11th+Biology

Jeremy Goodreau jgoodreau@chinquapin.org 972-345-5784 Biology: Concepts and Connections (6th ed.) Campbell, Reece, Taylor, Simon, Dickey ISBN- 0321742621
 * Biology**
 * Text: **


 * The Class: **

 The course is designed to be a college preparatory class that focuses on building scientists through introductory biological content.Accordingly, we will be pushing ourselves throughout the year to cover a wide breadth and depth in Biology. __This course will be difficult. However, with some work and perseverance, success is entirely possible__. We will be covering a wide range of subjects ranging from individual atoms to entire ecosystems. The course will constantly be building on itself and you will be expected to master and retain information throughout the year. We will concentrate on the development of scientific skills through the application of biological themes and scientific skills. However, this approach does require a great deal of knowledge of biological topics and facts. As such, there will be a significant amount of outside reading in preparation for class. Assignment questions will be based on __both__ the reading and classroom activities.

**Goals:**  For the course we will constantly be working towards a single big goal- __**we will all be scientists**__. While I realize that some of you may have no desire to become engineers or lab researchers, you will all have the opportunity to experience real scientific inquiry. The projects and labs we will conduct in class this year will develop the skills necessary for you to conduct your own scientific inquiry. More importantly, scientific process skills are applicable to many aspects of life, and are generally good problem solving skills. The main way we will assess this goal is through your performance on labs and projects.  Academically, over the course of the year, you should expect to master a wide range of themes, concepts, skills, and content that will align closely to those fostered in an introductory biology class in college. To repeat myself, the emphasis will be on the broad themes that the College Board has identified as being essential to success in college. Along these lines, we have identified 6 questions that we will be constantly coming back to throughout the entire course. They are- What is biology? What is the process of biological discovery? How does it affect our society, life, and technology? How does energy flow through life? How do structure and function affect each other? How do living things affect and regulate their environment? How and why have organisms evolved, changed, or continued as they are? These themes will be constantly referenced and included over the course of the year. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">It is my final goal that all students will be able to thoroughly answer each of these questions. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">**Assignments and Grading:** <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> You should expect a variety of labs, discussions, projects, and assignments. The breakdown for grading will follow the layout below for each quarter- <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Major Grades 50 % <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Minor Grades 40 %  <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">__Participation 10 %__  <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Total 100 % = Final Grade <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> A few notes about assignments- The tests will largely be AP and ACT style and will have both multiple choice and free response questions. They will focus on material from that unit, but may require material from earlier units to be worked into the answer. Test corrections will be allowed for 50% credit on all tests. For the projects, the format and goals will vary, but you will have plenty of time to prepare. Discussion Sections are “round table” discussions that will be held once per unit and will require //all// of you to do research and discuss the topic in a group. You should expect to be asked to do quick research inquiries throughout the year. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> You will also have roughly major lab per unit. Smaller lab activities will be done once or twice per week. Homework and unannounced quizzes will be given throughout the year as well. Finally, participation will be factored into the grade. Showing up, finishing all assignments, and answering questions when called on will earn 8/10 points. For full credit, you are expected to engage the material on your own and come to class with questions. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> If you are responsible with your homework and in class assignments, as well as active in class, you should expect to have no trouble passing. I view in class assignments and homework as benchmarks that are there for your feedback, not punitive assessments. Progress reports Finally, semester grades will be calculated as 40% for each of the marking periods and 20% for the Exam. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> Homework is due at the beginning of class unless otherwise noted. No incomplete __**or inadequate**__ work will ever be accepted; it will be considered late. There will be a 25% deduction per day that work is turned in late. Extra credit will never be accepted late. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">**Schedule:** <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">The course will be divided into 11 approximately 3 week units. The general structure for these units will be-
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">General Content || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">General Content || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Inquiry Day || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Inquiry Day ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">General Content || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">General Content || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">General Content || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Pre-lab || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Lab ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Extension/Makeup || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Discussion Section || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Review || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Unit Test ||  ||

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Below is a tentative schedule of what we will cover and when we will cover it. Exact dates are subject to change, but we will stick very close to this schedule.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Lab Safety and Conduct || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Research || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Analyzing Data || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Reading Scientific Research || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Dissecting Animals ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">//**Unit**// || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">//**# of Days**//  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">//**Topic**//  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">//**Skills**//  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">1 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Chemistry & The Science of Life || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Note Taking
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">2 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">12  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">The Cell || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Microscopes
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">3 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">13  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Cellular Energetics || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Writing Lab Reports ||
 * ||  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">End 1st Quarter  ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">4 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">17  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Genetics and Heredity || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Recording Data
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">5 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">13  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Evolution || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Evaluating Charts, Graphs, Figures ||
 * ||  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">End 2nd Quarter ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">6 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Taxonomy || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Methods of Field Research ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">7 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">15  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Diversity of Plants || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Dissecting Plants
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">8.1 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">15  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Animal Diversity || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Dissecting Animals ||
 * ||  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">End 3rd Quarter ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">8.2 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">15  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Animal Systems || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Revisit Field Research
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">9 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Ecology || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Sustainability in Science ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10 || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Final Project/AP Studying ||   ||
 * ||  || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">End 4th Quarter ||   ||