Biology - Mr.Willets
Biology is the study of life in all its forms. We will investigate the chemistry of life, the cellular nature of life (both from a structural and functional point of view), genetics, evolution, taxonomy, ecology and take a brief trip through each of the six kingdoms of organisms. Below are some rules and some suggestions.
1) Get to class on time. During the first few minutes of class, I will be taking attendance. This is when you should get out your notebooks etc.
2) You should always have your biology notebook with you. I recommend a "5-Star". They hold up well. It's a long year. Obviously, a notebook does you no good without a pencil or pen (having both is best). You must have a pencil for lab. You should have your biology folder at all times.
3) When you are assigned pages to read in the book, I expect that you will do just that. You will not need your textbook in class. Bring your book home and leave it there. If you need a book in school, you can borrow one. Written homework should be handed in the day it is due. If you are absent, hand it in the next day. Take pride in your work. Do not hand in messy or incomplete work. Anything that is handed in should represent your best work.
Homework handed in late will not receive full credit. Incomplete homework will not receive full credit.
5) Most of your grades will come from tests. There will always be a day of review before the test. If you are absent on the day of a test, you have a week to make it up. Tests can be made up during study halls or after school. If you are absent only for the review day, you will take the test as scheduled. (please read that again) If you miss more than just the review day before the test, we will work something out. There will be a mid-term exam given in late January that will count as 10% of your grade for the year. It will cover the material from the first half of the year There will a final exam in June that will count as 10% of your grade for the year. This exam will cover only the work from January through June. Each quarter grade will count as 20% of your grade for the year.
6) Good attendance is essential for you to do well.
7) On every seventh school day, we go to the laboratory (room 117 ) for the extended period. You should make sure you have a pencil for these lab periods. If you finish the lab sheet in class, you may hand it in at the end of the period. If you wish to take it home to finish it, you may. But make sure you turn it in the next day. It is usually a good idea to take these sheets home and make sure that you have done them correctly. If you are absent on lab day, you must make up the work after school. A lab-work/homework grade will count as a test.
8) Please don't cheat. If you are caught cheating on a test, you will receive a zero. You may ask your classmates for help on homework or labs but to simply copy their work is cheating.
9) I expect that you are all old enough that I don't have to worry about fooling around especially in lab. I cannot and will not tolerate any foolishness in the laboratory. Behave like young adults. Watch your language. Respect each other and each other's property. Do not write on the desks etc. You are responsible for the way you act and you will be held accountable for your actions.
10) There will no food or drink allowed in class or lab at any time.
11) After school make-up will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sometimes I will be in K31, other times I will be in room 117. Assume K31. I'll put a note on the door if I'm in 117. There is a 2 week time limit on making up work!!!!!
12) Every Friday (unless noted otherwise) for the first half of the year, you will have a vocabulary quiz. The list is in your folder. This quiz will be on Thursday when Friday is a lab day. These quizzes will count as part of your lab/homework grade. On Fridays for the second half of the year, we will do MCAS Biology review.
13) Some dates to remember:
11/4/05 , 1/20/06 , 3/31/06
Report Cards Issued:
11/10/05 , 1/27/06 , 4/7/06
Progress Reports issued:
10/7/05 , 12/9/05 , 3/3/06, 5/12/06
Meet The Teacher Night - 9/8/05
6:30 - 8:30 P.M.
Parent Conferences - 11/17/05 , 2/2/06
6:30 - 8:30 P.M.
I think that biology is the most interesting and exciting subject that you can take in high school. It is a good idea for you to pretend to agree with me about that for the next 179 days.