Course Information and Policies

Required Course Materials
Here's an Amazon list of the suggested materials.  Materials needed (although not necessarily used daily):

• Pencil and eraser    
• White 8.5" X 11" paper
• Calculator         
• Metric ruler for lab drawings     
• Colored highlighters
• At least five colors of pens for taking notes
• Tape and\or glue stick
• Sticky notes
• Colored pencils and/or pens

Suggested for organization of your various papers and creations:

• A (3") 3-ring binder dedicated solely to IB Bio
• 10-12 tabbed binder dividers
• Plastic page protectors

Student Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes are governed and assessed by the International Baccalaureate Organization.  The IB Biology syllabus is a list of all the content understandings (U) , applications (A) and skills (S) that the IB Organization mandates are taught throughout the two years of the IB Biology higher level course.   A full printable list of the syllabus can be seen here.  While SHS does not necessarily progress through the syllabus statements in order, they are presented in order here.  If you are curious about the order in which the syllabus is taught at SHS, you can view the general sequence of the course here.  

• Topic 1:  Cell Biology
• Topic 2:  Molecular Biology
• Topic 3:  Genetics
• Topic 4:  Ecology
• Topic 5:  Evolution and Biodiversity
• Topic 6:  Human Physiology
• Topic 7:  Nucleic Acids
• Topic 8:  Metabolism, Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis
• Topic 9:  Plant Biology
• Topic 10:  Genetics and Evolution
• Topic 11:  Animal Physiology
• Option D:  Human Physiology

Course Schedule
A plan for each week will be posted with detail on the topics and lessons for the week.  Assignments will be viewable in the Canvas Calendar, Canvas To-Do List, and in the Canvas Modules. 

Inclusivity  
In this class, people of all ethnicities, genders and gender identities, religions, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, and nationalities are strongly encouraged to share their rich array of perspectives and experiences.  If you feel your differences may in some way isolate you from our classroom community or if you have a specific need, please speak with me so that we can work together to help you become an active and engaged member of our class and community. ​

Expectations of the Student

• Thoughtfully and compassionately consider divergent views, respect each other, and maintain engaged in your learning.
• Professionally communicate with your teacher if you have questions, comments or concerns.  
• You are responsible for reading directions and assignments. 
• Regular attendance is very important for success IB biology.  The attendance policy corresponds with the school-wide policy.
• Expect to spend about 3-5 hours per week working on this course outside of class time
• To the best of your ability, engage with attention and intention to every aspect of this course.
• Take the opportunity to learn how to write your own thoughts.  Simply copying answers from another student without having helped to produce the product is plagiarism and will be treated as such. Be sure to give credit where credit is due and cite your sources.
• Learning through collaboration (defined as working with or learning from another) is an effective tool used in this class and in your future employment.  When I expect you to collaborate, I'll make it very clear in the assignment instructions. All other work in this class is to be done independently.  

Expectations of the Instructor

1. Curate and create course materials to prepare students for the exams and other assessments in this course.
2. Utilize fair and honest evaluation techniques for each assignment required for this course.
3. Provide quality, engaging and worthwhile learning opportunities.
4. Address the needs of a diverse range of learner in this course.
5. Be available to answer questions or issues that may arise during this course.
6. Respond to email and Canvas messages within 48 hours, Monday through Friday.

Other Course Policies

• Students and families will be asked to opt-in or opt-out of student photos and/or assignment artifacts (with names redacted) being shared via this website and public facing social media (Instagram and/or Twitter using #shsibbio).
• During labs, at school or at home, you must always follow ethical guidelines and adhere to the rules for lab safety
• In certain circumstances, school lab equipment can be check out to students for completing investigations at home.  If you do not return, damage, brake or misuse school equipment,  you are responsible for paying a replacement fee for the item.  
• There is a $15 course fee in IB Biology.  This fee covers your note templates. Most students elect to pay the fee so that they can receive the printed templates in class.  You may elect to print templates on your own. However, please note that you will likely use more than $15 worth of paper and ink to complete all the printing over the course of the year.  In order to pay the course fee, go to the Skyline website and click the “pay fees and fines” button.  Please let Ms. vB know, in writing, if you will not be purchasing the class note templates.

