Socorro Independent School District / El Paso Community College
Mission Early College High School
General Biology Laboratory 1406
Fall 2011
Syllabus
Instructor: Miss Waleska Rivera, MS
I. Text, Resources and Materials
Text: Biological Sciences by Freeman, 3rd Edition
Materials: Materials are for a grade. Bring these within a week personally to the
instructor, so you can be acknowledged and graded.
What to bring?
Color pencils or markers, box of tissue, box of gloves
These materials will be left in the laboratory and shared throughout the year.
Once your computer is issued, you are expected to bring it daily to the classroom.
II. Assessment:
The laboratory grade is at least 25% of your total grade. The other 75% is
from the lecture portion of the class. The combination of these two grades
will be your general biology grade. You will be assessed according to SISD’s
grading policies. Your grade for EPCC and MECHS will be the same.
A. Daily Work : 50%
Students’ performance in laboratory experiences, attendance to practicals,
group work, presentations, daily work, behavior in the laboratory,
participation, and hygiene and cleanliness.
B. Laboratory Reports, Tests and Projects: 40%
Laboratory reports are graded using a rubric. The laboratory reports will
also include comments from the instructors as deemed necessary and
possible.
Main project: You will be required to read and analyze a science journal
article. This project will include a comprehensive written report and a
professional oral presentation. This project is cooperative. The group will
receive 2 grades, and each student will receive an individual grade.
NOTE: ALL laboratory reports and all class projects are due on or
before the due date, NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are absent during a
laboratory practical, it is your responsibility to contact one of your
peers to get day’s notes and work. Laboratory experiments will not
be re-taken. Laboratory reports are announced ahead of time. Make
arrangements to turn in report in case of expected and UNEXPECTED
absences.
C. Final Exam: 10 %
NOTE: NO EXAM or QUIZZ MAKE-UPS.
GRADING SCALE:
100-90=A
89-80=B
79-75=C
74-70=D
69-0=F
III. Laboratory behavior
A. SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY!
Safety contract to be signed by you and your parents, and returned to the instructor
for record and grading.
B. NO Cell phones, mp3 players and other entertainment/electronic devices at any
time. Cell phones will be taken away until the end of the day if student is using it
during class time.
C. Laptop computers: Computers are to be kept stowed away during the class period
unless otherwise instructed. Students arriving into the laboratory with their laptop
in hand will be kindly asked to finish their work outside immediately. Laptops can
be placed under the bench, but not on top of the bench.
D. Food and Drink: Eating, chewing gum and drinking in the laboratory is not
permitted. If you are coming from lunch with food you will be asked to throw away
your food. This is for your safety.
E. BE ON TIME! BE HERE!
Attendance and promptness are part of your success in this class. Successive
tardiness and absences will result in parent-teacher-student conference and will
affect your grades, since there is a NO MAKE-UP WORK policy. Be on time and be
here!
F. TUTORING: Tutoring is recommended. Request tutoring personally with the
instructor. Please, request tutoring AHEAD OF TIME. I will not be able to help you if
you request tutoring the day before the exam. I also offer tutoring for the General
Biology class.
G. Academic honesty:
Students found to engage in academic dishonesty will be subject to grade
penalties, disciplinary penalties or expulsion in accordance with the Student Code of
Conduct (SISD, MECHS and EPCC). Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to:
cheating, copying another student’s work, unauthorized communication between
students during assessments, PLAGIARISM (e.g, copy-paste, using someone else’s work
as your own). Determination of academic dishonesty shall be based on the judgment of
the instructor, or other supervising employee, taking into consideration written
material, observation, or information from peers.
*Tentative scheduling for the first nine weeks
Week 1:
August 1-5
Welcome, Syllabus, Laboratory
Safety
Week 2:
August 8-12
Measurements in Biology, The
Scientific Method
Week 3:
August 15-19
Chemistry
Week 4:
August 22-26
Chemistry
Week 5:
August 29-September 2
Biomolecules
Week 6:
September 5-9
The microscope
Week 7:
September 12-16
The cell
Week 8:
September 19-23
Introduction to class project
Week 9:
September 26-30
Exams
Complete, detach, and turn in for grade.
I have read and studied this safety guide. I will keep it and review it from time to
time.
Student’s Printed Name:_________________________
PERIOD:______________
Student’s Signature:____________________________
Date:_______________
Parent(s) Printed Name(s):_____________________________________
Parent’s Signature(s):__________________________
Checked by Instructor on:____________________
Instructors Initials:__________________________
Date:_______________