Teacher: Mrs. Sharolyn Davis
Planning Period: 10:35-11:30 (best time for calls or a conference)
Phone:
376-7855 ext 8030 (goes directly to voicemail)
Email:
davissh@mustangps.org
Website:
www.mustangps.org/~davissh
Textbook: Holt:
Modern Biology 2006 edition
Course Description:
This course is designed to
give the student an overview of many different aspects of the life
sciences. As a Pre-AP class, we will
move at a faster pace, go more in-depth on some topics, have a different method
of taking notes, and do additional projects, labs, and assignments that will
not be assigned in my other biology classes.
Topics Covered:
Scientific Method and Tools
Cells and Biochemistry
Heredity (DNA and Genetics)
Biodiversity (Evolution and
Classification)
Interdependence of Organisms
(Ecology)
Matter, Energy, and
Organization (Photosynthesis/Cellular Respiration)
Behavior of Organisms
Human Body Systems
Summer Reading:
During enrollment of last
year, each Pre-AP biology student was informed about the summer reading of Microbe Hunter by Paul de Kruf as well as supplemental materials. These need to be completed and brought to
class on the first Monday for use during discussions. The test on the summer
reading will take place on the last Friday in August. This test will be weighted 1.5 times more
than a unit or benchmark test.
Current Events:
Once a month, current events
are assigned. There will be a hand-out
going over my expectations for this assignment.
Please understand that this is an assignment for Pre AP, NOT BONUS as in
my regular biology class.
Classroom Rules:
1.
Show respect.
2.
Come prepared.
3.
Pay attention.
4.
Be punctual.
5.
Participate.
Daily Supply List:
Blue/Black Ink Pens Pencils
and Erasers
Red Ink Pens 3-ring
binder with dividers
Loose-leaf Paper Spiral
Notebook
Calculator Completed
Homework
Zippered pencil bag Good Attitude
Other items are needed
throughout the year for labs, projects, and a research paper. I will try to let
you know of these as soon as possible.
Some items are needed for
the classroom overall (ex. tissues).
These items will be mentioned in the monthly newsletter. Since these items are above and beyond, I
feel that a reward should be given to those that help us out. Therefore, I will award a “Get Out of Tardy
Free” pass if the student donates one of these items. Each student may earn only one pass per
month. The student must turn in the pass
on the day of the tardiness to be excused.
I do not feel that it is
okay to give bonus points for items students (or their parents) purchase. (Too much like “buying” a grade!)
Tardy Policy:
My students are expected to
be in their assigned seats when the bell begins to ring. If they are not, they will be tardy. I follow
the district’s attendance policy which states three tardies
will count as an absence and go towards the total number of absences. On the
sixth tardy an office referral will be issued Students may use a hall pass to
avoid being counted tardy. If the
student has to go back to their locker to get materials that should have been
brought to class, this will count as a tardy if no hall pass is used. Tardies can be
monitored with the use of Parent Connect.
Parents will only be called when a detention/office referral has been
earned.
Grading Policy:
Daily = 20%
Tests = 50%
Labs = 20%
Semester Test = 10%
Late Work:
If you hand me your
assignment after the time when I have instructed to pass them over, it will be
considered late. Late work will be
accepted up to one day late for an automatic 50% reduction in the grade earned.
You will NOT get a grade for any assignment that is turned in more than one day
late.
Bonus:
Scheduled opportunities for
bonus are not given to Pre AP classes with the exception of their hall
passes.
Make-Up Work:
I have a calendar on the
webpage and posted in the classroom with the daily assignments on it. You are expected to look at one of these to
get your assignments. I WILL NOT remind
you to get your make up work. There is a
folder for the worksheets in the room hanging on the wall near the calendar. AFTER checking the calendar, you can find the
missed worksheet in the folder with the day of the week in which you missed
written on it. I follow the school’s policy as to the time frame you have in
which to make up the work. Make up tests need to be taken on the following
Monday after school. The sooner tests
are made up the better.
All absent work is entered
into the computer as a zero until it is made up. This will show you the worst case scenario on
average and prevents surprises at the end of the grade period. HURRY and get
your work caught up!
This year my students will keep a vocabulary notebook, a one subject, 70
pg spiral. The notebook needs to be brought to class every day. I would suggest that they stay inside their
Biology 3-ring binder. We will set up
the binder during class. Please have
dividers.
Benchmark Tests (Practice EOI’s)
This year Biology students
will take benchmark tests meant to prepare them for the kinds of questions to
expect on the End-Of-Instruction test.
We will have district wide practice tests on each of the six content
standards of our PASS skills about once a month. This is done to help us see progress in our
students and areas where we need to improve before the EOI. Grades earned on these practice tests are
recorded and can be seen in Parent Connect. My plan is to have mini tests on
each of the PASS sub-skills prior to the benchmark test.
Parent Connect:
This is a great way for
parents to stay informed on the student’s performance in the classroom. This is updated regularly. You can see your student’s average,
individual assignment grades, and attendance record for all classes. You can even sign up to receive email
alerts! Sign up by with a visit to http://pcxp.mustangps.org. Grade checks for my class will be given to
students after each test has been recorded.
These should be signed and returned.
Tutoring:
I am available to help your
student with additional instruction after school each Tuesday until 4:30
pm. I may be able to give additional
support on other days. The student needs
to double check to see that I don’t have a prior engagement. Before school, I
am not available due to taking my children to school.
Special Grading Scores:
I sometimes send home grade
reports with the students for parents to see and sign. When I input grades, I do not just type in
numbers. I have abbreviations for
certain things. This is to help me have
a better understanding of why your student has a particular average or missing
grade. Parent Connect doesn’t always
show these abbreviations, but it will show you the percentage equivalent. Below is a list of these abbreviations, why I
have used that, and what they mean as far as percentage.
AB = absent (This grade counts as a zero until the assignment is made up
and graded.)
Z = zero (This
assignment was turned in but no answers were
correct)
NC = no credit
(This assignment was turned in but no credit was given.
This happens for several reasons. Turned in with no name, turned
in blank, written in the wrong color ink,
etc. See the note at the
bottom of the report for details.)
0 = zero (This
assignment was never turned in.)
L = late work
(This assignment was done and turned in, however, it was
turned in after it was due and so the maximum
earned is 50%.)
C = completion
(This assignment was given full credit 100%.
Usually this
is seen on participation grades.)
B = bonus
(This assignment was not a 100% but the bonus points the
student did
this semester were added to this assignment and
therefore is now a 100%. I do this to multiple assignments until all
the bonus points were awarded. This will be done only near grade
report time.)
REDO = redo
(This paper is worth no credit the way it was turned in. The
student has the opportunity to receive points
however, if he/she will
redo the assignment. Usually there is a note on top of the
assignment when it is passed back to the student.
This is read by
Parent Connect as a zero until the work is
redone.)
EX = excused
(This grade is not assigned to this student. The points
earned by the other students will not affect
this student’s grade.
Parent Connect reads this as a missing grade,
but it will show you
the code.
Remember what it means. This
often happens when
students are gone for labs.)
CH = cheating
(The student was cheating, in one form or another, and
therefore is
earning a zero on this assignment. This
is not able to
be made up!
Cheating is using someone else or their work to
obtain answers. Both individuals may earns zeroes for
cheating.
Parents are usually contacted by phone.)
TRU = truant
(If SASI, our attendance program, has the child marked as
truant, any assignment missed that day counts as a
zero
and cannot be made up.)