Course Syllabus

496 ACP / Honors Anatomy & Physiology Syllabus                                                        

Instructor: Dr. Robin                                                                 Contact: robinj@wellesleyps.org

 

Course Description: (taken verbatim from the Program of Studies)

This course will examine the eleven systems of the human body: nervous, urinary, respiratory, skeletal, reproductive, integumentary, muscular, endocrine, immune/lymphatic, cardiovascular and digestive. Anatomy will be studied from a microscopic to a gross anatomical level. Dissections of mammalian organs appropriate to each system being learned will take place during laboratory time. Laboratory time will also consist of experimenting with models of physiological systems and will culminate with the complete dissection of a fetal pig. In addition, medical disease correlations will be examined. This course is a terrific opportunity for any students interested in pursuing a career in the health care field or the life sciences; or simply any student interested in learning about how the human body works.

 

Course Website:  On Canvas.  All assignments and due dates will be posted on the Canvas calendar.

 

Required Course Materials:

 

Three Ring Binder: All handouts and worksheets should be kept well organized in a 1” or 1 ½” three ring binder to be used specifically for this class.  Every paper handed out will already be  three-hole punched for you.  Since this class does not have any cumulative assessments, you can empty out your binder after each quiz if you so desire.

 

Textbook:  You will be provided with the textbook Human Anatomy and Physiology.

At the end of the year, or if you drop the course, you are responsible for turning the textbook back in.  If lost, you must hand in a check for $132 made payable to “Wellesley Public Schools” in order to receive your grade for this course, or to avoid any other negative repercussions regarding graduation.

 

Colored Pencils: Purchase a box of 24 colored pencils.  Worksheets will often require color coding for identifying specific anatomical regions in images.

 

Cell Phones: Phones can often become a distraction to a successful learning environment and are strictly off limits during class time.  Please refer to the cell phone agreement on the last page.      

 

Each term grade will be assessed as follows:

 

ACP Grading:

 

Quizzes_________________________________________50%

There will be frequent quizzes so that I know you are learning the material.  There will not be any tests and no cumulative assessments.  All quizzes will be scaled at the ACP level so that the ACP students’ overall average is at least a C+ (77 to 79%).

Worksheets_____________________________________ 25%

On most days, a worksheet packet (2-4 pages) will be assigned for homework, which will assist you in reviewing the material we went over in class.  You will likely be given a reasonable amount of time to work on these packets in class.  When indicated, coloring must be completed for full credit.  I will check for their completion on a daily basis.  Please remember: Partial credit for late worksheets will never be given, even if completed but left at home.  One dropped worksheet per term will be allowed.

Active Classroom Participation & Engagement_________ 25%

Each and every class period (unless excused absent) will count for 2 participation points.  You are expected to contribute positively to the classroom learning environment, be actively engaged and attentive, as well as stay on task each and every class period.  If you do all of these things, you will receive the full 2 points for the day. If you are disruptive, disrespectful to myself or to a peer, are using your phone in class, or visit irrelevant websites, you will lose one, or even both, points for the day.

 

Honors Grading: (read ACP Grading above for basic category descriptions)

 

Quizzes (as above plus more…)__________________________________70%

For a more immersive and true “Honors level” experience, this section of the class will have additional independent units to be learned outside of class time.  Students will be provided with narrated (by me, of course) PowerPoints for this material on Canvas.  There will also be Canvas quizzes for this material.

In class, Honors students will have “double quiz” days.

Note: Quizzes at the Honors level will never be scaled.

 

Worksheets (as above) and Canvas discussions ____________________20%

Again, for a more immersive experience, participation in discussions on Canvas will be assigned for some homework assignments.  These discussions may range from current events related to current material or a lab / dissection that we performed in class.

Active Classroom Participation & Engagement (as above) ____________10%

 

You are responsible for checking your grade often, for any discrepancies, on PowerSchool.

 

Tardiness:

If you arrive to class after the bell rings, you will receive an unexcused tardy.  Being unexcused tardy three times will lead to a class cut.  However, if you are more than 10 minutes late to class, you will receive an unexcused tardy, which, according to school policy, will automatically count as a class cut.  Double block lab periods for this class start promptly at 7:30 AM.  At this time, traffic can be heavy in the circle; this is not a valid excuse for tardiness.  We will usually take a short break during double block; you will be marked tardy if you do not return to class by the designated time.

 

Missing Class:

If you miss class for any reason, it is your responsibility to check for what you missed as well as have any material checked by me that was due the day you were absent! Check the calendar on Canvas!

 

Extra Help:

I am always willing to meet whenever we are both mutually available, whether after or during the school day.  Please come speak with me to set up a time.  Outside of class, I can usually be found in the Science Office, Room 358, by the library.

 

Contacting Me:

 

I check my e-mail robinj@wellesleyps.org several times throughout the school day.  This is always the best way to reach me.

 

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due