Lab Safety Contract and Waiver Forms
| lab_safety_rules.docx |
| assumption_of_risk_and_medical_release.docx |
California Science Standards for Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Here are the content standards for these 3 "core science classes"
Here are the content standards for these 3 "core science classes"
| Biology_-_California_science_content_standards.pdf |
| Chemistry - California Science Content Standards.pdf |
| Physics - California_science_content_standards.pdf |
Policies
It has been my honor and privilege to teach and mentor hundreds of high-performing and dedicated students. Many of these students have gone on to pursue exciting & rewarding science, engineering, and healthcare careers at major universities throughout the western United States, and I have been able to write dozens of reference letters for past-students - both for college admissions and for job opportunities. With that said, all classes and lab sessions will adhere to high standards of business and civility. This is not babysitting, and students are expected to conduct themselves in a mature, businesslike fashion:
Course Requirements:
Grades:
Makeup policy:
Homework re-work:
Behavior code:
It has been my honor and privilege to teach and mentor hundreds of high-performing and dedicated students. Many of these students have gone on to pursue exciting & rewarding science, engineering, and healthcare careers at major universities throughout the western United States, and I have been able to write dozens of reference letters for past-students - both for college admissions and for job opportunities. With that said, all classes and lab sessions will adhere to high standards of business and civility. This is not babysitting, and students are expected to conduct themselves in a mature, businesslike fashion:
- Show respect and consideration for others
- Take responsibility for personal actions
- Practice polite communication and patience with others
- Exercise good manners and interact in a polite, considerate manner
Course Requirements:
- Attend the classes (including both in-person and webinar sessions). Be on time.
- Skim the assigned chapter before coming to class.
- Take notes and ask relevant questions during the lectures.
- Participate in the class labs.
- Turn in your homework assignments by the due date. Unless instructed to work as a team, do your own work.
- Don’t fall behind in your work. Do not procrastinate!
Grades:
- Refer to your 2-page Course Description for the 'grading elements' and 'grading scale' applicable to each class. The course descriptions are posted on the home page.
Makeup policy:
- To earn credit for a missed class: "Outline" the assigned chapter in your own handwriting using headings and subheadings as appropriate, just as you would do attending a college lecture, for example. I expect around 3-4 pages of handwritten notes for a typical chapter. Put your name, date, and title at the top of the first page, and turn it in at the next class.
- To earn credit for a missed lab: Most of our science labs use specialized equipment, chemicals, and supplies that you will not be able to re-create at home. Here are suggestions: 1) I can sometimes provide you with an online lab simulation, 2) you can often find the same lab online and modify it for home use, or 3) I can sometimes give you a suitable 'research' assignment you can do at home. In any case, turn in your completed work at the next class to receive credit.
Homework re-work:
- You may follow this procedure to re-submit, re-worked homework for adjusted grade:
- Do your re-work on the ORIGINAL graded homework. Use a different colored pen/pencil, or indicate clearly what is being re-done.
- Bring the re-work to the next class on the ORIGINAL.
- I will re-grade and adjust the score. I will give 1/2 the normal points for re-worked problems.
- The homework will be returned at the next class.
Behavior code:
- Regular, punctual attendance.
- Positive participation in class discussion, labs, and projects.
- Abide by the Lab Safety Rules at all times.
- No physical and/or verbal abuse/harassment.
- No hats, hoods, or headgear in class or lab sessions.
- Lab safety: long hair must be gathered, and safety glasses are required. See Lab Safety Rules.
- No food allowed in class or lab sessions.
- Students to wear clothing that is appropriate to the business of learning and not a distraction to other students.
- Electronic Devices: Personal electronic devices such as smart phones, cell phones, and personal gaming devices are not allowed in class, because they show disrespect and they distract people. Personal laptops which are being used for note-taking purposes are welcome and encouraged.
- No verbal threats, hostile acts, or weapons are allowed anywhere on the property/premises. ZERO tolerance policy.
- No tobacco or drugs on the premises. Unless being used in a Biology or Chemistry lab, alcohol is not permitted.
Academic and Personal Honesty Policy:
Consequences:
- You are expected to exercise the highest moral and ethical standards. Acts of academic and personal dishonesty will not be tolerated.
- Cheating—distribution or use of external assistance relating to an examination, test, quiz, homework, project, or the like, without express permission of the teacher, is not allowed.
- Fabrication—falsification or invention of data, citation, or other authority in a homework or lab assignment are not allowed.
- Plagiarism—use of another's ideas, words, or work as one's own is not allowed. Plagiarism includes the misuse of published material, internet material, and/or the work of other students. EXCEPTION: small portions of another's work - such as individual sentences or phrases - may be incorporated into your work, as long as PROPER CITATION is given. CUT-AND-PASTE of another's work is not allowed.
- Theft — willful & unauthorized taking, use, concealment, or alteration of other's property or materials, are not allowed.
Consequences:
- Willful, deliberate behavior which involves verbal abuse, the potential for serious bodily injury to self or others, academic/personal dishonesty, theft, or drugs-alcohol-weapons, may result in immediate expulsion from the course without warning. There will not be a refund.
Lab Safety Rules & Assumption of Risk and Medical Release:
Class Fees/Refund Policy:
- This is a requirement for every student. The forms are posted above.
Class Fees/Refund Policy:
- Refer to the "Class Fees" tab above.