Staples High School Mission Statement
We are a community of learners engaged in a quest for academic excellence and committed to civic and social responsibility. We are unwavering in our belief that we must act with integrity and treat each other with respect.

NOTE: DUE TO NUMEROUS DIFFICULTIES WITH BLACKBOARD ALL HOMEWORK WILL BE POSTED ON MY WEBSITE. CHECK BLACKBOARD FOR THE ADDRESS.
Please ignore any statements to the contrary below.

This Page: http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/lazaroff/rules.htm
Last Updated: Friday, December 05, 2008 10:23 AM

Welcome to my classroom! I know that with all I have planned we are sure to have a great year. Our class will include everything from lab activities to online explorations, so be prepared for some variety!

In order to keep things running as smoothly as possible, and to allow room for more fun in the classroom, I have set up a series of rules and responsibilities. An understanding of these will help to eliminate any uncertainty you may feel. As a matter of fact, One of your first assignments is to complete the brief form on the last page and return it to me signed by yourself and a parent or legal guardian. Keep the rest of this handout in your binder!

If you need extra help, or if you need to make up a lab, test, or other assignment, please feel free to visit me during one of my free periods: see my schedule. I will either be in my office (Room 3003) or in the Math/Science Learning Center (Room TBA) during those periods (once again, see my schedule.). I can also be here both before and after school, but it is usually best to arrange it beforehand in case I am unavailable; don't just show up at 3:00 pm as I am walking out the door. I will make every effort to meet with you, but you have to meet me half way; if you are unavailable during any of my free periods, you must be willing to meet with me either before or after school! Please Note: Just because I call it a free period, it does not mean that I will always be able to help you. To be safest, try to schedule a time with me beforehand!

It is usually a good idea to find at least one person whose notes you trust. This is especially helpful when you are absent, for we frequently do things in class that are not in the textbook, or are at least in a different format. You need to make sure that you are here as often as possible. If you can't be here, then have someone's notes to fall back on, just in case. Please get the notes first, then speak to me about anything that was unclear. This will save me from having to re-teach the entire lesson when you ask "what did we do in class yesterday?" I will save handouts for you on days you were absent. It is your responsibility to arrange to make up a lab! Note: Many labs have time-sensitive materials, so you will need to make them up ASAP. An absence is not an excuse for not having to take a test, or not having to do an assignment.

Lastly, I would like to keep this classroom in good spirits, and to make it a friendly and comfortable environment for learning, As, such, swearing, teasing, insults, racist, sexist, or homophobic remarks will not be tolerated. To put it simply, it can be very easy to hurt someone's feelings with a careless remark. If we treat each other with respect, then this will remain a place where people will want to be.

My Courses have been designed with a set of outcomes in mind. The outcomes will be handed out to parents on Back to School Night. I have included a link here for you to print up a copy to have in your binder. You will need to scroll down to find the outcomes for each course:

Please keep it in your binder. We will make every attempt to achieve those outcomes. In addition, I am including below a list of the six core themes that underlie all science courses. As we proceed through the year we will be linking these six themes to everything that we do. The more you internalize these themes the better you will be able to make connections across the curriculum.

1. ENERGY: Energy flows from many sources, exists in a variety of interchangeable forms, and drives all systems.

2. MATTER: Matter exists in a variety of forms; its structure and function are interrelated.

4. CHANGE & CONTINUITY: Change occurs according to patterns which can be used to interpret the past and predict the future.

5. PROCESS: Science is a method of active inquiry utilized to further an understanding of the natural world.

6. SOCIETY: The dynamic interaction of science and technology affects and is affected by change in society.

    10th graders will be taking the C.A.P.Test during the spring of this year. As such, we will be doing a number of activities that will help to prepare everyone for the test, which is predominantly process oriented.
    In addition, a number of you may want to take the S.A.T. II Biology Achievement test at the end of the year. This test is more heavily content oriented. I will try to alert students throughout the year to additional material that would be helpful to know for the achievement test. Note: If you want to take this test, you must get yourself a copy of a test review booklet (Barron's, Princeton Review, etc.) and start doing extra work for the test now and throughout the year.

