a-g Biology

Section  #6004

Location Online 

a-g Biology Lab

Please review the CWCS Master Class Syllabus that will be used in the Parent/Student Orientation course. 

Instructor: Lanette Lanchester

Email: llanchester@cwcharter.org

Phone: (903)747-2597

Office Hours: Monday 1-2PM

 

Class Information:

#6004 Class Time:

• Semester 1 - First Class Meeting Tuesday Aug 17, 20219:00-10 AM

Last Day to Add or Drop is 9/3/21 (Students will be charged the full price of the course if dropping the class after this deadline.)

• Semester 2 - First Class Meeting  Tuesday January 4, 2022 9:00-10AM  

Last Day to Add or Drop is 1/14/22 (Students will be charged the full price of the course if dropping the class after this deadline.)

 

CWCS’s a-g Biology  online course offers students the opportunity to study at home while employing technology as a learning tool, meeting with other students in a virtual classroom, and receiving live instruction from a teacher. Additionally, students will sign up for a face to face lab that will meet once per month.

 

Course Overview: a-g Biology is a two semester course We will be covering a lot of interesting topics. 

• Semester 1

• Ecosystems & Energy
• History of Earth’s Atmosphere: Photosynthesis & Respiration
• Evidence of Evolution

• Semester 2

• Inheritance of Traits
• Structure, Function, and Growth (from cells to organisms)
• Ecosystem Stability and the Response to Climate Change

All tests and assignments will be posted in the course calendar in Canvas.  This is an advanced course and requires that students study every day.

Please note that this class requires a lab.  Please have your ES sign you up for a lab in SIS

 

Please note: The pacing guide is subject to change.  Any change will be posted in the Canvas calendar.  Students enrolled in the course should be checking the Canvas homepage for up-to-date and detailed assignments.

 

Curriculum:  Required curriculum may be available at the Learning Center on a first come basis.  If needed, ESs can order curriculum using the OPS catalog which will have the most up-to-date pricing. Students will need:

 

California The Living Earth Biology, Student Edition ISBN 1418283088  $132.95

Teacher's Edition ISBN 1418283096 $141.11

Materials: 

• Working external headset with mic (computer speakers do not work successfully with the Canvas setup). Plug-in headsets (rather than Bluetooth) work best with Jigsaw. After the third week of class and no headset, students may begin to lose participation points for the class. Class is much more engaging if all students can talk in class using their mic. Suggested:  Office Depot Logitech Clear-Chat 
• Binder Paper
• 1" Binder
• Pencils & Erasers
• Composition Notebook

 

Requirements: 

• Class textbook/workbook
• Gmail Account and ability to open/create word documents and pdfs (Adobe Acrobat Reader)
• Reliable Internet access
• Canvas Login link: https://cwcs.instructure.com/login/canvas 

Grading:  Students will be graded on attendance, daily homework assignments, module assessments, and labs.

. 

Overall course grade:

25% Attendance/Participation

25% Daily Homework 

25% Tests & Quizzes

25% Final Exam

 

Grading Scale:  :

90% and above A

80%-89% B

70%-79% C

60%-69% D

below 60% F

Attendance: Attendance is required.  The Truancy Policy applies to Canvas courses. An unexcused absence may be counted as a truancy.

• Excused Absence is defined as:
  The parent shall notify the teacher by phone of the absence at least 24 hours* prior to the time the class meets.
• Unexcused Absence is defined as:
  An absence that does not accompany a parent phone call to the instructor at least 24 hours* prior to the time the class meets.

*If there are extenuating circumstances that do not allow for at least 24 hours, then the teacher must still be notified prior to the start of class; allowances may be made depending on the circumstances. Examples of extenuating circumstances: car accident, sudden illness, etc. Students should arrange a "back up plan" in case of unexpected computer problems the day of the class (i.e. make pre-arrangements to go to a neighbor, friend, relative, library, etc.)  

When students are absent, they must contact the instructor via email or contact another classmate to obtain the homework assignment.

Absent/Late Work: Late work will not be accepted after the assignment due date, unless I am notified of a special circumstance.

Weekly assignments will include:

• Weekly Reading & Notes
• Class attendance & participation
• Weekly Assignment * Please see the instructions below for Parent Educator Instructions & Grading
• Weekly Progress Quiz
• Weekly learning Journal Submission

All homework will be submitted through Canvas. You can submit a Word document, PDF or Google Doc (download as a PDF and upload to Canvas).  Emailed assignments will not be accepted.  All communication will be made through Canvas’ email feature.

Attendance & Participation

You are expected to attend class and participate in group discussions and activities weekly.  This will be 10% of your final grade. The other 10% of your participation grade will be based on your weekly Learning Journal.  Every week you will submit a journal entry about something you learned, found interesting, surprised you, enjoyed, disliked.  Then you will comment on at least one other classmate’s journal entry.  

