Course Syllabus

Welcome to 

with

Ms. Spangler

Office Hours: Mondays 2:30-3:05, Room 341

Classroom: 339

email: spanglerc@wellesleyps.org

Dear Students, Parents & Guardians,

Welcome to ACP Biology! I am thrilled to begin the 2025–2026 school year with you. This course is designed not just to teach biology, but to experience it – through hands-on investigations, problem solving, and connections to the world around us.

In ACP Biology, we use a phenomenon-first approach. That means instead of simply memorizing facts, we’ll start with real-world examples such as human health conditions, ecology and biodiversity patterns or biological mysteries, and work together to discover the science behind them. Additionally, we implement a thematic methodology that combats the common student lament of ‘why do we have to know this?’ The unit structure provides an inherent motivation for students to figure out the answers to common (or not so common!) human conditions, afflictions, and environmental phenomena. Students will quickly see the “why” behind what we’re learning, which makes the “how” and the “what” much more meaningful.

This year, expect less “knowing about” and more “figuring out.” Of course, we’ll cover plenty of important biology content, but equally important are the skills students will build:

• Critical thinking and Problem-solving
• Data collection and Analysis
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Scientific Writing and Communication
• Experimentation and evidence-based Argumentation

These skills will be practiced in an engaging, hands-on classroom where students are expected to participate actively, take thoughtful notes, and ask questions whenever curiosity (or confusion!) arises.

To be successful, students should involve themselves by leaning into their curiosity, listen actively, and advocate for themselves as learners. Asking questions and participating meaningfully in our class activities is not only encouraged, it’s essential. I am here to support you, and I want students to feel comfortable reaching out whenever they need help. Our class will meet in Room 339 (but my office is in Room 358 and office hours will be in room 341).

I look forward to working with you this year. Don’t forget that I am here to help you succeed in Biology.  I hope this will be a rewarding year for all of us! (scroll down for course expectations!)

Best regards,

Carolyn “Beanie” Spangler 

 

Wellesley High School Course Overview and Expectations

ACP Biology  

Textbook:  OpenStax

Teacher: Ms. Spangler

Email: spanglerc@wellesleyps.org 

Classroom: Room 339 

Office/Classroom: Room 358 & 341

Materials 

• A 3-ring binder with loose-leaf paper - We’ll be taking notes, completing labs, and doing assignments that you’ll want to keep organized for tests and quizzes.
• Fully Charged Laptop - We’ll use our laptops for some of our daily activities, so it’s essential to have them ready to go!
• Pen/Pencil
• Headphones - for specific activities (not general use)
• Calculator
  

Canvas
All course curriculum will be posted on Canvas. You’ll find assignments, important announcements, slides, and resources here. I highly recommend that you download the Canvas app and enable push notifications so you don’t miss any updates. There will be a running Daily Agenda on Canvas which will have links to classroom activities, classwork, homework assignments and dates for upcoming tests.

Classroom Expectations

Our classroom is a community of learners. To ensure a productive and respectful environment for everyone, we’ll adhere to the WHS core values: 

• Academic excellence: Always strive for your best work
• Cooperative and caring relationships: Include others; be kind; show empathy
• Respect for human differences: Learn from diverse perspectives; be open; respect others
• Commitment to community: Contribute positively to our classroom environment; actively engage

Please remember that the WHS Student Handbook policies apply to our classroom at all times.

Academic Honesty/Integrity
Academic honesty is a cornerstone of our classroom and a crucial life skill. I expect all students to complete their own work. Unless specifically designated as a group assignment, all work is individual.

Forms of academic dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism, and the unapproved use of AI, will not be tolerated. Sharing Google Docs or other assignments with classmates is also a violation of this policy. Please don't do it—I've seen this go wrong many times and it can lead to serious consequences. The school's academic integrity policy will be followed for all infractions.

Attendance/Tardies

It’s essential that you are in your seats and ready to work when the bell rings (phones in the cubbies and notebooks out before the bell rings!). This is particularly important on lab days (7:30 am start time) which often begin with crucial safety instructions and background information. 

If you know you will be absent or tardy from class, please let me know. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to catch up on any missed work. Please reach out to me as soon as possible to get a plan in place.  The best place to check for assignments and homework and links is the Daily Agenda in Canvas. All work will be posted there each day. 

Policy on attendance and tardies outlined in the student handbook will be followed, including appropriate consequences.

Evaluation

Students will earn term grades based on the quality and accuracy of their work, weighted as follows:

Assessments (Tests/Quizzes): 50%      

Assignments (Classwork, HW, Labs, Projects): 50%

Year Grades are weighted by term as indicated below:. 

Q1: 22%   Q2: 22%   Q3: 22%     Q4: 22%     E1: 12%*

*E1 = plant project, Midterm & Final Exam grades

*Late Work Policy: 

All unit work must be submitted by the due date listed in the Daily Agenda on Canvas. To keep you on track, I'll aim to align due dates with our class periods (so nothing should be due on a drop day). Once I have graded and entered assignments into PowerSchool, late penalties will be applied (approximately a 10% deduction per day).

Please note: All assignments for a unit must be completed and submitted before the Unit Test. Work submitted after the unit test will not be accepted.

*Tests & Quizzes:

Tests will always be announced in advance. You can expect at least two tests and a quiz or two  per term. You are expected to take the test on the day that it is scheduled.  If you have an educational plan stating that you may take your tests in a different setting or you allotted extended time, please make these arrangements before the scheduled test day. 

*Test Corrections: 

It is often so helpful to learn from mistakes and miscues. Test corrections are available for all students after assessments and up to 25% of the total credit lost may be made up and added to the assessment score. This is a great way to improve your understanding and your grade! Corrections are not available for homework or labs.

Technology (phones/laptops/headphones)

As per the school-wide policy, please turn off your cell phone and place it in the designated cubbies at the front of the classroom. We may occasionally use phones as a tool (for example, the camera is great for data collection during labs!), but they will otherwise remain in the cubbies, including during any bathroom, drink or movement breaks.

Laptops will be used to support our in-class work. Please ensure you are using your laptop for school-related activities only. Engaging in prohibited activities like texting, playing games or watching videos is distracting and a violation of the district's acceptable use policy. Please use the "Do Not Disturb" feature on your laptop to minimize distractions.

In our collaborative learning environment, being fully present is important. For this reason, personal headphone use is not permitted unless I give you explicit permission. There may be times when it's appropriate, but please ask me first.

Extra Help & Office Hours

I'm here to support you! I have scheduled office hours on Mondays from 2:30 PM to 3:15 PM in Room 341. You can also find me in my other classroom, Room 341, or the science office in Room 358. My weekly schedule will be posted outside our classroom door. Drop-ins welcome! 

Communication (Student-teacher and Parent-teacher)

To provide opportunities for students to practice face-to-face communications, students should always try to speak with me in person during class or drop by for office hours before resorting to email. 

And Parents/Guardians please feel free to contact me via email at spanglerc@wellesleyps.org, as email is the best means of communication. Our class syllabus on Canvas is public as well and can be accessed on our teacher page on the school website (under Staff Directory). Please also see the course outline on the reverse.