SUPPLIES: Top of Page

Each student is required to have all of the following:
1. A 3 ring binder. - You will be expected to be able to remove and replace notes; the only way to do that is with a three-ring binder!
      (This is important as you need to keep track of your numerous handouts and assignments; spiral notebooks are limited in that any pockets provided are not usually large enough.)
2. A pen and a pencil. (ALL diagrams must be in pencil!)
3. A Textbook - Textbooks must be covered, and remain covered, all year. If we have enough extra books available, I will provide a cart with books for classroom use and you can leave your book at home. During school hours there are textbooks available in the Library and in the Math/Science Learning Center..
4. A small stapler. This is a necessity, as you will see below.
5. A box of at least a dozen colored pencils, as well as a pocket sharpener (felt tipped pens are not acceptable as they soak through the paper, making it impossible to color the other side of the paper).
6. (Biology and Anatomy & Physiology) A pair of medium thickness rubber cleaning gloves (yellow), with your name on each, for use in dissections, and a Ziploc-style bag (in which to keep them) with your name on it. Please write your name on each glove with a permanent marker! Medical gloves are good for only one usage, and cleaning gloves that are too thick (i.e., for chemically stripping furnature) are very difficult to use. NOTE: It is a very good idea to keep your pencil, for your dissection diagrams, in the same bag as your gloves!
7. (Biology and Anatomy & Physiology) An old shirt for use in some of our labs (for use under our lab aprons). NOTE: This item is optional.
      Biology students should leave items mentioned in #6 & #7 in their lockers during the Fall Semester; we will not be dissecting in Biology until the Spring Semester, at which time you will have a place to store them in the classroom.
8. This last item is not for you to carry around, but rather for the good of the class as a whole: Please bring in a box of tissues for the class. I will set them aside and pull them out as needed so that no one ever needs to blow her/his nose on a paper towel!

NOTE 1: When the bell rings all students are expected to have supply items 1, 2, & 3 on their desks and be ready to work! All students should get a textbook from the cart (if we have enough extra books available) in the front of the room, except on dissection days when they should get their dissection materials.
NOTE 2: students are expected to keep all of their materials on their desk, and to remain working until the bell rings! Students who choose to put away their materials early will either end up staying later, or turning in their assignments at the end of the period, regardless of the assignment's state of completion.

BASIC RULES:

NOTE: All students will be required to read the Science Safety Letter
from the Principal & Dr. Rosvally, read and sign a
LAB SAFETY AGREEMENT (Anatomy & Physiology),
OR
LAB SAFETY AGREEMENT (Forensics),
(which will be available ONLINE prior to our first lab experience),
in addition to signing the form at the end of this document,
and filling out the online contact information form.

NOTE: All Science Students with labs during lunch periods
will now be eating their lunches in the Cafeteria,
but please note that you will have ONLY 20 MINUTES
to eat and return to class (when we have 1st Lunch), so be sure to
bring your lunch on lab days! On other months students
will take the last 20 minutes of 3rd Lunch.
TO SEE THE SCIENCE LUNCH ROTATION, CLICK HERE!

1. Always listen carefully to my instructions as they may not only save you time, but they may also save you from injury. Please also listen for my voice once the lab starts, and be prepared to stop what you are doing; my interruptions are always very important to completing your lab. Note: If you fail to follow the instructions you may end up invalidating your results, which will seriously affect your lab's grade.
2. When instructed to wear goggles, all my students (including those with glasses) must wear them over their eyes, not on their foreheads, or around their necks!
3. Any chemicals used must have the caps put back on the bottles as soon as you have removed the instructed amount.
4. Do not try to carry too many items at once, especially where glassware and chemicals are involved.
5. Microscopes must be carried with 2 hands, one on the base and one on the arm, and held close to the body. Be sure also not to leave the power cords hanging over the edge of the table.
6. Always start out with the microscope on Low power, focus and center the specimen, before you move it to High power. Remember, it is easier to find the specimen if you center it in the middle of the glass circle in the center of the stage, before you even look through the eyepiece.
7. When using High power, use only the Fine Focus knob (the smaller focus knob). Failure to do this can damage not only the slide, but the microscope lens as well.
8. Unless stated otherwise, all drawings are to be done on High power, and in PENCIL! Never redo your drawings at home!
9. All drawings must be properly labeled as to magnification, type of specimen, as well as to visible organelles and tissue types.
10. All drawings must be done in a circle 1/2 page in diameter, which indicates the field-of-view, and which must appear in the drawing in the same proportion to the circle as the specimen appears in the field-of-view. Remember to apply what we have learned in class about cells and tissues to your drawings; that is the only way I can tell if you saw what was under the microscope, or whether you only looked.
11. Do not wait for your partner to finish his/her drawing to start yours. Simply take turns looking through the lens and then sketching your specimen. No one should have any downtime.
12. Before you remove the slide, place the microscope on Low power.
13. Be sure to wrap the microscope's cord around the base before you put it away. Also, do not put more than 2 microscopes on a shelf in the cabinet.
14. Always be careful to return the slides to the correct tray. An extra 2 seconds on your part can save me hours of sorting!
15. Do not start cleanup until I direct you to. Do not think of yourself as merely an individual doing cleanup, but rather as a member of a team made up of the whole class. As such, if you finish cleaning up your area, it is your responsibility to find other areas that need cleanup, and to help other groups to cleanup. We will not leave until every item and every area has been cleaned and accounted for, so it is to your advantage to help others out.
16. In the unlikely event that you break something (we all know that accidents do happen), please do me the courtesy of telling me when it happens. Given that I must account for everything at the end of the period (see step 15), I do not take kindly to finding out the hard way. On the other hand, I am the picture of benevolence if you come up to me of your own free will and own up to it. The only time when I will take the breakage of an object with great seriousness is when it is a result of raucous and improper behavior!
17. The fire extinguisher is in the front of the room to the right of the chalkboard, and the fire blanket is on the left wall toward the front. Don't worry . . . I haven't had to use them yet, although I do know how to use them.

