Ms. Maria Sotomayor
IB Biology Teacher
Room 4002 email: maria.sotomayor@apsva.us
Welcome to Biology (HL1/SL). Learning biology is important to better appreciate and understand our world, including your body, life around us, and information discussed in the news.
Although IB biology is a rigorous subject; all of you can be successful in this class with some hard work. It is important that you keep up with your daily homework and do all of the assigned readings. If you are having difficulty with the material please ask me or one of your classmates for help as soon as you find yourself confused. This class will cover six standard level topics, one higher level topic and an internal assessment. These topics present their challenges, however, they are littered with fascinating labs, ideas and activities that I am sure will make for a fun year.
SUPPLIES: You will need the following items for this year.
1.
One 2” binder.
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8 dividers per topic (see course outline on last page)
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Pencils, Pen, Highlighter
BINDER ORGANIZATION
Our binder will be divided into 8 sections with each section having its own subdivision that are as follows: -Cornell notes, review guide, graphic organizers, DBQ’s, labs, tests and quizzes.
It is imperative to keep an organized binder at all times, keeping in mind that there will be an external assessment at the end of the year and many of you will move on to HL2.
CLASSROOM
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Students are expected to come prepared for class on a daily basis. This includes bringing a pen/pencil with eraser, course companion and binder.
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I encourage all students to ask questions during class.
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I expect all students to be respectful of themselves and others.
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I expect students to be responsible for all of their actions
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I expect students to be prepared to learn and contribute while in class.
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I expect all students to read, understand and abide the cell phone policy.
ATTENDANCE
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Consistent attendance to class is critical to success in any course. Specific school rules regarding absences from class are explained in the Student Handbook. I try to apply these rules in a just and fair manner.
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Parents will be notified, by the attendance office, when a student misses class without permission. Such absences are truancies and all work missed will receive a grade of “0”.
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Tardiness to class is a serious disruption to class instruction. These will be considered
"unexcused” if there is no note from the teacher who caused the tardiness.
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In order to have an absence(s) excused, a student must bring a note from his or her parent/guardian to the attendance office within two days of the absence(s ). Failure to bring in a note within 2 days will result in an unverified absence (UV) AND a grade of ZERO for any work for that day
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GRADING Student grades reflect student achievement and not student behavior.
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Grades will be determined through evaluation of tests, quizzes, projects, laboratory work, class work and homework.
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Grading scale: Grades of .4 or below are rounded down; grades of .5 and above are rounded up.
For example: 88.4 = 88 and 88.5 = 89
GRADING
SCALE
Letter Grade
A
B+
Percentages
90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98, 99, 100
87, 88, 89
Quality Points AP & IB
Quality Points
4.0
3.5
5.0
4.5
B
C+
C
D+
D
80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86
77, 78, 79
70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76
67, 68, 69
60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
E 0 – 59 0.0 0.0
3.
Quarter grades are based on the following percentages:
50% Tests, and quizzes
15% Homework
35% Classwork including Internal Assessment
Failure to complete the IA will result in a Failure of the course, for this an IB requirement.
4.
The final grade for the class is a cumulative grade of all four quarter grades and the final exam grade, with each grade being worth 20% of the final grade.
5.
Grading of late homework/classwork & labs: Full credit will be given at the time the work is checked on the due date. After this time, the assignment will receive 50% of the grade; the deadline for the late work is at the end of the topic unit, unless there are special circumstances. Missing assignments will receive a grade of 0 (zero). No assignments will be accepted after the deadline.
6.
Late Internal Assessments
1 Day late – 20% lowering of grade
2 Days late – 40% lowering of grade
3 or more days will receive a maximum of 50% of the recorded grade.
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MAKE-UP WORK DUE TO ABSENCE:
1.
Tests/quizzes : You will be asked to make up any missed test or quiz within one week of the last day of your absence. You must take the responsibility to schedule a make-up time. Credit will not be given if you have an unverified absence (UV) on the day of a test or quiz.
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Students who miss the test day will be given a different exam. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the teacher the first day of return, regardless if it is a day we meet, to set up a make-up exam.**
2.
If the student has an extended absence , the teacher, with input from the student, will determine a calendar for making up the missed work that result from an extended absence. It is the students’ responsibility to make an appointment to make-up missing work, get missing notes from fellow students, and to pick up any missing handouts.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: The WLHS policy on academic honesty will be followed. Cheating on any homework, quizzes or tests will result in a grade of “0” on that work. Cheating not only means copying another person’s work, but also allowing someone else to copy your work.
