Phone: 626-965-3437 x3585

Email: [email protected]

Text: Biology, McDougal Littell

Biology is a course that introduces students to the various systems that make up our living world. It explores the topics of cells, genetics, evolution, ecology, diversity, and human biologic systems.

For this course, you will need the following materials:

• Spiral - bound notebook with pockets

• Pencils with erasers

• Red, blue, green, and black pens (all colors are required)

• Colored pencils or markers, ruler, and scissors are strongly suggested

It is expected that students will bring these materials every day.

It is expected that students will follow all school and classroom rules and procedures. These include but are not limited to: no personal electronics, no eating or drinking in class, no tardies, dress code compliance, and limited restroom breaks.*

Standards for Classroom Behavior: Students will -

• Be in their seats ready to work before the tardy bell

• Begin the sponge activity as soon as the bell rings

• Raise their hands for permission to speak

• Participate fully in all lessons and activities

• Return supplies in usable condition at the end of the period

• Verbal praise

• In-class prizes and awards

• Personal call or note home

• Classroom detention

• BIC detention

• Personal call or note home

• Referral – automatically with 3rd offense

This class will include a variety of learning opportunities designed to meet differing student needs and to develop students’ skills. The program will support Common Core standards through the use of AVID strategies and the Cornell Notes system. There will also be numerous opportunities for collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Science lab and data analysis skills will also be emphasized as we move to a performance-based set of standards. The course will include various in-class and homework assignments, labs, and projects. Various quizzes as well as school and district unit tests are also included. It is the student’s responsibility to complete all assigned work by the date due. Late work will be accepted for reduced credit depending on number of days late, and it is the student’s responsibility to find out about any work missed during the absence.

The final letter grade will depend on the percentage of possible points earned.

The grading scale is as follows:

Week Date Topic Chapter

1 8/17 – 8/21 Syllabus, Procedures, Lab Safety --

2 – 3 8/24 – 9/04 Biochemistry 2

4 9/07 – 9/11 Cell features and organelles 3

5 9/14 – 9/18 Passive and active transport 4

6 – 7 9/21 – 10/02 Photosynthesis and cellular respiration 4

8 10/05 – 10/09 Cell cycle and mitosis 5

9 – 10 10/12 – 10/23 Meiosis and Mendel 6

11 – 12 10/26 – 11/06 Patterns of inheritance 7

13 - 14 11/09 – 11/20 DNA and RNA 8

15 - 16 11/23 – 12/04 Protein synthesis 8

17 12/07 – 12/11 Biotechnology 9

18 12/14-12/18 Review and Final exams All above

Week Date Topic Chapter

19 1/11 – 1/15 Genetic engineering 9

20 – 21 1/18 – 1/29 Nervous and endocrine systems 29

22 – 23 2/01 – 2/12 Respiratory and circulatory systems 30

24 – 25 2/15 – 2/26 Digestive and excretory systems 32

26 2/29 – 3/04 Immune system 31

27 3/07 – 3/11 Dissection --

28 3/14 – 3/18 Theory of evolution 10

29 – 30 3/21 – 3/25 Natural selection 10

(spring break 3/28 – 4/01) 

31 4/11 – 4/15 Evidence for evolution 10

32 4/18 – 4/22 Evolution of populations and human evolution 11, 12

33 – 34 4/25 – 5/06 Principals of ecology 13

35 5/09 – 5/13 Ecosystems 14

36 – 37 5/16 – 5/27 Biosphere and human impact on ecosystems 15, 16

38 5/30 – 6/2 Review and Final exam All above