Assignments: Types of Assignemnts Basic Rules Top of Page

THERE ARE FOUR WAYS YOU CAN RECEIVE A PENALTY ON YOUR ASSIGNMENTS, AND THEY ALL REFLECT A LACK OF CONCERN FOR YOUR AUDIENCE:

(A) LATE WORK (B) NO NAME (C) NO STAPLE (D) OUT OF ORDER

All assignments will be posted on my homework page. Check Blackboard! for the address.

1. Late Day: Unless otherwise specified, all assignments may be turned in one class session late for FULL CREDIT (i.e., If it is Due Tuesday, and there is no class Wednesday, you may turn it in on Thursday with NO PENALTY).*    After that the maximum score possible will be a 3.5 (out of 5), or a C-. If you forget to turn it in during class, just put it on my desk in Room 3003, or in my mailbox in the faculty lounge before you leave campus (All mailboxes are beneath the label indicating the faculty member's name.) Teachers must submit grades a MINIMUM OF FOUR TIMES A YEAR, but many of us do so EIGHT TIMES A YEAR (NOTE: Letter grades are NOT REQUIRED on the IPR, but many of us do so as a courtesy. An IPR - Interim Progress Report - and an End of the Quarter Grade x 4 Quarters = 8 times a year). As such, assignments given PRIOR to each IPR will ONLY BE ACCEPTED UP TO THE END OF THE IPR (Generally 3 PM on that date), and assignments given AFTER the IPR will ONLY BE ACCEPTED UP TO THE END OF THE QUARTER (Generally 3 PM on that date). Assignments from any previous quarters or IPRs WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!!!! As for the end of EACH SEMESTER, Late Work will ONLY BE ACCEPTED UP UNTIL THE DATE OF THE MIDTERM OR FINAL EXAM (Generally 1 PM on that date)!!!! The rationale for this strictness is a preparation for life in the real world, which is so often defined by deadlines (If you don't think deadlines are important, try telling that to the IRS . . .)!
   *NOTE: Certain assignments will not have a late day (e.g., test review sheets . . . what's the point?).
                  If an assignment doesn't have a late day, I will always tell you in advance!
2. All assignments must have your Full Name on them, on each page; I am not, nor do I intend to become, an expert in handwriting. In addition to your name, please put the class period and the date on your paper. Any assignments without a name will not receive credit. If you can prove to me that it is yours, I will give you a grade, but again the maximum score possible will be a 3.5 (out of 5), or a C-. The rationale for this strictness is a preparation for life in the real world, where one's name on paperwork (e.g., Car Registration, Marriage License, IRS 1040, etc.) is a must! A word to the wise, put your name on all your papers before you do anything else!

� Unless you can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, otherwise, I must go on the assumption that there are other people in the world who share your first name. As such, it could be interpreted as the height of ego to use only your first name to identify yourself. Unless you want people to use the adjective "egotistic" when they think of you, I would strongly suggest that you use your last name as well on all your papers.

