11

th
grade Biology/Environmental Science Honors
with Mr. Nick Ehlers
Semester One: 21!
"hat does it mean to take Honors#
Honors is an opportunity for students to engage in a more advanced study of Biology. By
choosing to participate in Honors, a student is committing to a rigorous course of study and will
take this decision very seriously. I assume that by choosing to participate in Honors, the student
will complete all assignments, both Honors and regular course work, on time and to the very best
of their ability. In signing the Honors contract, you are committing to the Honors work for the
entire semester.

HONO$S %&N NO' BE ($O))E( (*$+N, 'HE SEMES'E$-
If you do not complete the work by the due date, you will receive a ZERO on the assignment.
Late work is not accepted for Honors assignments. This will afect your letter grade in Biology. It
is your responsibility to pace your reading, prepare for discussions and complete the writing
assignment on time.
)lease do not wait .ntil the last min.te-
"hat is re/.ired 0or Honors Biology/Environmental Science#
ach honors student will create their own !Honors "ssignment #chedule$ %see template on the
following page& based on their choice of book or scienti'c articles, and community events. This
schedule, along with a signed honors contract %by you and your parental guardian&, is due by
(riday, #eptember )* to be accepted into this honors course.
). %hoose o1tion 2a3 or 243 0rom the list 4elow:
a. Book %l.4: very week you will read your book to the page on your +ersonal
"ssignment #chedule and complete a ,ournal ntry prior to our -onday honors
meetings. .uring honors class we will .I#/0## and 1(L/T on your reading.
2e do this because reading promotes healthy minds, healthy people, and
healthy communities3 +lease choose a book from the 1eading List below.
$eading 5ist %please come and see me if there4s a science5related non5'ction
book you would like to add to this list or if you need assistance purchasing your
book&:
A Short History of Nearly Everything 4y
Bill Bryson
Conversations With Neil's Brain 4y "illiam
H. %alvin
Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild
Food 4y )a.l
,reen4erg
How and Why Se!ies "ultily 4y
)eter and $osemary
,rant
How the "ind Wor#s 4y Ste1hen
)inker
$n %efense of Food 4y Michael )ollan
Silent Spring by 1achel /arson
Summer of the Gods by ,ohnathan Larson
Survival of the Sickest by .r. #haron -oalem
The Ancestor's Tale by 1ichard .awkins
The Descent of Man by /harles .arwin
The mmortal !ife of "enrietta !acks by
1ebecca #kloot
The #mnivore$s Dilemma by -ichael +ollan
The %ear of the Whale by 6ictor B. #chefer
#n the #rigin of the Species by /harles .arwin
&eason for "ope by ,ane 7oodall
A Sand Count' Almanac by "ldo Leopold
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Last &hild in the Woods 4y $ichard
5o.v
Nature Revealed: Sele!ted Writings 4y
E.O. "ilson
$nto the Wild 4y 6on 7raka.r
Wild 4y %heryl Strayed
4. 6o.rnal %l.4: #imilar to the Book /lub, every week you will read and complete
a ,ournal ntry prior to our -onday honors meetings. .uring honors class we will
.I#/0## and 1(L/T on your reading. However in ,ournal /lub, instead of
reading a novel5type book you will seek out a new peer5reviewed 8ournal article
prior to every honors class. 9ou are re:uired to come to each honors class with
your 8ournal article in5hand. /heck out http;<<www.doa8.org<, http;<<www.plos.org<,
or http;<<scholar.google.com< for open access 8ournal articles.
2. Biology and/or environmental science8related comm.nity events:
"dditionally, as an honors student, you will be asked to participate in two science
related community events.
/ommunity vents; 9ou will go out into the community at least two times during the
semester and participate in science %biological or environmental& related events.
=amples of community events include beach clean5ups, local farming, community
park days, arth (air, etc. +lease see me if you are unsure about a speci'c community
event. 9ou are re:uired to write a one page summary for one of these events. +lease
include pictures and<or other proof of your participation for each event.
Honors )ersonal &ssignment Sched.le:
9$eminder: &ll assignments are d.e on yo.r d.e date: no late work-
(.e (ate $eading
-onday, #ept. > 5 #tudent4s signed %student and parent& Honors /ontract and
personali?ed schedule.
5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, #ept. ** 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, #ept. *B 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, Act. C 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, Act. *D 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, Act. *E 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, Fov. G 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, Fov. )D 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, Fov. )E 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, .ec. ) 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
-onday, .ec. > 5 "rticle read
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+age number you will have read to in your book@@@@@@@@@@@@.
Biology Honors %ontract
Biology has an honors option. Honors is a semester-long commitment, and factors into the final semester grade!!
To earn honors credit for the fall semester you must do the following:
Be present at each honors class
Be prepared to discuss and reHect on your readings each honors class
Research, participate, and reflect (at least one page not including your pictures a!out one of at least two
science-related community e"ents
Honors is meant to !e a challenge. A student enrolled in Honors is expected to do all of the Honors work in addition to
regular coursework. Honors students are e#pected to wor$ on Honors e"ery wee$ and manage their Honors wor$ wisely
(translation: do not procrastinate.
Before you sign up for Honors you should consider the !enefits and draw!ac$s:
Benefits:
Honors credit adds one full grade point to your final grade for the semester, which raises your o"erall %&'.
(olleges li$e to see Honors credit on your transcript.
Honors pro"ides a fun !iology challenge for you.
Drawbacks:
Honors is a lot of wor$ and may add too much to your wor$load) this can !e o"erwhelming.
Honors will ta$e away time you may want to commit to other e#tracurricular acti"ities, which colleges li$e to see
as well.
Honors assignments are graded and not doing them, and not doing them well, will negati"ely impact your grade.
Honors is "ery rigorous material, so if you are already struggling with !iology, you may find that it is too
challenging or that it ta$es away from time you could spend on regular !iology assignments
Please discuss your personalized schedule and the benefits and drawbacks of Honors with your parent/guardian,
and decide if Honors is the right choice for you. You ust ake a peranent decision about Honors by !riday,
"epteber #$, $%#&. 'fter that date, you ay not add or drop Honors for any reason.
*, +++++++++++++++++++++++++, ha"e read the a!o"e information, and ( wish to earn Honors credit in Biology.
* understand that this is a permanent decision and cannot !e changed after ,eptem!er -., ./-0.
,tudent 1ame: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
,tudent ,ignature: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
&arent 1ame: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
&arent ,ignature ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2ate +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
&arent (ontact *nfo (email3phone: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++