The mission of Old Mill High School, a community rich in diversity with a multitude of programs, is to promote academic excellence and global perspective through collaboration and self-assessment in an effort to prepare productive citizens in an ever-changing world.
COURSE DESCRIPTION Biology provides information regarding the fundamental concepts of life and life processes and is aligned to the Next Generation of Science Standards. Project-based learning allows students to connect learning to the real world. Biology is a graduation requirement for all students. Students enrolled in Biology must take and pass the High School Assessment (HSA) in Biology. Students enrolled in Biology complete an independent or team research project based on science or engineering practices and the cross-cutting concepts that apply across all science disciplines. (Science Fair Project)
TEXTBOOK and SUPPLIES Name of textbook: Miller & Levine Biology. Students are responsible for the care of the textbook. Damaged or lost property will be reimbursed by the student to OMHS at the replacement cost.
Supplies: 3-ring Binder with dividers Lined paper Pencils Blue or black ink pens Colored pencils, Glue stick Calculator
What the Teacher Will Do to Support the Student: Create engaging and rigorous learning activities that help students build his/her understanding of Biology and science skills and practices.
Chunk assignments into manageable amounts and include time in class to debrief and review work.
Provide additional support for assignments and assessments, including re-teaching so that students meet course standards. For 1st semester this will be on Tuesdays from 2:15 – 3:00.
Notify parents via email or phone at any point during the marking period if a student is in danger of failing or dropping 2 or more letter grades.
What the Student Will Do to be Successful: Come to class with required supplies and ready to be an active participant in the learning process.
Complete all assignments as required.
Review and synthesize classroom notes, activities, and assignments frequently to help prepare for upcoming assessments and to internalize learning.
Take advantage of opportunities for additional help.
Students should attend these sessions with specific questions so that the teacher can most effectively help the student.
What Parents Can Do to Support the Student: Ensure that the student has supplies and that they complete homework and study for tests.
Encourage the student to seek additional help when it is needed.
Check Parent Connect regularly to monitor student grades.
Contact teacher with any questions about assignments, grade, or other issues in a timely manner.
Course Content and Standards Below are the major standards for Biology. To read the standards in-depth, please visit www.mdk12.org.
1st Quarter 2nd Quarter
Unit I: Food for Life
This unit make students explore how organisms use nutrients to perform life functions. The instructional focus is on water (polarity, solubility, pH and density) and macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and nucleic acids).
Unit II: Control Yourself
Instruction focuses on three cell processes- enzyme action, diffusion, and osmosis. The teaching of enzymes follows the teaching of macromolecules in Unit 1. Help students make the connection that enzymes are a type of protein with a special job within the cell, helping chemical reactions to speed up without having to run the cell reactions at the high temperatures that would denature the proteins in the cells. There is also an introduction to the structure of the cell membrane.
Unit III: Energize Me
This unit allow students to compare the transfer and use of matter and energy (photosynthesis and cellular respiration) in organisms. They begin to examine the related structures (chloroplasts and mitochondria) organisms have to perform these processes and get rid of waste products (cell membrane and excretory system).
Unit IV: All Systems Go
This unit enable students to examine the structures, functions, and role(s) of each system (excretory, circulatory muscular, skeletal, nervous, and endocrine) and explain how they are accomplished in unicellular and multicellular organisms.
Science and Engineering Practices (SEP)
In addition to content standards, we will focus on the science and engineering practices. These practices proved a foundation for lifelong approaches to solving problems.
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Course Grading: Your grade in this course will be determined based upon your progress towards mastery of the standards. Specifically, your grade will be calculated using the following weighted categories.
10% Quarterly Assessment (may not be redone) 10% Homework (may not be redone) 50% Assessments (Tests and Quizzes) 30% Inquiry Assignments (Lab Activity & Projects)
Assignment Descriptions: Quarterly Assessment – there will be one quarterly assessment per quarter. Quarterly assessments measure student mastery of the major standards for the quarter and course. These assessments may not be redone.
Homework – there will be at least one graded homework assignment per week. Homework serves as opportunities to promote the attainment of positive work habits and study skills, practice material and skills previously taught so learners can continue to practice mastery of content, prepare for upcoming lessons by reviewing prerequisite content/skills, study for upcoming assessments, and/or extend student understanding of concepts.
Assessments – These are teacher made tests and quizzes designed to measure student’s learning per quarter. There will be a quiz and a test for each unit with the exception of units 2 and 4.
Inquiry Assignments – Consist of required laboratory activities/investigations and projects. There will be a required lab and a project per unit with the exception of unit 4 wherein students will do science research project.
Opportunity for Mastery (Redo): Per AACPS regulation, students may redo 3 assessments and/or assignments each quarter. Students are encouraged, but not required, to participate in teacher-led re-teaching. All redo items must be completed within ten days of receiving the original grade and may only be redone one time. The higher of the two grades will be used for calculating the student’s quarter grade. The teacher may choose to have the student redo all of an assessment or assignment or may have student only redo specific items or parts of the work. Students may not redo homework, the quarterly assessment, or a large project. However, students may redo parts of a large project, if graded separately by the teacher, with each part counting as a separate redo. Assessments or assignments due in the last week of the quarter are not eligible.
Late Work and Incomplete Assignments: Students are expected to submit assignments on the date that they are due. Students are expected to complete assignments, in full, to the best of his/her ability and students should take advantage of tutoring and re-teaching opportunities so that the student can submit his/her best work. Late assignments are penalized 10% for each day it is late up until five school days (not A/B days). After five school days, the assignment becomes a zero and may not be submitted for a grade.
Teachers shall assign a minimum grade of 50% to assignments or assessments for which the student made a good faith effort, as determined by the teacher, to meet the basic requirements. If a student does no work on an assignment or assessment, the teacher shall assign a grade of zero.
When a student is absent, it is the student’s responsibility to get the make-up work. The student will be allotted the same number of days equal to the number of days absent to make-up work.
Recording of Grades and Communication with Parents: Per AACPS regulation, all grades, with the exception of lengthy assignments such as projects and extended writing assignments, will be entered into Parent Connect within one week of assignment submission. Parents can check Parent Connect regularly to monitor student grades.
Academic Dishonesty: A student who exhibits academic dishonesty as determined by the teacher and administrator shall receive a zero on the particular assignment in question. Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy and Regulation may result in disciplinary action. Consequences for violations may vary according to the severity of the violation and shall follow the progressive interventions and discipline as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
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