� It is all to easy to forget to put your name on a handwritten assignment. If you forget to do so on a computer-generated assignment, a coloring sheet, or a model, there is no way to verify that the work is yours. Unlike handwritten assignments, you will receive a zero for your work, simply by virtue of my not being able to verify the author of the work.

3. All multi-page assignments must be stapled. You are responsible for having your own stapler! One will not be provided for you! There is no excuse for not having stapled an assignment. As such. yet again, any assignment that has not been stapled, will receive a maximum grade of 3.5 (out of 5), or a C-. To top this off, many assignments are just thrown together, out of order, with no concern for the extra work this makes for the teacher (Remember that lab reports have a 6-part sequence, and they should be put together in numerical order! A FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER GRADE PENALTY!). The rationale for this strictness is a preparation for life in the real world, where no one will accept such lack of concern by an author for her/his audience. Do you think a business would accept a sales report jumbled together, out of order, and unbound? Such behavior in the business world would either lead to (a) a lack of advancement, or (b) your termination!

4. NOTE: The sections of the lab report format are numbered for a reason! The order follows a logical progression, and is the best way to present scientific information persuasively. As such, ALL LAB REPORTS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN NUMERICAL ORDER. A failure to do so will result in a grade penalty, in which the lab will receive a maximum grade of 3.5 (out of 5), or a C-.

What? You don't have a stapler? Try doing this --->

no_staple.gif (3422 bytes)

5. It is your responsibility to remember to turn in your assignments. Whether or not I remind you, the responsibility is still yours. I have a metal paper divider on my desk that is sorted by period (A, B or D, E, F) where you can place your homework.
6. Homework is just that, something to be done at home. As such, all assignments are due at the beginning of the period. I don't want you to use up valuable class time doing assignments better completed at home.
7. Unless stated otherwise, every in-class assignment requires a paper from each member of the group.
8. On one side of the room there are 2 metal dividers: one contains any handouts distributed on any day you were absent (your name will be on it), the other contains all graded assignments handed back on any day you were absent. Please check these dividers as soon as you return to class.
9. During Tests you must remain silent until all tests are in, or risk an F. If you have a question, raise your hand and I will come to you. Bring your book on test days to do work after the test. I will provide an assignment for you on the board. You may also do work for other classes, or read at this time.
10. Only one person at a time may get up to turn in a test.
11. Also in regard to absences, any test that has been missed for legitimate reasons must be taken within 3 SCHOOL DAYS (2:15 PM on the day that falls 3 SCHOOL DAYS from the day of the Test). Any students missing tests, or labs, due to unexcused absences will not be given the luxury of a make-up. In Anatomy, tests are usually, but not always, given on Thursdays, and in Forensics, tests are usually, but not always, given on Tuesdays. The makeup deadline for a test originally taken in class on a TUESDAY would thus have to be completed by the end of the day (2:15 PM) on FRIDAY OF THE SAME WEEK. With the exception of certain Anatomy tests, some of which involve models, and some of which require me to demonstrate things to the students, all other tests can be made up in the Math/Science Learning Center (Room 3051), which is open every period, but which is not open either before or after school. If you have no free periods, please contact me well in advance of the last make-up day, so I can make special arrangements. NOTE: SOME EXAMS MAY HAVE FEWER THAN THREE MAKE-UP DAYS; IF THIS IS TRUE FOR A PARTICULAR TEST, I WILL NOTE THIS ON THE HOMEWORK CALENDAR.
12. Students are responsible for all labs missed. In regards to missed labs. Physical Science students should check to see if one of the other sections of Physical Science is during a free period, for he/she can make a lab up when the other class does the lab. If this is not possible, students must make up the lab within one week. Biology students may not have that much time since some of our materials are perishable!
13. If you can't make up a test in the Science Learning Center, please make an appointment to take the make-up test with me ASAP; don't show up at my door at 3:00 pm of the last make-up day and ask "May I take it now?" The answer will be no.
Given that rarely a test goes by without at least one student absent, especially when I teach multiple sections of the same course, I will not hand tests back until everyone has taken them. As such, one can expect to get tests back, graded, after a minimum of about a week. Also, since I curve my test scores, I cannot, in all honesty, tell you what your grade is until all students have taken the test. How do I curve my tests? (http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/lazaroff/curve.htm)
14. On graded work, wrong answers will receive a check. Correct answers will either not receive a mark (Why gild the lily?), or, in the case of essay answers, a "good" or a "yes" to signify my approval.

