Miss Croy’s Honors Biology
Syllabus, Policies and Student Expectations 2015 – 2016
Welcome to Honors Biology!
I am looking forward to exploring and learning the science of life with you this year. We will learn a great deal
about biology, and we will also learn many useful transferable skills such as organization, effective note-taking and
critical thinking.
Contacting Miss Croy
 Email: bcroy@greensburg.k12.in.us
 Phone: (812) 663-7176 ext. 1334
 Room 211
 Availability: M-F, before and after school (Except Thursday mornings)
Students: I encourage you to seek help, answers and guidance sooner rather than later. It is pertinent to your success
in this class to seek help when confused, lost or struggling with class material. Come by and see me if you need help!
I’m generally around my classroom before and after school; don’t hesitate to ask if you want to meet for extra help.
Parents: Please contact me via email or phone or schedule a meeting if you have any questions, comments or
concerns about your student, their grade or education. Please do not hesitate to contact me – I am a strong believer
that a parent’s involvement in their student’s education is one of the keys to their success. I look forwarding to
meeting you this school year.
Class Content – What you will learn this year!
 Unit 1: Ecology – Ch 13 and Ch 14
o Did your drinking water used to be dinosaur pee? What would happen if all the bees suddenly died?
 Unit 2: Biochemistry – Ch 2
o Why does a fever make you sick? What molecules are you made of?
 Unit 3: Cells – Ch 3
o What do your cells look like? How do cells control what comes in to keep you alive?
 Unit 4: Energy (Photosynthesis and Respiration) – Ch 4
o How do plants turn sunlight into sugar? How does your body turn sugar into energy?
 Unit 5: Cell Division – Ch 5 and Ch 6.1-6.2
o How does your body make new cells when you are injured? Where do birth defects come from?
 Unit 6: Genetics – Ch 6.3-6.6 and Ch 7
o Why are more boys colorblind than girls? What is a liger?
 Unit 7: DNA and Protein Synthesis – Ch 8
o What does your DNA look like? Is your favorite food the result of a mutation?
 Unit 8: Natural Selection – Ch 10, Ch 11 and Ch 12
o Where did you come from? How has life changed over time?
Textbook
 Holt McDougal Biology, Stephen Nowicki
Class Websites
 Google Classroom
o classroom.google.com
Classroom Policies
 RESPECT: Treat the teacher and your classmates with the respect you would like in return. Respect school
property in addition to other’s personal property. Respect all ideas provided in class and do not criticize anyone
for their ideas or thoughts.
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
BE PREPARED: Arrive on time. Bring biology binder, charged computer, writing utensils and assignments to
class every day. Sharpen pencils ahead of time. Prepare your brain for learning.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: charged computer, writing utensils, 3-ring binder (with lined paper inside)

BINDER: You must maintain a binder dedicated to biology containing all of your class materials, class notes and
past assignments. This binder should be a 1.5 – 3 inch 3-ring binder. Your binder must have five tabs, in the
following order, labeled: Bellwork, Vocab, Notes, Classwork, Assessments. I expect you to keep your biology
binder organized, tidy and complete. You may not use your biology binder for any other subjects. If you are
unable to get a 3-ring binder or tabs for class, talk to me (Miss Croy). I will do frequent “Binder checks” where I
grade your binder.
o Have binder on or before - Tuesday 8/11/2015

BELL WORK: Every day when you come to class, you should immediately sit down and complete the bell
work. Bell work will consist of one or two questions that you should answer in the bell work section of your
binder. You must write the question and answer to the bell work, both in complete sentences.

VOCABULARLY: I will give you a list of vocab words every 1 – 2 weeks and we will have regular vocab
words. Vocab quizzes may involve matching, writing out definitions, providing examples and additional
questions. It is your responsibility to define the vocab words every week. I will check that you have completed the
vocab lists (and award you points for completing them) when I do binder checks.

QUIZZES/TESTS: Tests will be announced ahead of time and will cover readings, labs, homework, in-class
work and notes. Quizzes may or may not be announced, please be prepared. Quizzes are an excellent study guide
for tests!

