Rector's Syllabus and Journal Expectations

Syllabus:  Class Syllabus Fall 2011 (Biology, Zoology, Botany, Environmental Science)

JOURNALS:   You will need a separate composition book for each of the science classes you take with me. 

How to Set Up Journals 

Journal Expectations: I use the first few days of class walking the students through the set up of their journals.  EVERYTHING that I give them as an assignment (notes, review questions, current events) gets written or put in their journals.  I collect journals four times a semester and the points are usually substantial.  I will check for current events and do random assignment checks to make sure students are on task but I do not grade until I collect their journals.  The week before I collect the journals I will give the students a check sheet, this gives them the opportunity to check their journals to make sure they have all of the assignments and bellringers.  If they do not have all of the material, they have the opportunity to get the material into their journal before I collect them.  I will post the questions for their bellringers online when I give them this check sheet.  Since I keep my website updated, provide a check sheet, and put due dates online I do not accept make-up work after the journal has been turned in. 

Current Events are due in your journal every two weeks.  I will check to make sure you have a current event in your journal the last day that I have you in class for the week, that the article is due.  If you do not have the current event you will be given a zero for that days assignment but you still need to do the current event and put it in your journal for journal points. 

Current Event Assignment Week for Second Semester; 1/23, 2/6, 2/20, 3/5, 3/19, 4/2, 4/16, 5/1

Journal Collection Week Second Semester: A Day 2/6, 3/5, 4/2, 5/30 

Journal Collection Week Second Semester: B Day  2/13, 3/12, 4/9, 5/7    

 Journal #1 2012

Bio Bellringers

1/23/12 BR: Frame Game (See me for puzzle)

1/25/12 BR: 5 Phases

What are the 5 phases of the cell cycle?

1/30/12 BR: Football

Using the diagram of a football field, describe how the players, the midfield line, and the goal posts compare to the structures of a cell involved in mitosis and cell division.

2/1/12 BR: Gene

What is a gene?

2/3/12 BR: Limited

Explain why the size of a cell is limited.

2/7/12 BR: Reproduction

Make a list of at least three organisms that reproduce asexually and three organisms that reproduce sexually.

2/9/12 BR: Explain Function

Explain how the function of meiosis is different from the function of mitosis.

Botany

Describe the importance of soil to plants and plants to soil.

What are these products made out of?  See me for illustrations

List some plant characteristics that would be advantageous to select for when planting a garden.

2/3/12 BR: Natural Describe 4 kinds of species interactions.

2/7/12 BR: Invisible What would you do if you were invisible?

Swiss physician Paracelsus (1493 – 1541) stated that the difference between a poison and a remedy is the dose.  Explain this statement; apply it to the investigation of herbal remedies.

Env Science

Explain why you agree or disagree with the following;

·         Individuals should have the right to do anything they want with the land they own.

·         Other species exist to be used by humans.

A bumper sticker reads, “Nature always bats last and owns the stadium.”  What does this mean in ecological terms?  What is its lesson for the human species?

How environmentally sustainable is the area where you live? List five ways to make it more environmentally sustainable.

You are a defense attorney arguing in court for sparing an undeveloped old-growth tropical rain forest and a coral reef from severe degradation or destruction by development.  Write your closing statement for the defense of each of these ecosystems.

Read the following quote and write a 2-3 sentence response in your journal.

Complain about something.

What’s the best part of a school day for you?