GRADES: Basic Rules Top of Page

Grades are distributed by the school on the web - Blackboard. I can also give you a personal grade report with the scores of all your assignments. As per school policy, grades are given according to the following percentages (NOTE: grades are rounded up, so that an 89.5 % would be rounded up to an A-):

A+ = 97 % and up
A = 93 - 96 %
A- = 90 - 92 %

B+ = 87 - 89 %
B = 83 - 86 %
B- = 80 - 82 %

C+ = 77 - 79 %
C = 73 - 76 %
C- = 70 - 72 %

D+ = 67 - 69 %
D = 63 - 66 %
D- = 60 - 62 %

F = Below 60 %

There are 5 types of work used to grade all my students, which are graded according to the following weight in my Anatomy & Physiology and Biology Classes:

NOTE: In my Forensics classes the grades are not based upon category weights. In those classes the grade is simply the total points earned divided by the total possible points.

NOTE: I use a 5 point scale over a 3 or 4 point scale to make it easier for students to calculate
in terms of the A, B, C, D, F scale with which they are familiar.

Tests will be given approximately 30 - 60 points, and essays will be given 20 - 40 points. This allows for a greater level of subtlety in grading for these larger assignments.
The general format for assignments will be as follows:

Tests & Quizzes Types of Assignments Top of Page

Tests will be have both objective (matching, multiple choice, true/false, diagram labeling) and essay questions (1 paragraph), and word pairs, (wherein the student must use the 2 words in a sentence that not only defines the words, but also explains the relationship between them). On the essay questions, be sure to explain your answers in detail! *
I will try to provide a comprehensive review sheet about a week in advance of the test. Be advised, however, that test dates and test content may change; I will, however, always notify students as to any changes. In order to keep tests from being too long, it is usually more common for a change to be the removal of, rather than the addition to, items on the review sheet.
Midterms and Final Exams will be worth 10% of the Semester grade, and thus 5% of the year grade.

NOTE: The rule regarding seniors and final exams is up to the teacher's discretion.
As such, I have a long-standing policy that, regardless of a person's grade,
ALL SENIORS MUST TAKE THE FINAL EXAM!

Staples High School Academic Integrity Policy

Click here for TEST TAKING RULES!
How do I curve my tests?

Essays Types of Assignments Top of Page

Essays are an important part of any science class because the communication of concepts is vital to the nature science itself. I will require students to turn in an outline a week prior to turning in their essays. Please make sure it is a copy, for I don't want you to be without your outline as you sit down to write your essay!
The outline is to include not only the major theme and the sub-themes of your essay, but all of the supporting evidence you want to cite in each of the paragraphs. I would like you to follow the format below:

    I. Introduction (Main Theme). This paragraph should pose a question,
            but you need not answer that question here! Simply indicate the
            sources of the data to be presented in the following paragraphs.
    II. Sub-theme One
        A. Evidence
        B. Evidence
        C. Evidence
    III. Sub-theme Two
        A. Evidence
        B. Evidence
        C. Evidence
    IV. Sub-theme Three
        A. Evidence
        B. Evidence
        C. Evidence
    V. Conclusion. Rather than merely repeating, with only slight variation,
            this paragraph should finally answer the question posed in the opening
            paragraph!

Although this is the traditional 5 paragraph essay, one needn't follow this format exactly. A well written and well argued essay is always welcome.
One suggestion to improve your essays is to avoid having your 1st and last paragraph as copies of each other. That is boring to write, and boring to read. Try laying out the 1st paragraph as a question to be answered, and thus leaving your conclusion as a true conclusion.

Homework Types of Assignments Top of Page

Given that there are many different types of homework, a few general comments will have to do. Don't copy questions over, but rather rephrase the question in your answer. When answering questions, pay attention to words like explain, describe, compare, and why. Even if those words are not part of the question, the best papers always include answers that assume that they are a part of the question.
* It is often best to write your assignments with the assumption that the reader doesn't understand the material. The moral: short answers are not sufficient. If this seems hard-nosed, you should understand that this is the only way I can be sure that you understand the concepts. Any answers written with the "well, you know" mentality are unacceptable: yes, I do know, but I want to find out if you, the student, know. By the way, this means that all assignments must be written in complete sentences! Incomplete sentences mean incomplete thoughts.

Click here for the Chapter Outline Format!

