IMPORTANT LINKS

Syllabus

Project Assignments

Science Spectrum: Physical Science Text

Final Exam Stud Guide

Study Guide Answers

The Story of Stuff - Thanksgiving  Break Extra-Credit Assignment

California Standard Test in Biology practice questions for EXTRA CREDIT

Self-Check Quizzes to help you study for your tests.

An excellent way to study for your tests is to complete the practice tests and CST practice tests  for the chapters which we are covering this semester.

Practice Tests to help you prepare for your tests and FINAL EXAM.

Note to Students and Parents about succeeding in this science class:

   My curriculum is shifting to meet the needs of the next generation of standards in education known as the  Common Core. To put it very briefly, these standards focus on  getting students to apply their knowledge and not simply acquiring knowledge. To help my students be prepared for this, I am in the process of  adding a literacy component to each unit. In addition,  I will be giving assignments as part of larger projects.  My goal here is to allow students more autonomy over their pacing  so that they are able to demonstrate their  ability to process information with reduced time constraints. Each project will represent a unit of leaning and demonstrate the student's work and understanding within that unit.  While this gives students more autonomy, it also gives students more responsibility to get their projects turned in by the due dates.  Of course I will instruct and guide students in the completion of the assignments required in each project.

     In addition, because I will not be collecting individual assignments on a daily basis, there will not be as many grades in the grade book, but rather  a single project grade which represents several assignments and the student's  accomplishment within the entire unit.

     One way parents can help their students is to go over the Project Assignment handout with them and ensure that they are completing all the assignments on that handout.  Parents can also review the material we are studying with their students by going over  the Practice Quizzes and Practice Tests for each chapter.

Lastly and most importantly, please let me know if you need help. I see many students each day and sometimes students are confused about something we are learning without my being aware of what they are going through.  You need to advocate for yourself and let me know when you need my help, especially when we are working with larger projects and portfolios.

Copies of the handouts which you will need to complete your assignments can be found on the HANDOUTS PAGE

The Portfolio Projects

Project Assignment Handouts	Content	Standards Covered	Due Date
Portfolio Project  Scientific Method	Lab Safety Metrics and Measurement Scientific Method Designing Experiments Writing Laboratory Reports Chapter  1 in Biology Text	Investigation and Experimentation
Portfolio Project Ecology	Chapter 2 Principles of Ecology	Ecology - Stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects.
	Chapters 3.1, Biological Communities
	Ch.apter 4 Population Biology
	Chapters 5 Biodiversity
Portfolio Project Evolution 1	Chapter 14 The Record of Life	Evolution is the result of genetic changes that occur in constantly changing environments.
Portfolio Project  Evolution 2	Chapter 15 Natural Selection and the Evidence for Evolution
Portfolio Project Rock Cycle	HOLT CHAPTER 17.3 Pages 576-582   ROCK CYCLE-Igneous Rock, Sedimentary Rock, Metamorphic Rock, Fossil, Law of Superposition, Magnesium & Iron Magma	Dynamic Earth Processes: The Rock Cycle altered by incorporation of exogenous DNA into cells.
Portfolio Project Cycles of Matter	Cycles of Matter: Water, Carbon and Nitrogen. California's aqueducts