Evaluation and Grades
The class assessment will factor into your Skyline GPA and appear on your transcript.  Your class grade is calculated against a high academic standard, appropriate for a college level course.  You earn your grade; Ms. vB does not “give” grades.  Grades will be updated and posted on-line using the Canvas Gradebook on a regular basis.  You will be able to track your grade throughout the course using the "Grades" link in the left side navigation menu on the course page.  The final grade for the class that synchs to Skyward will not be a surprise to you.  Ms. vB DOES NOT ROUND GRADES (you are given ample opportunity to go above and beyond to raise your grade).  

A letter grade will be determined using points for assignments in weighted categories. The specific grading scale depends on which year of the course you are taking:

• Grading scale and categories for IB Biology I
• Grading scale and categories for IB Biology II

Refer to the weekly schedule for due dates for each assignment, as well as the assignment details for more information on specific assignment, including how it will be evaluated. 

Late Work
In general, please complete your work on time.  With the exception of initial knowledge audits, late work is accepted without grade penalty through the end of a unit.  If you will need additional time beyond the unit deadline, please speak with me in advance about your need for an extension and your plan for completion.  I am extraordinarily flexible and accommodating of student circumstances and different needs, but advance communication is key.   Work submitted past a unit deadline will earn a default score of 52%.

Academic Honesty
Please read the Skyline High School Academic Honesty Policy to make sure you understand the importance of your academic integrity.  Cheating will not be tolerated and is clearly a violation of course and school policy.  Without exception, all instances of suspected cheating or plagiarism will be reported to the school administration.

The following acts of cheating are examples of behavior that will result in disciplinary actions as outlined in the student handbook.

• Looking up answers on a phone or web browser when not permitted
• Copying someone else’s test, quiz, assignment, or report
• Letting someone copy from a test, quiz, homework, assignment, or report
• Looking at notes or a phone during a test, quiz, or other assessment
• Sharing questions from a test with students who have yet to take the test
• Listing someone else’s data without giving credit, or worse, making up data to fit the expected answer.  It is acceptable to present your own data, to state the reasons that you feel the results should be disregarded, and then to present another student’s data (making sure the source is acknowledged)
• Using opinions, facts, ideas, charts, data and direct quotes from research papers, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, websites, or another person without citing the source.

It is assumed that Skyline students are honorable people.  Only those lacking in intelligence believe that cheating on academic work is profitable.  Students are here to learn; cheating makes learning impossible.  


Disruptive Behavior
​In general, students can do as they like in this class, provided it doesn’t affect their learning or the learning of others in the class.  We work quite hard to fulfill all the course requirements, so it is important for students to remain attentive and work with intention at all times.  I trust that students will be responsible for their learning and will not engage in any activity that will take away from their own learning or from a classmate’s ability to learn.  Nothing infuriates me as much as a student who disrespects another’s right to learn.  If this should occur, the following progressive discipline pathway will be utilized:

1. Polite warning noting the behavior and how it disrupts teaching and/or learning.
2. Individual meeting between student and teacher.  Student will write a summary of the meeting, sending a copy to both Ms. vB and their parent/guardian.

Lab SafetyThe Issaquah School District takes laboratory safety very seriously.  Safety in the science classroom and laboratory is the FIRST PRIORITY for students, instructors, and parents. To ensure safer classroom/laboratory/field experiences, the Science Safety Rules have been developed for the protection and safety of all. The Rules must be followed at all times. Each student must have returned the class expectations agreement, signed by student and parent before being allowed to do lab work.  Your signature indicates that you have read these rules, understand them, and agree to follow them at all times while working in the classroom/laboratory.