Coloring sheets, as indicated above, must include your name, on every page. In order to extend the academic value of the coloring sheet beyond the Kindergarten level, there are some guidelines you need to follow:

All coloring should be done with colored pencils. Crayons are not advisable because they can be rather mess; felt-tipped pens should never be used because they bleed through the paper, and I copy onto both sides of the page to save paper. I strongly suggest that you find a brand that is erasable. Given the fact that there are often a large number of terms to color on any given page, a large set of colors is helpful, but if you have only a small set, you can distinguish terms and portions of the diagram using stripes and/or polka dots.
The terms have subscript letters that identify the location on the diagram. Each term should be colored the same color as the appropriate portion of the diagram. Check the diagram carefully, for more than one area may have the same identifying letter. Also, identical structures, even if unlabeled, need to be colored in as well.
Each term should be colored with a simple, broad swath of color; there is no need to carefully fill in the terms. In the same sense, if you merely put a small dot to indicate the color, it will be extremely hard to identify structures, thus making the coloring sheet extremely hard to study from.
The text to the left of the diagrams have also been copied because I thought it too was important. The same terms identified in the diagrams can be found in italics in the text. You need to color those sentences or paragraphs that describe the terms with the same color that you used in the diagrams. As such, you need to color all three places (term, diagram, and text) at the same time. If you go back to the text, you will not only be less likely to absorb the information in the text, but you may find that you do not have access to the correct color.

Labs Types of Assignments Top of Page

Please be aware that seriousness, or lack thereof, in the lab setting will affect your grade. This is especially true in the case of dissection, where the majority of your grade is based on your behavior in the lab, as well as on impromptu verbal quizzes.
I have attached a separate handout regarding microscope labs. You will be graded partially on the quality of your drawings, which must be in pencil, and must be properly labeled. In these labs the drawings will constitute your Data section.
All labs must be written in the following format:

Title (Please write a title that describes what you were investigating. If you must be flippant, make it a subtitle.)
I. Purpose (Problem)
II. Hypothesis (If...then...)

(Make a specificprediction!)

III. Experimental Design

A. Materials (list vertically 1,2,3,etc.)
B. Procedure (list as above)

(Describe dependent & independent variables)

IV. Data (table + graph, and drawings)
V. Answers to Questions

(As in the case with all questions assigned in class, you need not copy out the question

but you do need to rephrase the question in your answer!)

VI. Conclusion!

Your conclusion, which needs to be in paragraph format, should not only make reference to the Problem, the Hypothesis, the Experimental Design, and the Data, and discuss what you learned in the lab, but it should also include the following:

1. Were there any possible extra and/or hidden variables that might have affected the accuracy of your results?

2. Did anything go wrong, or did anything unexpected happen?

3. Do you have any new questions that were left unanswered by the lab?

4. How could you answer those questions? Briefly describe an experiment that would test any new hypothesis.

5. How could you improve this lab. This is especially important in labs that you design yourselves, as this will prepare you for the C.A.P.T. (esp. the lab experience).

NOTE: The numbered items above should be included in the paragraphs in your conclusion. A conclusion that consists only of the five numbered answers above is a substandard one.

NOTE: The sections of the lab report format above are numbered for a reason! The order follows a logical progression, and is the best way to present scientific information persuasively. As such, ALL LAB REPORTS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN NUMERICAL ORDER. A failure to do so will result in a grade penalty, in which the lab will receive a maximum grade of 3.5 (out of 5), or a C-.

Dissection Note: Given that some students are uncomfortable with dissection, it is mandatory that we show some respect toward our animal specimens. Anyone who purposely mangles a specimen will fail that dissection. This also holds true for anyone who contributes to another's discomfort. Students who are uncomfortable may need more time to get used to the activity; let's all give them some respect.

All students in Anatomy & Physiology must participate in dissection. That is a class requirement. Students in Biology may choose their dissection partners, as long as at least one of you is willing to do the physical dissection work.

Participation Types of Assignments Top of Page

Participation is divided into three categories, and students are given two grades for each category twice a quarter. The categories are:

    Asking Questions = about 1/3
    Answering Questions = about 1/3
    Lab Techniques = about 1/3

Occasionally a group assignment may fall under participation. In all of these categories general citizenship and respect for one's peers plays an important part.
Given that some students are not as comfortable as others about speaking up in class I want it understood that a dialogue must occur in some form. Some students speak to me during their free periods to get extra help.