Group work often facilitates similar answers, so please write down the names of classmates with whom you worked and shared ideas on your assignments, or you risk not receiving full credit.
Regardless, you should NEVER HAVE IDENTICAL WORDS OR PHRASES AS ANY
OTHER STUDENT.
GROUP 4 PROJECT
The group 4 project is an interdisciplinary activity in which all Diploma Programme science students must participate. The intention is that students from the different group 4 subjects analyse a common topic or problem. The exercise should be a collaborative experience where the emphasis is on the processes involved in, rather than the products of, such an activity.
The time allocated to the group 4 project, which are part of the teaching time set aside for developing the practical scheme of work, can be divided into three stages: planning, action and evaluation.
IB ASSESSMENT OUTLINE:
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EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT: -SL (Please see posted IB Biology guide for additional information)
Paper 1: (20% Weight) 30 multiple-choice questions on core material, about 15 of which are common with HL.
Paper 2: (40% Weight) Data-based question. Short-answer and extended-response questions on core material.
Paper 3: (20% Weight) Section A: candidates answer all questions, two to three short-answer questions based on experimental skills and techniques, analysis and evaluation, using unseen data linked to the core material.
Section B: short-answer and extended-response questions from one option.
Arlington Public Schools (APS) pays for the examination fees for all IB classes. Any student who registers for an
IB class, but chooses not to complete the required internal assessment and/or sit for the May examination must pay a drop fee. All fees are established by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Additionally, as outlined in the
APS Program of Studies, students who do not complete the required assessments will not earn the additional quality point.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT:
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The internal assessment requirements are the same for biology, chemistry and physics.
The internal assessment, worth 20% of the final assessment, consists of one scientific investigation. The individual investigation should cover a topic that is commensurate with the level of the course of study. Student work is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB. The performance in internal assessment at both SL and HL is marked against common assessment criteria, with a total mark out of 24.
ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATIONS
Syllabus Outline: The Core (SL)
Topic 1: Cell Biology
Topic 4: Ecology
Introduction to cells
Ultrastructure of cells
Membrane structure
Membrane transport
The origin of cells
Cell division
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Species, communities and ecosystems
Energy flow
Carbon cycling
Climate change
Topic 5: Evolution and Biodiversity
Topic 2: Molecular Biology
Molecules to metabolism
Water
Carbohydrates and lipids
Proteins
Enzymes
Structure of DNA and RNA
DNA replication, transcription and translation
Cell respiration
Photosynthesis
Topic 3: Genetics
Topic 6: Human Physiology
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Evidence for evolution
Natural selection
Classification and biodiversity
Cladistics
Digestion and absorption
The blood system
Defense against infectious disease
Gas exchange
Neurons and synapses
Hormones, homeostasis and reproduction
Option C: Ecology and Conservation
Genes
Chromosomes
Meiosis
Inheritance
Genetic modification and biotechnology
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Species and communities
Communities and ecosystems
Impacts of humans on ecosystems
Conservation of biodiversity
Population ecology
The nitrogen and phosphorous cycles
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I have read and understand the following documents as requirements for my IB Biology
Class…
Syllabus
Cell Phone Policy
Lab Safety Contract
All documents are posted on Mrs. Sotomayor’s webpage on the W-L website and
Blackboard. You are required to read it and refer to it throughout the year as needed.
Save the planet, you do not need to print more copies. However, you do need to bring this form back to your teacher, signed by both yourself and your parental unit, stating that you have read and understand the policies.
Please sign this document and return it to your teacher in your next class.
I have read the class policies document for SOL Biology. By signing below I am indicating that I understand the classroom policies, and I agree to follow them.
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PRINT Student Name
Student: I have read the above pages of this information sheet and understand what is expected of me in Intensified Biology.
_____________________________________________________
Student Signature
Parent/Guardian: I have read the above pages of this information sheet and understand what is expected of my son/daughter in Intensified Biology.
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PRINT Parent/Guardian Name
_________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
If you have any questions or concerns, please write them below or attach an additional sheet of paper or contact me by email at kathleen.mcnamee@apsva.us
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Remember to bring this signed document back to your Biology Teacher.
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