SYLLABUS

SYLLABUS

AP BIOLOGY

2004/2005

Instructor: Ms. Lourdes Sotomayor &= nbsp; Room: 92

Office Hours:= I will be around after school for any questions or extra help that you may ne= ed. Tuesdays are reserved for AP Review Meetings. Most likely, I will be in this room, the teacher’s room or the lab. You are encouraged to come see m= e if you are encountering any difficulties with the material during the course. = You need to let me know in advance so I can make arrangements to stay with you.= You can also email me any questions or concerns at lsotomayor@ans.edu.ni.

The Course: <= /b>This course is not part of the High School required curriculum. You are taking i= t as an elective to earn college credit and extra quality points for your GPA. Therefore, this course is highly rigorous and competitive. We will be study= ing molecules and cells, heredity and evolution, and organisms and populations.= The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course, usually taken by biology majors during their first year. Af= ter showing themselves to be qualified on the AP Examination, some students, as college freshmen, are permitted to undertake upper-level courses in biology= or to register for courses for which biology is a prerequisite. AP Biology cov= ers all the topics regularly covered in a college biology course. AP Biology differs from regular biology with respect to the kind of textbook used, the range and depth of topics covered, the kind of laboratory work done by students, and the time and effort required by students. Everyone in this cl= ass should have taken General Biology and Chemistry. If this is not the case, y= ou will have to work extra hard to catch up with the rest of us. We cannot go = back and re-teach certain areas.

Probation Per= iod: Everyone in this class is on probation at all times. You MUST maintain a “B” (80%) average at all times. 1^st quarter is the most critical period. Y= our future in this class will be determined after the 1^st Test on General Biology!!

AP Exam: = The test is on May _____ 2005.

Grading:         = Exams: 40%

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Quizzes: 25%

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Pre-Lab/Pop Quizzes: 5%

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Laboratories: 15% (3 formal reports total, rest questions)

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Essays: 5% (In-class)

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Reviews: 5%

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Participation: 5% (afl, pres,SA, SBA, Ped)

Requirements = for everyday class: 1. Textbook (bring it everyday for we will use diagrams= and pictures from it!) 2. Three-ri= ng binder for Biology ONLY (big o= ne)

1 Binder per Semester will include:

   &nbs= p;        *Notes section PRINT 1-20 Chapter notes

   &nbs= p;        *Essay Section

   &nbs= p;        *Test/Quiz Section

   &nbs= p;        *Lab Section

   &nbs= p;        *Reviews Section

   &nbs= p;        *E-Notes Section

Lectures: Lectures and lecture examinations will be held in this room. Notes will be posted on= my ANS webpage under Teacher’s Pages-Sotomayor. You should read the notes with it corresponding book chapter well ahead of = time so that when you come to lecture we can discuss them. Reading the textbook assignments is critical to the success in this course. You can expect 2-3 hours of reading in <= st1:City w:st=3D"on">Campbell each night. All reading and st= udying will be done outside of class. Lectures are merely meant to reinforce what = you have already read. Further, you are responsible for all material covered in= the text, or any handout or diagram given unless otherwise informed

Laboratory: <= /b>Labs are a required part of the AP Biology course. On average, we will do around= 8 laboratories this year. Four per semester. Some = labs will be done in class, but other will be held after school and they are extremely in detail and lengthy. Expect to be here until 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. So, start making plans for such occasions. Dates will be announced one week in advance. If you leave early or do not show up, you will be required to do a= DRY LAB. We will be working with expensive and delicate materials, so it is imperative that you become acquainted with the Lab. You will have a PRELAB QUIZ before each LAB. You are expected to follow procedures step by ste= p on your own, to begin developing your laboratory skills. I will be there on= ly to supervise and not do the lab for you!! There are extensive lab rules that should be followed for your own safety. These will be given to you and= you should become familiar with them. You should always wear your goggles when working with chemicals and be careful with the clothes you wear as some che= micals might stain. You may wear a lab coat if so desired. There will be NO MAKE UP LABS.

Examinations:= At the end of each unit you will have an exam. Exams will be (almost always) 30 Multiple Choice and 1 Free Response Essay. It will follo= w the same format as the AP Exam to get you acquainted with such test. The first = Test will be on the first week after you get back and will cover the Summer Assignment Chapter 1-6. The exams should be taken on the day assigned. Seld= om do I change the date. Most of my tests are based on the notes posted and ta= ken in class and the assigned reading. Anything in the Chapter assigned is fair game!!!

Policy on Mis= sed Exams/Quizzes: **Make up exams will be given for missed exams only if y= ou have a VALID reason for missing the regular scheduled exam, such as medical= or family emergency; and if you provide WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION of the reas= on for the absence (from doctor or parent). Oversleeping, car running out of gas, leaving early for a holiday, and not being prepared for whatever reason are= NOT valid excuses. I will need to= see an absent admission slip given in the office. You will have the SAME # DAYS to make up the= exam as you where absent. Make up exams will be given after school or in class. The make up will be ESSAY or ORAL bas= ed on the same content matter as the written exams. This is done to preserve t= he equity and fairness with your other classmates. Therefore, it is imperative= to be here during the exam date.

Quizzes: = Quizzes are announced and assigned on particular chapters, and others will be POP Quizzes.

Projects:. An as= signment due after Spring Break (already posted on the webpage) will be the only pro= ject for 2^nd semester. There will also be a presentation based on the= Mombacho Field Trip.

Extra Credit:= I will NOT accept any extra cred= it during the course. Do not wait until the end of the semester to ask for hel= p. If you are having trouble in the course, the time to get help is early on in the semester.

Participation= : Participation grade includes after school lectures, lab attendance as well as classroom discussions, Spring Break/Summer Assignment, and Momba= cho Presentations.

Field Trips:<= /b> We will attend the Volcan <= span class=3DSpellE>Mombacho Natural Reserve Park during 2^nd Semester. (around February= ), as part of our plant Unit.

Honor Code: <= /b>Besides the Honors Contract signed by all student at ANS, I expect you to follow th= ese three guidelines: 1. Do your o= wn work to the best of your ability, = 2. Claim nothing that is not your own effort, 3. Neither give nor receive test information on test days. Integrity is an important characteristic in a person. I expect the utmost academical ethics from you. All students in this class will be treated with respect, as well as other teachers and staff mem= bers.

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND EXCITING SEMESTER!!!!

J

Student Signa= ture: __________________    &= nbsp;           Pa= rent Signature:______________