Course syllabus for Biology

Homework policy

Homework will be assigned 1 to 2 times per week.  Students are expected to turn in their homework by the due date set by the teacher.  If homework is late, the student will lose 10% of the possible points for each day it is late.  Completing the homework is essential for doing well on the test in this class.

Testing policy

Students will be required to take chapter tests.  If a student is not satisfied with their grade, they may choice to take a retake.  Retakes will be given before school on a date set by the teacher.  If the student does not show up for the retake on the set date, he or she will not be able to retake the test.  The retake test score will be averaged in with the student’s original test score.  If a student does worse on the retake, it will not be averaged in to their grade.

Grading procedure

The student’s marking period grade will be calculated using weighted average.  The average of all tests, quizzes, and projects will count as 70% of the student’s nine-week grade.  The average on all homework and labs will count as 30% of the student’s grade.

The semester grades are calculated by weighting each nine-week grade as 2/5 of the semester grade and the exam grade as the other 1/5.

Course content:

First nine weeks

What is life?

Cell structure

Photosynthesis and respiration

Mitosis and meiosis

Second nine weeks

Genetics

Evolution

Third nine weeks

Classification

Plant structure

Plant reproduction

Forth nine weeks

Ecology

Populations

Biomes