College Prep Biology
Course Description 2009-20010
Text: McDougal Littell BiologyInstructor: Ms SimunRedondo Union High School(310) 798-8665; Voice mail- X4107 E-mail: msimun@rbusd.orgWeb: http://simun.inspiringteachers.com/ BiologyThis course will provide students, through a variety of learning experiences, with an overview of biological processes, theories and concepts. Biology is the study of living things, including animal, plant, microorganisms and fungi, and their interactions with the environment. Emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking through the use of the scientific method and laboratory activities. In addition, this course will provide students with the skills and information necessary to form opinions and make decisions involving scientific issues. As an integral part of this course, students will learn about their responsibility towards the environment. Instructional MethodsAudiovisuals: DVD’s, videotapes, films, powerpoints, computers and CD ROMs will be usedto enhance topics.Discussion: students will participate in class discussions throughout thecourse; discussions will focus on the students’ opinions, decisions and judgments as related to specific topics.Homework: reinforce and clarify concepts, and teach study skills.Laboratory: used to teach and reinforce concepts.Lecture: introduce concepts; students will learn to take organized notes.Reading: students will read the assigned text, as well as science magazines, books and newspaper articles as supplements for the topics.Supplemental: to stimulate interest and reinforce concepts I recommenda visit to some of the following: California Science Center, a zoo, the Natural History Museum and La Brea Tar Pits, etc. Writing: students will write essays on scientific topics. In addition, all laboratory reports will be completed following the scientific method, and students will regularly write learning statements.
Objectives Students will:· enjoy science!· view science as a process and demonstrate the scientific method.· learn how the physical and biological elements of the world interact.· appreciate the wide diversity of life on this planet and work towards its preservation.· understand how the human body functions.· learn about energy and it’s significance.· perform a laboratory experiment and generate a comprehensive report.· gain the knowledge and insight necessary to make decisions and judgments when science is applied at the social level.Materials Needed: Blue or black pens; Study Guide to accompany textbook; #2 pencils and paper; safety goggles; three-ring binder with dividers. Highlighters and a calculator are recommended. Course Outline
· Ecology · Taxonomy and Classification· Organic Chemistry and the Digestive System· Cells, Tissues, Organisms· Cell Energetics in Plants and Animals · Genetics· DNA and How Genes Work· Evolution and Natural Selection· Nervous and Endocrine Systems· Respiratory System · Circulatory and Excretory Systems· Immune System
Grades A 100-90%, B 89-80%, C 79-70%, D 69-60%, F 59-0%
All work must be legible to receive a grade (no metallic pens, please!). Grades are calculated using a point system, based on all coursework in the following categories: class work, homework, participation and assessment. Laboratory activities and assessment are emphasized; failure to complete laboratory reports following the specified format, or regular assessment failure, will result in a failing grade for this class. Coursework
· Class worko Students will take notes during class and complete them following the Cornell format for homework. They are due the following class period. Students will also participate in a variety of activities, including non- lab activities, an authentic environmental restoration project, discussions, and summarizing news articles.· Content Assessmento Daily quizzes will assess mastery of text readings and prepare students for State exams; chapter or unit tests will cover larger concepts, culminating in semester finals. Most activities will contain embedded assessment. Assessments may include: multiple choice, matching, true-false, fill-ins, problems, short answers or essays. o If you are absent on the day of the test, you are expected to take the test on the day you return to school (essay form). Ten percent will be deducted from your test score for each day after the originally scheduled test date. Tests must be taken in advance of scheduled absences.· Homeworko Students will read the assigned pages in the text for mastery and take supplemental notes, complete assignments and/or make flash cards from which to study. Newspaper srticles will also be assigned. Work will be checked daily on the specified due date at the beginning of the period. I recommend students study at least three hours per week outside of class. o The textbook is NOT required for class work; leave it at home! (This may change!)
· Laboratory Activities o Students will perform the assigned experiments and report their findings following the specified format. Safety goggles are required (safety first!!). In general, lab activities cannot be made up, due to materials and safety considerations. A make-up lab report or essay will be required.