Homework overseen by the Parent Educator 

The weekly reading and weekly assignments will be overseen and graded by the parent educator. This will make up 25% of the student’s course grade.  Students will complete their assignments right in their Science notebook and complete weekly comprehension and vocabulary assignments. The Parent Educator will grade these assignments and will submit these assignments through your ES twice each semester.  However, it is the Parent Educator’s job to make sure your student does not fall behind on his/her reading and assignments.  The results will show up in weekly quizzes and tests. 

Weekly Progress Quizzes

Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that we learn more from our wrong answers than our correct answers?  With this in mind, the weekly progress quizzes are a tool to help you test your understanding, and help you get an easy 100.  You may take weekly quizzes as many times as you need until you get a 100!  Quizzes will be open for 1 week.  Wrong answers will give you feedback and extra videos or articles to help deepen your understanding.  When the assignments closes, I will post your last grade. 

Summative Tests - open notes

Tests must be completed within a 48 hour time frame.  This is NOT a group project. Summative tests are testing your own learning development.  You may not work with anyone else.  You may not use the internet.  BUT a good scientist keeps a good, organized notebook.  So you may use your notes.  Be sure to take excellent notes with a few examples.  As you take your progress quizzes and find areas that you need to deepen your learning, use your notebook.  Organize your notes according to topic.  Be sure to include all vocabulary. 

Final Exam (& Project?)

The final exam is a proctored exam held on campus.  I have the ability to add a project to the syllabus as part of this 20% as well.  I have not decided on what this should be, but projects are my favorite way of demonstrating learning.  I will involve the students in this decision making process as well as watch what opportunities are available both for the winter and spring semesters. 

• a-g Finals are scheduled at proctored test sites                                                               Dec.  7 & 9: Fall Semester a-g Finals                                                                 May 10 & 12: Spring Semester a-g Finals                                                                May 10 & 12: Spring Semester a-g Finals

Additional Resources: 

Important Dates 2021 - 2022: 

Aug. 11: First day of school for fall semester (Wed.)

Sept. 6: NO CLASS: Labor Day (Mon.)

Nov. 11: NO CLASS: Veteran’s Day (Thurs.)

Nov. 19 - 26: NO CLASS: Thanksgiving Break 

Dec.  7 & 9: a-g Finals

Nov 29 - Dec 3: Last Class session this week

Jan. 3: First day of school for spring semester (Mon.) - Classes start

Jan. 17: NO CLASS: MLK Holiday

Feb. 18 - 21: NO CLASS: President’s Day Observance

March 18-25: NO CLASSES THIS WEEK: SPRING BREAK

May 2 - 6: Last class session this week

May 10 & 12: a-g Finals

May 20: Last day of school

 

