Biology Class Meeting Schedule and Expectations, 2010-2011

Facilitator: Loretta Spangler, phone number, llspangler@juno.com

Group Members:
A list of students’ names, with e-mails

Text: Wile, Dr. Jay L. Exploring Creation with Biology, 2nd ed. Anderson, Indiana: Apologia Educational
Ministries, Inc., 2005.

Cost: Generally speaking, none, beyond the cost of the text. This is a labor of love on my part for my
sons and their friends. However, I will ask families to purchase dissection specimens and supplies (as
needed) which I will order for the group.

General Format: 16 modules at 2 weeks per module = 32 group meetings. It is very important that
students complete the assigned reading, study questions, and other occasional handouts prior to class
meetings. If all goes well, I will be posting assignments and helpful links on my blog; at the very least, I
will communicate by e-mail, so everyone should always know what needs to be done before coming to
class. Class time is for reviewing the material studied at home and for doing the labs. I will use a variety
of methods to review and reinforce the material covered in each module. Tests will be taken at home,
under parental supervision.

Grading: For those parents who wish me to do so, I am willing to maintain all grades for each student
and determine a final class grade, according to the weighted grading system outlined below. If a
student’s family prefers, I will grade only the tests, leaving final grade determination in the family. Just
let me know.

50% - Tests
30% - Lab reports
10% - On Your Own and Study Guide Questions/Other Handouts
10% - Article Summaries (see below)
5% - Class Participation/Attitude

Article Summaries: I will be asking the students to do some reading outside the textbook, and turn in a
summary (a paragraph or two) every two weeks. There will be a separate handout with more
information on this requirement.

Calendar: We will plan to meet in my home on the following Fridays from 9:30 to 11:30. Of necessity, I
have arranged the schedule to match my family’s activities, and while attendance is vitally important, I
realize that every family’s schedule will not match mine. Therefore, if a student needs to miss a class, I
ask that he stay on track with the scheduled reading and questions in the text, and I will arrange for him
to obtain any handouts. Where possible, labs should be made up at home, but when they cannot, I will
arrange a mutually convenient time to make them up at the Spanglers’. Note that the order in which we
will study the modules is different from the textbook order.
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September 17 Module 1 Biology: The Study of Life

September 24 Module 1 Biology: The Study of Life
October 1 Module 5 The Chemistry of Life
October 8 Module 5 The Chemistry of Life
October 15 Module 6 The Cell
October 22 Module 6 The Cell
October 29 Module 7 Cellular Reproduction and DNA
November 5 AMN BOOKS Book Fair at Carroll Lutheran School
November 12 Module 7 Cellular Reproduction and DNA
November 19 Module 8 Mendelian Genetics
November 26 Thanksgiving Break
December 3 Module 8 Mendelian Genetics
December 10 Module 9 Evolution: Scientific Theory/Unconfirmed Hypothesis
December 17 Module 9 Evolution: Scientific Theory/Unconfirmed Hypothesis
December 24 Christmas Break
December 31 Christmas Break
January 7 Module 2 Kingdom Monera
January 14 Module 2 Kingdom Monera
January 21 Module 3 Kingdom Protista
January 28 Module 3 Kingdom Protista
February 4 Module 4 Kingdom Fungi
February 11 Module 4 Kingdom Fungi
February 18 NCC Winter Concert Tour to Florida
February 25 Module 14 Kingdom Plantae: Anatomy and Classification
March 4 Module 14 Kingdom Plantae: Anatomy and Classification
March 11 Module 15 Kingdom Plantae: Physiology and Reproduction
March 18 Module 15 Kingdom Plantae: Physiology and Reproduction
March 25 Module 11 Kingdom Animalia: Invertebrates
April 1 Module 11 Kingdom Animalia: Invertebrates
April 8 Module 12 Phylum Arthropoda
April 15 Module 12 Phylum Arthropoda
April 22 Module 13 Phylum Chordata
April 29 Module 13 Phylum Chordata
May 6 CHAP Convention Teacher In-Service
May 13 Module 16 Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals
May 20 Module 16 Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals
May 27 Module 10 Ecology
June 3 Module 10 Ecology