· Warm-Upso Daily quizzes will be administered begin promptly at the beginning of each period.· Notebooko Students will maintain a complete and organized biology notebook. It will be graded each quarter for homework points. Section dividers are as follows: warm ups, homework, notes and handouts, activities, assessment.· Participationo Students are expected to be present, on time and participate actively during class each day. Students will receive participation points for actively participating in activities and discussions (points are deducted for non-participation). · Student Responsibilities: to come to class daily, on time, prepared to learn. · Normso Do things that are conducive to learning. Students are expected to follow all school rules. All students have the right to an education. Disturbing that right will result in removal from that activity or from class.o Do these things safely. Students who behave in an unsafe or uncooperative manner in the laboratory will be removed from that activity. “Horseplay” in the lab is dangerous to everyone in the room and will not be tolerated. The RUHS discipline policy will be followed. Completing WorkAll assignments completed at home are due at the beginning of the class period on the assigned date due. Work will not be accepted after the due date. Absent Work and Late AssignmentsStudents are responsible for keeping track of daily class and homework assignments. Students are responsible for picking up missed assignments and turning in past due assignments upon returning to class following an illness. Regarding anticipated absences, including school activities, assignments must be turned in on the assigned due date. Tests may be taken a day in advance. Assignments can be obtained from the assignment list in the classroom, from the weekly assignment board in the classroom, from my web site, or from a class partner. Students have the same number of days they were absent to make up absent work. Missed laboratory activities may be made up by written report, following specific guidelines. Missed quizzes may be made up the day the student returns to class. Missed tests must be made up the day the student returns to class; the make-up test will be in essay format. Ten percent will be deducted from your test or quiz score for each day after the originally scheduled test date. Semester Final Project(s) must be turned in on the assigned due date(s). Check my web site regularly for current information. Internet access is available at any library! Need Help?!?!?If you need help or have a question, just ask!! I am here to help. By appointment I can meet with you most days before or after school, and some days during lunch. You can also email me or leave me a phone message.HOW TO LEARN NEW INFORMATION AND SUCCEED AT EXAMSStudy for a maximum of 50 minutes straight- studies indicate that the best way for new knowledge to be stored for later retrieval is to concentrate for a chunk of time, then take a ten minute break. Cramming may occasionally work for a test, but does not commit the information to long-term memory for later recall. Recommended Routine
Daily· Skim your notes and/or text daily to stay fresh. Repetition is the key to committing information to long-term memory.3 Days Before the Test· Additional study time will be required over your regular routine- study seriously. Review your lecture notes, labs, study guide, and re-read the appropriate chapters. Review flash cards frequently; carry them with you everywhere for a quick review.2 Days Before the Test· After reading the chapter, work through the appropriate sections in the study guide; anticipate possible essay questions from the problem set. The Night Before the Test
· Study in a group of 3-5 people (with a range of performance levels), breaking for 10 minutes every hour. Finish by 10 PM (sleep is crucial). While in bed, read over computerized notes just before falling asleep (relaxed state- brain waves change).The Morning of the Test· Eat a good breakfast: lean protein (eggs, milk) for staying power, complex carbohydrates (bread, cereal, fruit) for quick energy. Avoid high fat foods (fats are difficult to digest and can make you sluggish). Just before the exam: stretch, inhale and exhale deeply through your nose several times (repeat during text to relax). Themes of Biology: Major Concepts and TerminologyEnergy FlowEnergy and Metabolism: energy, ATP, enzyme, catalyst, glycolysis Photosynthesis: glucose, ATP; Cellular Respiration; aerobic, anaerobicInterrelationships: producer – consumer – decomposer; carbon cycle; biogenesis, abiogenesisEcosystem food webs and food chains Scale and Structure
Atoms: SPONCH (Sulfur, Phosphorous, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Hydrogen)Molecules, bonding: covalent, ionic, hydrogen; Molecules, organic: mono- and polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, cholesterol, insulin, nucleic acids (DNA, RNA); Molecule of life: H20The Cell: prokaryotic, eukaryotic, virus; diffusion, osmosis, active vs. passive transport, concentration gradient, endocytosis, exocytosisCellular organelles: nucleus, chromosomes, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, chloroplast, vacuole, mitochondria, cell membrane (phospholipid bilayer), cytoplasm Multicellular organisms, organization: Organismðsystemðorganðtissueðcellðmoleculeðatom Stability
Homeostasis and Ecosystem stability: succession Evolution
Heredity and Inheritance: cell reproduction- mitosis, meiosis (gamete, zygote), fertilizationGenetic variation, mutation, sexual reproduction; Natural selection, Charles Darwin; AdaptationPatterns of ChangeDevelopment: differentiation; Cyclical changes- life cycle; Irregular changes- evolutionSystems and InteractionsClassification: Kingdoms-plant, animal, fungi, monera, protista; KPCOFG, SpeciesDiversity; Interdependency and Community: populationAssessment of environmental issues; the role of humans: ecology 
