Biology
Ms. Brewer -- Room 204
937-340-6372
sbrewer@greenon.k12.oh.us
Welcome toBiology! This year, the reading, writing, and communication skills you will be
learning and gaining will be put into use as you learn about the world around you. This
course contributes to the Ohio Graduation Test. Through this year long class, you will
earn one science credit, but more importantly it will help you to become better
readers, writers and thinkers! Those are the skills that you will need for the rest of your
life!
Texts:
Johnson, B.J. and Raven, P.H. (2001). Biology: Brinciples & Explorations. Austin: Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston.
*Other texts include excerpts from internet articles, other text books, excerpts from Silent
Spring by Rachel Carson, and magazine articles.
Requirements & Materials for this class
 1 – 1 inch 3 ring binder OR at least a folder
 1 – 1 subject notebook (spiral or glue bound)OR 1 package of ruled paper
 Writing utensils (several pens and pencils)
 1 flash drive** (only if you do not already own one; this will be used for all classes)
 Your mind, positive attitude and willingness to learn
Attendance and Participation
 It is important that you are in class every day, prepared with appropriate
materials and ready to participate in group discussions, daily assignments, and
activities.
If you are absent:
 You must see me before or after class or school to make up the work for the day
you missed. If your absence is unexcused, you are not permitted to make up the
work.
 Also, if you are absent for one day, you have one day to make up the
assignment.
You may come to see me before school, during lunch, and after school for help.
There will be an assignment binder where you will find the assignments, notes and
hand-outs you have missed. YOU are responsible for making up and turning in
missing assignments.
Punctuality Policy
 Punctuality is defined as: In class when bell rings. If the student is not on time and
does not have an EXCUSED pass the following actions will be taken:
- After the third unexcused tardy, the student will be given an after school
detention; after 5 tardies a referral will be written for the administrators.
Hall Pass Policy

Hall passes shall be limited to:
1. No passes will be given during the first 10 minutes or last 10 minutes of class.
2. No passes will be given during instruction time including films.
3. No pass shall take you out of the classroom for more than 5 minutes.
Classroom rules – these are the basics, we will develop more as we go along!
ALL
SCHOOL RULES APPLY IN THE CLASSROOM! SEE YOUR STUDENT HANDBOOK FOR SPECIFICS!
--Respect yourself, each other, and me!
--Clean up after yourself!
BE:




On Time
Prepared
Respectful
Language appropriate
Sequence of consequences for breaking rules:
1. Conference with Ms. Brewer
2. Phone call/email home
3. After school detention
4. Referral to Administration
“No one has the right to interfere with the learning or safety of others.”
“Do what is expected and do it the best that you can.”
Assignments/Assessments
The assignments for this class will be varied. You will be required to take notes from a lecture, but
for the most part, you will be doing a lot of the learning through group assignments as well as
individual assignments designed to engage you in reading, writing, and thinking. We will also
have lab activities throughout the year. Students will be required to participate in OGT
preparation. There will be unit tests or quizzes as well as some projects that will consist of more of
a product that you will make to demonstrate your understanding and application of the skills
and knowledge you gained throughout the unit!
Grades
You will be assessed in a variety of ways. Below is the way your grade will be
distributed.
 Classwork/OGT Prep – 10%
 Projects/Labs– 30%
 Quizzes and Tests – 60%
All daily assignments in class are to prepare you for tests and quizzes. It is expected that
you do them and participate in all learning activities.
The grading scale can be found in your student handbooks.
You earn your grade in this class so participate in class, complete your assignments,
always give your best effort and study and you will have it made!
**If you are caught cheating, plagiarizing, or otherwise are dishonest about your work,
you will earn a zero on the assignment and will not be given the opportunity to make it
up.
Biology
Units of Study 2012-2013
Unit 1 – Review of Basic Chemistry
Essential Question: What do I remember from last year and why do I need to know it
now?
End of Unit: There will be quizzes and a test, as well as other labs and activities to build
and refresh knowledge!
Time: August 22 – September 21
Unit 2 – Intro to Biology (Ch. 1)
Essential Question: What is biology and how will I study it?
End of Unit: Test and small research piece
Time: Sept. 24-28 (one week)
Unit 3 – Chemistry of Life (Ch. 2)
Essential Question: How does chemistry relate to biology?
