Hello Everyone,
My apologies for such a delay in posting. We are moving along quite nicely in Biology 30 as the weather warms up and we head into the homestretch of the school year.
Today, students are completing the final assessment for Unit C1: Cell Division. This has been a relatively short unit, so the assessment is a bit shorter and not worth quite as much as our previous tests.
Tomorrow, we will be starting the biggest unit of our course: Unit C2: Mendelian Genetics. Students will be exploring answers to questions like: "If both of your parents have brown eyes, how could you possible have blue eyes?"; and "If you are a carrier of a particular genetic disorder, what is the probability that your offspring could get the disorder?"; among many others! Most often, this unit is reported as the most interesting.
Aside from our regular classroom activities, students should be reminded to be workshopping and writing their first draft of their Major Research Paper. This is a semester-long assignment that students have been working on since February. At this point, students should have completed their research and should be in the writing phase. Students have been asked to pass in one paragraph every week or two weeks for formative feedback from me. The final paper will be due on June 12.
On Friday, students will be receiving their first term report cards. The assessments completed in Unit A1, Unit A2, and Unit B will be featured on this report card. Please take a moment to review your child's mark and discuss strengths and areas for improvement with your son or daughter. I encourage you to look at Parent Portal frequently. In many ways, the information on Parent Portal paints a more comprehensive picture of your child's learning as it breaks marks down by individual assessment. You can also check out the number of absences and lates your son/daughter has in the course.
I highly encourage you to attend Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences this coming Monday April 28 from 5 pm - 8 pm. I can be found in the large breakout room in the Science Hallway upstairs. I would love to meet you, chat about your son or daughter's progress, and identify any areas where I may be able to further support your child's learning.
For up to date information on upcoming assessments, please click here.
Have a wonderful Wednesday,
Mat