SCIENCE FAIR: You will have the opportunity to experience real science by researching and conducting a
science fair project this year.

READING ASSIGNMENTS: You will be responsible for reading assigned material and watching assigned
videos. You will be expected to take Cornell notes over the assigned material and will be given frequent reading
quizzes worth points.

ABSENCES: It is YOUR responsibility to find out what you have missed and arrange for all work to be
completed on time. If you are absent the day before the test, you will still be required to take the test with the rest
of the class. Many labs and activities are not able to be made up at home and you will need to make up those labs
by coordinating with me, either before or after school or during a seminar. You only have one week to make up a
missed test, quiz or homework assignment; if it is not completed within that time, it will be given a zero. It is your
responsibility to tell me ahead of time that you will be coming in early or staying late to make up a lab

LATE WORK: Homework assignments and labs will be accepted up to one week late for a 50% reduction of
the total points earned. After this period, I will no longer accept late work. Certain assignments (such as study
guides) must be completed on time for credit. Major projects (75+ points) will be allowed one day late at 15% off
the earned grade. Late work must be handed to Miss Croy, not placed in the tray; late work found in the tray will
not be accepted. You must learn to be punctual and responsible. Life will always have deadlines and
consequences for missing them.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: In my class, I encourage working with others, but this is no excuse for cheating.
Students may discuss a problem, but every member must understand and write the solution in their own words. If
you are caught cheating or aiding someone else in cheating, you will receive a zero on that assignment. Work may
not be copied from textbooks or internet resources. Refer to the student handbook for full plagiarism/cheating
policies.
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
CELL PHONES (and other electronic devices): According to school policy, cell phones should not be seen or
heard in the classroom. You may not use your cell phone in class for any reason, not even as a calculator. If your
cell phone is seen or heard during a quiz or test, you will receive a zero for that grade. My advice: leave the
temptation behind in your locker!

Students who have trouble with these expectations will be subject to the following:
o 1st offence: Verbal warning
o 2nd offence: Informal detention – 30 minutes after school in my room (#211)
o 3rd offence: Formal detention – sent to Mr. Hipskind
Grading Scale
A: 90-100%
B: 80-89%
C: 70-79%
D: 60-69%
F: 59% and below
Basis for Determining Grades
 Total points possible include, but are not limited to: Daily assignments, Bellwork, Binder checks, Quizzes,
Participation, Group work, Extra credit, Labs, Tests, Notes
 Grades are calculated by adding total points earned and dividing by total points possible
 Grades are updated as often as possible; please take responsibility to check the accuracy of grades online
 Please keep all graded papers!
 If a column on your grade report is empty, it is because the grade has not been entered yet; a zero means it was
not turned in, or you received a zero
 The semester grade is the grade that goes on your permanent record (what colleges look at!). Each 9 weeks grade
will count as 40%, and the semester final will count as 20%. Even if you have an A in each nine weeks grade,
your final is still important to your semester grade.
o 40% First Quarter + 40% Second Quarter + 20% Semester One Final = Semester One Grade
o 40% Third Quarter + 40% Fourth Quarter + 20% Semester Two Final = Semester Two Grade
End of Course Assessment (ECA) Test
 The ECA is a criterion-referenced assessment, its purpose is to measure student achievement in biology
 The ECA test will be given in the spring (date TBA)
 The score on this test is important both for you and for the school
 Please maintain your biology binder; it will provide you with excellent study material to help you prepare for the
test
Extra Credit
There will be multiple opportunities for extra credit available. Pay attention, I will announce them in class. Ask me if you
are interested in completing extra credit assignments, I will consider providing you with additional extra credit
assignments. If you have more than five missing assignments you are not eligible for extra credit.
Please sign below after you have read and agreed to abide by the classroom expectations/policies described above.
Cut off only the signed portion and return it. Keep the rest of this syllabus in your binder for reference.
Student (print) ____________________________________ (sign) ____________________________________
Parent/Guardian (print) ____________________________________ (sign) ____________________________________
DUE DATE: Tuesday 8/11/2015
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