Pacing Guide

Week	Section	Attendance Participation 25%	Homework 25%	Quizzes &  Tests 25%	Final Exam & Project 25 %
6 Instructional Segments separated by color include: Ecosystems & Energy, History of Earth’s Atmosphere: Photosynthesis and Respiration, Evidence of Evolution, Inheritance of Traits, Structure, Function and Growth, Ecosystem Stability and the Response to Climate Change
Week 1 Aug 11-13 3 days	Intro to Biology Lab Safety	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read Pg 8-11 Assignment Lab Safety & Contract	Progress Quiz
Week 2 August 16-20 5 days	3.1 Introduction to Global systems 3.2 Climate Weather, and Life	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read pg 76-91 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 3 August 23-27 5 days	5.1 how Populations Grow 5.2 Limits to Growth 5.3 Human Population Growth Summative Test	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read pg 146-157 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 4 August 30-Sept 3 5 days	4.1 Energy, Producers, and Consumers 4.2 Energy flow in Ecosystems 4.3 Cycles of Matter	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read pg 114-133 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 5 Sept 7-10 4 days	9.1 Energy and life 9.2 Photosynthesis: an overview	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read Pg 294-302 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 6 Sep 13-17 5 days	9.3 The Process of Photosynthesis 10.1 Cellular Respiration  10.2 The Process of Cellular Respiration	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read Pg 303-309 & 322-332 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 7 Sep 20-24 5 days	Summative Test 17.1 A Voyage of Discovery 17.2 Ideas That Influenced Darwin 17.3 Darwin’s Theory: Natural Selection	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read pg 556-571 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 8 Sep 27-Oct 1 5 days	17.4 Evidence of Evolution Case Study, Chapter Assessment 19.1 Finding Order in Biodiversity	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read Pg 572-579 & 624-630 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 9 Oct 4-8 5 days	19.2 Modern Evolutionary Classification Summative Test 20.1 Earth’s Origin	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 631-639 & 654-666 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 10 Oct 11-15 5 days	20.2 Life’s Early History 20.3 Earth and Life Evolve Together	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 667-683 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 11 Oct 18-22 5 days	24.1 Introduction to Animals 24.2 Animal Evolution and Diversity 24.3 Primate Evolution	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 822-843 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 12 Oct 25-29 5 days	24.4 Social Interactions and Group Behavior Summative Test	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 844-849 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 13 Nov 1-5 5 days	12.1 The Work of Gregor Mendel 12.2 Applying Mendel’s Principles 12.3 Other Patterns of Inheritance	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 390-404 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 14 Nov 8-12 (Veterans’ Day) 4 days	12.4 Meiosis 13.1 Identifying the substance of Genes	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 405-411 & 424-429 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 15 Nov15-18 4 days	13.2 The Structure of DNA 13.3 DNA Replication	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 430-439 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 16 Nov 29-Dec 3 5 days	14.1 RNA 14.2 Ribosomes and Protein Synthesis	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 452-462 Assignment	Semester Review Quiz
Week 17 Dec 6-10 5 days a-g finals 7th & 9th	14.3 Gene Regulation and Expression  14.4 Mutations	*Meeting Attendance *Semester Evaluation	Read 463-473 Assignment		Semester 1 Final Exam
Week 18 Dec 13-17 5 days
Week 19 Jan 3-7 5 days	15.1 Human Chromosomes 15.2 Human Genetic Disorders 15.3 Studying the Human Genome	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 486-505 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 20 Jan 10-14 5 days	16.1 Changing the Living World 16.2 The Process of Genetic Engineering Case Study	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 516-527 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 21 Jan 18-21 4 days	18.1 Genes and Variation 18.2 Evolution as Genetic Change 18.3 The Process of Speciation 18.4 Molecular Evolution	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 592-611 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 22 Jan 24-28 5 days	8.1 Life is Cellular 8.2 Cell Structure 8.3 Cell Transport	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 254-277 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 23 Jan 31-Feb 4 5 days	8.4 Homeostasis and Cells Case Study	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 278-281 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 24 Feb 7-11 5 days	11.1 Cell Growth and Reproduction 11.2 Cell Division 11.3 Regulating the Cell Cycle	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 350-366 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 25 Feb 14-17 4 days	11.4 Cell Differentiation  Case Study 22.1 What is a Plant?	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 367-373 Assignment	Progress Quiz
Week 26 Feb 22-25 4 days	23.1 Roots, Stems, and Leaves 23.2 Plant Hormones 23.3 Plants and People	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion	Read 784-809 Assignment	Summative Test
Week 27 Feb 28-Mar 4 5 days	26.4 Homeostasis 27.1 Organization of the Human Body 27.2 Human Systems	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Progress Quiz
Week 28 Mar 7 - 11 5 days	27.3 Human Systems 27.4 Immunity & Disease	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Progress Quiz
Week 29 Mar 14-17  4 days	6.1 Habitats, Niches, and Species Interactions 6.2 Succession	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Summative Test
Week 30 Mar 28-Apr 1 5 days	6.3 Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Resilience	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Progress Quiz
Week 31 April 4-7 5 days	7.1 Humanity, Global Systems, and Change 7.2 Anthropogenic Global Change and its Effects	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Progress Quiz
Week 32 April 11-14 4 days	7.3 Measuring and Responding to Climate Change 7.4 Modeling Sustainability, Resilience, and Adaptation	*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Progress Quiz
Week 33 April 18-22 5 days		*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Summative Test
Week 34 April 25-29 5 days		*Meeting Attendance *Weekly Learning Journal Entry & Discussion		Progress Quiz
Week 35 May 2-6 5 days		*Meeting Attendance *Semester Evaluation		Semester Review Quiz
Week 36 May 9-13 5 days a-g finals 5/10 & 5/12					Semester 2 Final Exam
Last Week of School

Biology Labs:

 

Segment 1: Ecosystems & Energy

Lab Session 1:

Lab Safety

3.1 Effects of Greenhouse Gases

5.1 Estimating Population Size

 

Segment 2: History of Earth’s Atmosphere: Photosynthesis & Respiration

Lab Session 2

.3 The Effect of Fertilizer on Algae

9.2 Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis

10.2 Making a Model of Cellular Respiration

 

Segment 3:Evidence of Evolution

Lab Session 3

17.4 Evidence of Evolution

19.2 Construct a Cladogram

20.1 Formation of Caves

24.4 The Role of Group Behavior

 

Segment 4: Inheritance of Traits

Lab Session 4

12.4 A Model of Meiosis

13.1 Using DNA to Identify Species

14.4 The Effect of Mutations

Lab Session 5

15.3 Gel Electrophoresis

16.2 Using DNA to Solve Crimes

18.3 Competing for Resources

 

Segment 5: Structure, Function, and Growth (from cells to organisms)

Lab Session 5

8.3 Detecting Diffusion

11.4 Regeneration in Planaria

23.3 How do Plant Adaptation Compare?

Lab Session 6

25./ Exercise and Heart Rate

26./ Designing an Artificial Limb

Eye Dissection 

 

Lab Session 7

27.2 Testing for Lead

Frog Dissection

 

Segment 6: Ecosystem Stability and the Response to Climate Change

Lab Session 8

6.3 Biodiversity on the Forest Floor

7.1 Calculating Ecological Footprints