Ms. Brooke Holderbaum
Room: Pākī O-116
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 572-3251
Office Hours: After school or during lunch by appointment
Course Description:
Biology is a broad subject that is difficult to completely cover in one semester. Therefore, this course will introduce you to select topics in biology and examine how they relate to your lives through different activities, including projects and labs. Topics include the scientific process, design process, organization of life, ecology, cells, genetics, and evolution. This is a college preparatory course, so be prepared to experience a challenging learning environment designed to improve your scientific and analytical skills. You will participate in a range of activities including group work, labs (individually or in groups), presentations, discussion, classwork, independent studies, and interactive lecture. Many of the course transactions will occur online, so reliable access to the internet at home is very helpful. A personalized, competency-based approach will be used.
Biology Text
Campbellʻs Biology Concepts and Connections will be used as the textbook resource for this class. The replacement fee for a lost textbook is $65. Online resources will also be accessed throughout the course.
Materials Needed
- Organized biology laptop files
- Charged laptop
- Calculator (not cell phone, if taking a test)
- Paper
- Pencils with erasers
- Pens (black or blue for assignments and red for correcting)
- Reliable internet access (at home or nearby location to do homework)
- Earbuds
- Bring all materials to class everyday. It is not okay to interrupt class time to get it from your locker or go to the restroom and come back with your supplies when they are needed in class.
- Additional materials may be required to complete projects or homework assignments.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding and practice of the scientific method with integrity
- Engage in multiple cycles of the design process to improve the alignment of a product with its intended user/audience
- Understand and apply core concepts of biology
- Increase collaborative, technological, problem solving, communication, critical thinking, creative, and innovation skills (21st Century Skills) by producing and presenting new or original work to an authentic audience
- E Ola! Incorporate biology to everyday life in Hawaiʻi and from a Hawaiian culture-based perspective
Grading Policy [Note: We are using a new version of Canvas this year. Grading policy and scale may be adjusted to fit Canvas programs in the first weeks as we transition to the new system.]
- Grades will be determined by demonstration of proficiency.
- Cumulative scores are converted to percentages and corresponding grades using the table below
- There will be no rounding of grades.
| Percentage | Grade |
| 93-100 | A |
| 90-92.99 | A- |
| 87-89.99 | B+ |
| 83-86.99 | B |
| 80-82.99 | B- |
| 77-79.99 | C+ |
| 73-76.99 | C |
| 70-72.99 | C- |
| 67-69.99 | D+ |
| 63-66.99 | D |
| 60-62.99 | D- |
| 0-59.99 | F |
- Competency-based grading will be used. Therefore, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in all outcomes in order to pass the course.
- A cumulative portfolio will be submitted at the end of the semester.
- Grades will be posted on KS Connect; it is the learner’s responsibility to periodically check for accuracy. If there is an error, see Kumu immediately to request score adjustment.
- All evidence of proficiency should be saved in the cumulative e-portfolio
Attendance, Late Work, and Make Up Work
- It is the learner’s responsibility (not instructor or parent responsibility) to keep up with schoolwork.
- Assignments turned in after the due date/time are considered late. Late work will be marked in the Canvas gradebook. Missing or incomplete work that does not meet expectations will be marked as incomplete.
- Make arrangements for planned absences with Kumu.
- Electronically submitted and long-term assignments will have the same due date as the rest of the class unless an alternate due date is discussed with Kumu ahead of time.
- Learners must be seated and ready at the beginning of class. If not, a tardy mark will be entered in the attendance log.
Student Behavioral Guidelines (as constructed by the students):
KEAMA – The ama is the float of an outrigger canoe or left hull of a double-hull canoe. It keeps the canoe balanced and stable in the water. It keeps the canoe from tipping or sinking. In rough seas, paddlers lean on the ama to avoid flipping over. Our guidelines are something we can lean on to keep us balanced, stable, and afloat during rough and smooth times during the journey.
- Kūlia i ka nuʻu me ka ikaika
- E makaʻala
- Aʻo aku, aʻo mai
- Mālama i kou kuleana
- Aloha kekahi i kekahi
Consequences
- Students who are struggling to demonstrate classroom behavioral expectations will be issued one or more of the following consequences: warning, in-school or after school restitution, weekend detention, call to parents/guardians, suspension, dismissal.
- Cheating or copying (plagiarism) on assignments/assessments will result in an F grade (zero points) followed by administration and/or parent contact.
- Unless it is part of a class activity, personal/recreational cell phone use is prohibited in class.