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Back to Biology I Information

Miss Davis Biology I Course Guidelines


 * I.	__**BE PRESENT AND ON TIME**__**

A.	Good attendance is important to succeed in any class.

B.   An unexcused absence will be handled in accordance with the policy outlined in the Student / Parent Handbook. Excessive unexcused absences may result in credit denial, please see the student handbook for credit denial information

C.   A pre-excused/ school-related absence means that the student should have any homework due on that day handed in prior to the absence (teacher discretion may allow 	for variation). The student should also be prepared to take any quiz or test should it fall on the day of his/her return to class.

D.   If a student is absent/excused for any reason, IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY to inquire about any missed assignments. The student will also be responsible for obtaining any class notes missed. Notes are to be made up on the student’s own time, NOT during class time when other activities or lessons are in progress. If the student has trouble finding another student’s notes to borrow they should see the instructor immediately.

E.	If a student is absent for three or more days, the guidance office may be contacted for assignments. If there are questions regarding the work assigned, the student should contact the instructor for clarification. Extra time may be granted for students who are ill for a prolonged period of time.

F.	The classroom teacher will enforce the tardy policy in accordance with the Student Handbook. Students WILL remain in their seats from the start of class until the bell rings, unless directed otherwise by the instructor.

G.	Lateness to class will NOT be tolerated. Students should be in their seats and ready to begin when the class bell rings. If a student has difficulty arriving on time, they should notify the instructor of their problem. The instructor will have administration decide if extra travel time is necessary.


 * II.	**__BRING LEARNING MATERIALS__****

A.	The student is expected to come to class prepared with pen/pencil, text, notebook/ binder, lab book, journal, etc.

B.	Students will be expected to keep an organized science notebook, which will be graded quarterly. A three – ring binder is suggested for this purpose as it allows papers to be easily shuffled, removed, or placed back inside.

C.	Students will keep their text books at home in a safe place, unless told to bring the text to class. This way the student will have access to their book anytime they are at home. Students need to return their textbook in the condition it was issued, to the instructor on the day of the final exam. Failure to do so will result in the student paying out-of-pocket to replace the textbook.

**III. **__RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR PROPERTY__****

A.	The student should act with courtesy and respect toward the instructor and other students at all times.

B.	The student is responsible for keeping ALL school property (books, classroom materials, desks, tables, etc.) in good condition. Books MUST be covered and should be returned in the same condition as received. Failure to do so will result in a fine to cover the cost of the text or damaged equipment.

C.	The student will exhibit proper classroom behavior and will be expected to abide by all classroom guidelines established by the instructor, as well as guidelines set by the Student Handbook.

D.    No food, drink, or gum is allowed in the classroom at ANY time.


 * IV.	__**GRADING**__**

A.	Student grades will be based on a point system. Each assignment will be based on a certain number of points. The student grade will depend upon how many points he/she receives out of the total # of points available per assessment.

Ex) Lab assessment total points = 15	     Student obtains = 10

Student’s numerical grade = 10/15 X  100% = 67%

B.	Marking period grades will be based on the total # of points the student has received for ALL assessments divided by the total # of points available and multiplied by 100%.

Ex) Total points available for marking period = 250	     Total points attained by student = 235

Numerical grade for entire marking period = 235/250 X  100% = 94%

C.	Assessments may include, but are not limited to the following:

Tests, quizzes, HW assignments, worksheets, lab reports, journal, notebooks, cooperative learning activities/ projects, portfolio, extra credit

•	points for each type of assessment will vary

D.	Bonus Opportunities:

•	Students will have opportunities to earn bonus/ extra credit via selected items on tests as well as other assignments discussed by the instructor.

E.	Lab Reports:

•	The student will be expected to type lab reports for each lab experiment. •	The student will be given one week from the day of the lab to hand in their report. Passes for the library will be issued for study halls should a student need to use the library computers to type the assignment. •	The instructor will hand out an outline of how to set up a lab report and will go over this setup in detail with the class. This outline can also be found in detail on my Wikispace page.

F.	Notebooks:

•	Notes are important as they present the unit information in an organized manner and serve as a study guide for tests/ quizzes.

•	Notebooks account for 100 points of each marking period grade. The Notebook will be graded on the notes taken from the overhead during class time. As stated earlier, a binder makes for the most practical notebook.

•	Notes should be IN ORDER and always have a date on each page as to When the notes were recorded. This teaches the student organizational skills as well as provides the student with an easy way to determine if they missed a day of notes and if so what day.

•	The notebook should contain only science material. It should not double as another subject notebook.

•	It is recommended that if a student misses a day of notes, he/she should make them up in a prompt manner. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE NOTEBOOKS ARE DUE TO MAKE UP MISSED NOTES. Should the student have any problems obtaining notes that they have missed, it is their responsibility to notify the instructor in a timely manner.

•	The instructor will give students a one week notice prior to collecting notebooks.

G.    Late Assignments:

__For homework worksheets__: Most worksheets are given 1-2 days prior to being due, and students are often given some class time to begin said assignments. These assignments are graded on completion, rather than correctness, thus failure to do so will result in a zero on such assignments.
 * Students are expected to turn all assignments in on time. Failure to do so will result in the following:

__For lab worksheets, lab reports, notebooks, and other projects__: Major assignments, such as those mentioned above will be graded according to the policy below:

1 day late - 25% deduction 2 days late - 50% deduction 3+ days late - NO CREDIT!

__For missed tests/ quizzes__:

Students will have 5 days from their return from a missed exam to make up said exam. Failure to do so will result in a zero for that particular assessment.


 * V.	__**WARNING CARDS**__**

If a student is in danger of failing the marking period, a warning card will be issued either to the student directly or via mail by mid-quarter. The student must return a copy of the warning card with a parent/ guardian signature to the instructor promptly upon receiving it.