BL1250 and BL1251
General Biology I and General Biology I Laboratory
ACCP Biology Syllabus
Instructor Information:
Instructor: Kathleen Teel
E-Mail: kdteel@ndsion.edu
Availability: After school or 4th hour in science office
School Phone:816.942.3282 ext. 1137
Classroom Expectations:
Text: AP Edition Biology, Campbell & Reese 8th edition
Course Description:
ACCP Biology is a college-level biology class that may be taken for credit through Rockhurst University. Material covered in the 4-credit hour class includes classification of living organisms; the structural, functional, and chemical properties of cells; and genetics. The class will be conducted as a series of lectures, class discussions, and laboratory activities covering those topics listed above. As a general rule of thumb: for every credit hour, students are expected to complete at least 2 hours of outside study per week. Thus, this class will need approximately 6-8 hours of outside study per week.
Course Goals and Objectives:
Students will acquire the following skills and general knowledge:
Absenteeism:
It is essential that you are present in class. If you are absent on the day an assignment is due or on the day of an exam, you are expected to hand in the assignment/take the exam upon your immediate return. This is the policy in the Sion student handbook. As due dates are generally given well in advance, sufficient notice will have been given. Failure to attend causes you to fall behind, which often results in a detriment to your ability to do well in class.
Grading:
Grades will be calculated based on total points accumulated during the quarter. Grades will be included for laboratory work, tests, projects , article summaries and various other assignments. At the end of each semester there will be a comprehensive final exam. This exam will constitute 20% of your final semester grade. A note to all members of the class-you must take both of the semester finals; there will be no exemption for this class. For those receiving college credits the letter grade will be in accordance with the grading scale set by the Rockhurst Biology Department.
A-Indicates high achievement and unusual degree of intellectual initiative
B-Denotes attainment well above the average
C-Denotes work of average achievement
D-Denotes work of inferior quality, but passing
F-Denotes poor work, for which no credit will be given.
Late work:
No late work will be accepted for full credit. For each day late, 25% will be taken off the final score. If not handed in within 3 days of the due date, no credit will be given. Assignments are designed to help you understand current concepts, not as busy work. If you do not complete the assignments, it becomes difficult for you not only to comprehend current concepts, but impairs your ability to grasp future concepts. Computer problems: Don’t leave work to the last minute. Any typed assignment may be attached to an email and sent to kdteel@ndsion.com.
Plagiarism & Cheating:
Plagiarism is a type of cheating where a student presents the work of another as her own. This can include, but is not limited to copying home work assignments, or reproducing a piece of text (whether in part or in whole) word for word and presenting it as your own. Changing several words or rearranging sentence structure does not reduce the charge of plagiarism. Plagiarism or cheating of any kind on any class work will result in a non-negotiable zero for that assignment and immediate notification of parents and school administration. Please remember that integrity is difficult to regain once tarnished, as is trust and respect. Please read the policy on cheating in your student handbook.
Lab Reports:
Each student is expected tocomplete their own lab report. Some will be formal and some will be preprinted.
Projects/Reports:
Each student will complete and present to the class one project/paper each semester. Information on completing these reports will be provided in a timely manner.
Article Summaries:
Students will read and summarize a 15 point scientific article due once a month on the first Monday of each month (see web site for exact dates).
The summaries for articles will be typed and include the following:
Copy of article (no more than 6 month old)
Tentative Course Schedule
Fall Semester
Weeks 13-16
Weeks 17-18
Genetic Presentations and Review for Semester Final