End of unit: There will be quizzes and a test, as well as other activities to build and
refresh knowledge!
Time: October 1 – 26
Unit 4 – Cell Structure (Ch. 3)
Essential Question; Why aren’t all cells the same? How are cells like a house?
End of unit: Quizzes and a test, drawings, microscope labs
Time; October 29-November 9
Unit 5 – Homeostasis and Transport (Ch. 4)
Essential Question: How do substances move into and out of cells? Why don’t all
substances move in and out of cells the same way?
End of unit: There will be quizzes and a test, as well as other labs and activities to build
and refresh knowledge!
Time: November 12- November 30
Unit 6 – Photosynthesis, Cell Respiration and the flow of energy in ecosystems (Ch. 5,
17.2)
Essential Question: How does energy flow in ecosystems
End of unit: Quizzes, test, drawings, labs
Time; December 3 – Jan 11
1st Semester Finals to include all work from the semester!
A curriculum guide for the second semester will be handed out at the beginning of the
semester and will include Chapters 6-10 in the Biology Text Book.
***The time-line above is a rough estimate and the dates for units are subject to
change.
August 20, 2012
Dear Parents/Guardians,
I am excited to have your son/daughter in class this year. I have high expectations and know all
students can achieve with our support, guidance, and encouragement. Your student will be engaged in a
variety of activities to promote critical thinking about their understandings and beliefs of the world
around them. Please feel free to contact me to talk about the work we are doing in the classroom. I
would enjoy having you involved in our classroom. We will be studying various topics from Biology.
There is an attached list of units your child will be studying. I encourage you to examine the units. I also
encourage you to be an active participant in our classroom if you feel you can bring in something to share
that would be enriching to the unit, such as being a guest speaker (or directing us to someone who could
be one!), sharing artifacts and materials, etc. I am open to any ideas and would enjoy having you visit our
classroom at any time. If you know about a science related event taking place in the area, please let me
know so I can try to give the students a chance to experience something new, as well as learn a little bit
more about the area in which they live!
Please feel free to contact me at the high school via phone or email. The best time to reach me is
before or after school. Please leave a message for me with the school secretary anytime during school
hours, unless it is an emergency, and I will return your call or email as soon as possible. I will be
available to help students with assignments or missing work before school, during lunch, or after school.
I anticipate the year ahead and can not wait to get to know all your children!! Please be sure to
read over the syllabus with your child and be sure you both sign below. Please especially take note of
the attendance and make up work policy. Your contact information is imperative, as I may need to
contact you throughout the year. If you have email, please fill out that information as well so I can keep
you updated about what is going on in the classroom and when specific assignments are due.
Thank you,
Sara Brewer
Science Teacher
Greenon High School
937-340-6372
sbrewer@greenon.k12.oh.us
Please sign below to return to Ms. Brewer! (Make sure to sign the Safety Contract on the back as
well)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*This syllabus is a contract and will be updated and addressed as the year progresses.
Please Print
Student’s Name ________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name ___________________________________
Phone number-- Day ____________________
Best time to contact you
Evening _________________
Day
Evening
Email address __________________________
I have read and understand the syllabus for Environmental Science with Ms. Brewer.
Student Signature ___________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature ____________________________
Lab/Activity Safety Rules For Environmental Science
This class will have a variety of hands-on and/or lab activities throughout the year. Your grade
depends on your behaving safely and obeying these rules at all times. Abusing my materials,
horseplay in the lab (or my classroom) or on lab/activity days, or behaving in a way unsafe for
you or others will lead to loss of credit for the lab/activity, and detention.
1. Read the lab/activity before starting and listen CAREFULLY to all directions and safety
instructions!
2. When I ask for your attention stop what you are doing immediately. Failure to follow rule
2 leads to detention and an annoyed teacher.
3. When lab/activity materials are out in the classroom do not touch anything without my
permission or instruction. This means you keep your hands to yourself and only touch
your belongings. Tampering with lab/activity materials will not be tolerated.
4. Always follow instructions and pay attention to safety precautions listed in the
lab/activity. Failure to do so is dangerous to yourself and others.
5. If goggles are required, detention will be assigned if I catch you without them on. Hair
should be tied back, and clothing restrained (for the sake of your clothes, and personal
safety).
6. No extra experiments. Ever.
7. Leave lab tables and materials as you found them. The next group of students deserves a
clean and safe classroom, just as you do.