Portfolios Types of Assignments Top of Page

    An important part of grading is the ability to gauge the amount of progress the student has made over the course of the year. Students are required to keep all of their assignments over the course of the year (hence the need for a three ring binder). Students should not throw away any of their old work, even when we change semesters. You can, however, keep the work from previous semesters at home.
    Certain assignments of my choosing will become a part of your portfolio, and such assignments will count twice in the grade book, as both a Homework (usually a lab) and a Portfolio assignment. (As such, it is useful to note that some labs may also be portfolio assignments, for if that work is missing, it hurts your grade twice! On the bright side, completing that work will thus count twice; in a nutshell, TURN IN ALL LABS, JUST IN CASE!. NOTE: If that work is turned in after the Late Day, then the penalty will not be exacted twice; I will take credit away from the homework portion, but not from the portfolio portion.) Also, at the end of every quarter you can choose an assignment that you consider to be your best work, and that you wish to be included in your portfolio. If you have no preference, I will simply choose the assignment with the highest score.
    All assignments in your portfolio will be given equal weight, regardless of whether they were chosen by you or I. The portfolio grade will be a holistic one, rather than merely an average of the assignments therein. The key to the whole process is the idea of measuring the level of your improvement.

Using Blackboard

All homework, labs, test review sheets, and grades will be posted on my homework page. The address can be found on Blackboard (which itrself can be found at http://www.stapleshighschool.org), so you must use it! NOTE: On the Calendar, all homework is DUE ON THE DATE IT APPEARS ON THE CALENDAR!!
If you do not have a computer at home, you can always get to Blackboard from any computer in the building, in the Staples Library Media Center, any computer lab, the Science Learning Center (Rm. 2038), the computer in my Classroom (Rm. 3002), or in my office (Rm. 3003), or in the Westport Public Library. I have feeling, if you ask nicely, you can probably get almost any teacher in the building to let you log into her/his computer. If you use the computer in my classroom, you might want to plan to use it right before or after class.
I strongly suggest that you arrange to have your Blackboard E-mail forwarded to your home E-mail address. Despite this, I would suggest that you get into the habit of logging into Blackboard every day to check for new assignments as well as posted grades.
Be sure to make use of Blackboard's folder feature, for it allows you to move assignments from the NEW folder into a COMPLETED folder so that you may keep track of what assignments you have, and haven't turned in. Given that every assignment I have ever given for the entire school year is posted on Blackboard, it is your responsibility to keep track. I will not provide you with a list of assignments you haven't turned in, for you should know that information already! Blackboard is available from every computer in the world that has internet access, so there is no excuse.
In terms of using Blackboard, ask yourself the following questions: Do you have a computer at home? Do you use the internet? How often do you use the internet? If the answer to the first question is no, see above. Given the fact that most of you have computers, most of you use the internet at home, and that most of you use it everyday, there is no excuse for not using Blackboard. Those of you without computers at home do have other access as described above.
I do not want you to send in homework and labs via E-mail. E-mail attachments will not be opened! It is all to easy to spread a computer virus, even if it is done inadvertently, through E-mail attachments. If I have given you prior permission to E-mail me work (which I only rarely allow), feel free to copy and paste assignments into to body of an E-mail, or Blackboard E-mail. I encourage everyone to contact me primarily through Blackboard, as I have Blackboard set up to contact my home E-mail whenever an Blackboard E-mail is sent.

E-mail Etiquette (Please NOTE that I modeled good e-mail etiquette in the letter below.)

Dear Students:

E-mail has become ubiquitous in our modern culture. This can be both a good and a bad thing. On the positive side, it has greatly increased communication, especially written communication; on the negative side, certain basic rules of good writing have been carelessly tossed aside, on the mistaken assumption that they serve no good purpose. As such, there are certain rules of e-mail etiquette that all people should follow.

In all communication to teachers, students (you will notice that I try to follow the exact same rules in my e-mail to you), employers, employees, customers, etc., there should be enough formality to show a polite respect for the audience of the letter. This formality need not be cold, however, as the body of the letter can be a bit more relaxed in its tone.

