a greater degree of knowledge and understanding of the biological sciences. Students must sign the honors contract by September 14 th to participate.
It will be the student’s responsibility to prepare for the assignments and to seek assistance from the teacher whenever necessary. Honors assignments account for 10% of the overall class grade.
Fall The honors assignment for Fall Semester will be divided into three projects. The first will focus on a class role within the HTH Biotech Lab that will be applied for by students. The second will be completing a biography assignment on a distinguished biologist. Additionally students will publish photos and observations of insects for the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL.org). We will be spending minimal class time working on these projects. If necessary, extended work time after school can be arranged.
Spring During Spring semester, honors students will be assigned editorial staff roles for the San
Diego Bay book(s) being completed by the class. Editing will involve projects related to additional: research, writing, graphics, marketing and layout design. All editorial projects must be approved by Dr. Vavra. In the Spring students will continue their class project from the Fall or apply for a different class project. Additionally, honors students will take the articulation exam for
Biology 131 at Miramar College at the end of the Spring semester.
Articulation (COMMUNITY COLLEGE CREDIT!):
Students enrolled in ROP Biotechnology at HTH have the opportunity to receive community college credit for the course. This course is articulated with Biology 131 at Miramar Community College
( Introduction to Biotechnology ). Students do not need to pay any fees to enroll, but simply sign up online.
To receive college credit students will enroll at www.sdccd.edu under Tech Prep ( to be done in class ).
In order to receive the 4 units of college credit students must be receiving an “A” or “B” in ROP
Biotechnology and pass an exam given at the end of the school year.
Field outing
Throughout each semester students will participate in at least 2 outside events which are usually in the form of environmental community service. These will be described in detail at a later date.
Safety
Lab safety is the first priority for this course. We will have daily monitoring of the facility to ensure students and instructors are working in a safe learning environment. Students will be required to pass several lab safety tests in order to remain in the class. These tests will involve chemical and fire safety, first aid, MSDS, containment of genetically modified organisms, microbiology and more.

HTH Biotechnology Vavra/Gastil

HTH Biotechnology Vavra/Gastil
I have read and understand the biology course outline presented by Dr. Vavra to my student. After signing detach this paper and return to Dr. Vavra.
(print student’s name)
Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ____________________
Parent or Guardian of above named student
Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ____________________
Student
If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.
-Thomas Alva Edison