8. If there is something out of place at your lab table, let me know immediately.
9. Let me know of spills and broken glass immediately.
Lab/Activity Safety Contract For Environmental Science
I, _______________________________________________________________, have read and
agree to follow all of the safety rules set forth in this contract. I realize that I must obey these
rules to insure my own safety, and that of my fellow students and instructors. I will cooperate to
the fullest extent with my instructor and fellow students to maintain a safe lab environment. I
will also closely follow the oral and written instructions provided by the instructor. I am aware
that any violation of this safety contract that results in unsafe conduct in the lab or misbehavior
on my part, may result in being removed from the lab/activity, detention, receiving a failing
grade, and/or dismissal from the course.
Student Signature____________________________________________________ date _____
Dear Parent or Guardian:
We feel that you should be informed regarding the school’s effort to create and maintain a
safe science classroom and lab environment. With cooperation of the instructors, parents, and
students, a safe science program can eliminate and prevent possible hazards.
You should be aware of the safety instructions your child will receive before engaging in
any lab work. Please read this list of safety rules. No student will be permitted to perform lab
activities unless the parent and student sign this contract. I will keep this contract on file for our
records.
Your signature on this contract indicates that you have read this Student Safety Contract,
are aware of the measures taken to insure the safety of every student, and recognize the
importance of your child upholding their agreement to follow these rules and procedures in lab
situations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Student Signature: ______________________________________________________________
Parent Signature: _______________________________________________________________
Parents Phone: ________________________________________________________________
Parents email address: __________________________________________________________
The best way to contact parent is:
Email 
Phone 
Instructions for signing up for Ms. Brewer’s Environmental Science Moodle page.
1. Go to the following website:
http://moodle1.mveca.org/moodle/
2. In the upper right hand corner, click the login button
3. If you already have a login and password, use it! And skip to step 5 below! If not, you need
to Create a new account by following the steps below. (you must have an active email, please
use your school email instead of home email.)
Steps to enroll in the course are below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Fill out the New Account form with your details.
An email will be immediately sent to your email address.
Read your email, and click on the web link it contains.
Your account will be confirmed and you will be logged in.
Now, select the course you want to participate in. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
If you are prompted for an "enrolment key" - use the one that your teacher has given you: planetearth. This will "enroll" you in the course.
You can now access the full course. From now on you will only need to enter your personal username and password (in the form on this page) to log
in and access any course you have enrolled in.
At later dates, you will only need your user name and password to login. Write them down and
don’t forget them. You can use the above website to find our class and login at any time. User
name:_________________ password ________________
From the course categories choose: Greenon and Click on: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Rubric for Discussion Forum posts per topic:
Exemplary 4
Meets standard 3
Writes one original post Writes one original post
and two or more
and two responses to the
responses to the topic.
topic. Includes
Includes information
information from
from text/article to
text/article to validate
validate your posts.
your posts. Must be
Must be clear and
clear and connect to
connect to classroom
classroom experience.
experience and/or other
reading/research/news
you have read.
Approaches standard 2
Writes one original post
and one response to the
topic. Includes
information from
text/article to validate
your posts. Must be
clear and connect to
classroom experience.
Needs improvement 1
Writes one original post
or one response to the
topic. Missing
information from
text/article to validate
your posts. Confusing
for other readers with
little connection to
anything else we have
been learning about.
Rubric for Journal:
Exemplary 4
Meets standard 3
Approaches standard 2 Needs improvement 1
Each Journal entry
Each Journal entry
Each Journal entry
Each Journal entry
contains approx. 150
contains approx. 100contains approx 100 or
contains approx 50 or
words, is thoughtful and 150 words, is thoughtful less words, is thoughtful less words, is not clear
reflective (includes
and reflective (includes
(includes experiences
in thought (rambling),
experiences inside and
experiences inside and
inside and outside the
(includes experiences
outside the classroom as outside the classroom as classroom as well as
inside and outside the
well as how your
well as how your
how your thinking is
classroom) and is turned
thinking is changing; it
thinking is changing; it
changing) and is turned
in on time.
is apparent you are
is apparent you are
in on time.
engaging in your own
engaging in your own
learning), and is turned
learning), and is turned
in on time.
in on time.
Late journal entries will be read however will not be given a grade, therefore resulting in a zero for the
assignment!