An e-mail should be regarded as a politely worded letter. An e-mail is not a text message (excuse me, txt msg) , and, as such, all e-mail should include punctuation and initial capitals at the start of every sentence. In addition, there should be no flippant disregard for spelling (see the previous parentheses); one should have the courtesy to spell out the entire word or words, and use words where appropriate, rather than number substitutions (othrws its 2 frstrtng & anyng 2 rd so u shldnt do tht . . .). Letters, which may be (a) hand written, (b) typed and printed out, or (c) sent as an e-mail, should always include the following:

(1) a salutation (i.e., Dear Mr. Lazaroff),
(2) the body of the letter should be polite
(3) a sign off and signature (Sincerely, John Doe)

The polite formality of such communication not only makes the intentions more clear, but it is good etiquette in general. As such, I strongly suggest that such basic rules be followed whenever possible. Thank you for your future consideration.

Sincerely,

- Mr. Lazaroff
Science Teacher
Staples High School

FINAL COMMENTS: Top of page

(Note: In the unlikely event that I inform you of any changes
in policy, please add them to these pages.
They will henceforth be considered valid and binding.)

    Students are expected to take notes on the readings, especially those in the book. I will occasionally ask for outlines as homework. This has the added effect of reinforcing the material for later recall and application.
    Note taking is an important skill, and those who do it well are more likely to excel in my classes. Also, despite being only 25% of the final grade, homework is an essential part of doing well in my classes, for it gives one important practice in the concepts that will later appear on the tests.
    I am usually here from 7:00 am to 2:45 pm, or later. It is usually easier to reach me after school, rather than before, as there are mornings when I am subject to the whim of traffic on the Merritt Parkway. If you need to reach me at school the telephone number is (203) 341-1415. Due to the fact that I am often teaching when the telephone rings I will be unable to answer it. Unfortunately that means you will usually have to leave a message on my voice mail. I will do my best to get back to you as soon as I am able, but understand that that may not be for a couple of days or more, especially for calls received before weekends or vacations. I hope you all enjoy the year!

Your First Homework Assignments:

Print up this page, which contains the Class Rules - http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/lazaroff/rules.htm. Please complete the page below, with the help of your parents, and return the tear-off portion to me (Keep the rest of this in your binder.).
read the Science Safety Letter from the Principal & Dr. Rosvally, then read, complete, and return the LAB SAFETY AGREEMENT (Anatomy & Physiology), OR LAB SAFETY AGREEMENT (Forensics),
FORENSICS ONLY: Forensics students also need to read, complete, and return the Parent Letter
Send me an Message on Blackboard (so that I know you have logged on).

My E-mail: Michael_Lazaroff@westport.k12.ct.us My Office Phone: 341-1415
(Parents, please note that I usually try to return calls during school hours,
so it is best to include a daytime or work number below.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
We, the undersigned, have read Mr. Lazaroff's rules, procedures, and expectations, -- http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/lazaroff/rules.htm -- and we agree to abide by them.

Student:

Name: _________________________ Course (Circle One): Anatomy & Physiology or Biology

Signature:_______________________ Class Period (Circle One): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

E-Mail Address: ______________________________________________

Course Outcomes	Introduction/Welcome		6 Core Themes
Supplies	Basic Rules:		Labs & Safety
Test Rules & Make-up Day	*The L*ATE DAY Rule!		Assignments
Types of Assignments	Grades		Finals/Midterms
Grade Equivalents (CAPT & Grad. Req.)	Mr. L's Schedule		How to Find my Classroom (3002) and Office (3003) (MAP COMING SOON)
	Contact Info Sheet
Final Comments	E-mail Etiquette
ALL Homework will now be posted on my website. CHECK Blackboard FOR THE ADDRESS.
Staples High School Academic Integrity Policy
Some Notes on Using Blackboard		Your FIRST Homework Assignments!

Mr. Lazaroff's Assignment Grades	C.A.P.T. Scoring Rubric Equivalent	Problem-Solving Rubric Equivalent
5 = 100 % = A+	3	4
4.5 = 90 % = A-	3	4
4 = 80 % = B-	2	3
3.5 = 70% = C-	1	2
3 = 60 % = D-	0	1
2.5 or less = F	0	1

What? You don't have a stapler? Try doing this --->

Don't Forget to read the Science Safety Letter from the Principal & Dr. Rosvally, fill out the LAB SAFETY AGREEMENT (Anatomy & Physiology), OR LAB SAFETY AGREEMENT (Forensics),, and to send me an Blackboard Message!

Don't Forget to read the Science Safety Letter
from the Principal & Dr. Rosvally,
fill out the **LAB S*AFETY AGREEMENT (Anatomy & Physiology), OR LAB SAFETY AGREEMENT (Forensics),***,
and to send me an Blackboard Message!