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Although I’m definitely not what you would call a “science person,” I have loved being in Mrs. Rathbun’s Biology course this year.  The following is a brief overview of what goes on during our class time, as well as a bit of useful information regarding the course’s homework and tests.

 

Mrs. Rathbun usually spends the first 5-10 minutes of class talking about birthdays, professional baseball, and anything else that happens to pop into her head. This informal conversation is not only enjoyable, but also helps to lighten the mood in the classroom. After our little chat, Mrs. Rathbun begins the weekly discussion, in which we go over class notes, take a “quick quiz,” and check out a few websites to get more information on our various topics. Overall, class time is pretty painless. 

 

As far as homework is concerned, there are three types of assignments that the student turns in: study guides, lab reports, and tests. Study guides are completed at the end of each module, and involve answering 15-20 questions about various topics discussed in that module. However, they only take about an hour to complete, so there’s not much reason to worry. Lab reports, on the other hand, are probably the hardest part of this course.  Although you only turn in one lab report per module (you write another that is not submitted), I’ve yet to spend less than three hours on writing a submitted report, not counting the time spent actually performing the lab. Several students in my section spent over 12 hours on the Module #2 lab report. If you budget your time wisely and pay attention to the format Mrs. Rathbun wants, though, chances are you’ll do fine. Lastly, we have the tests, which consist of multiple choice, true/false, and short essay questions. Some students get consistent A's on these tests, while others struggle due to a certain question format. In order to ace these tests, you have to be a pro at answering all three types of questions. Learn to become efficient in answering all three, and the tests shouldn’t give you too much trouble.

 

So, how do you study for these tests? Well, Mrs. Rathbun makes it clear that she wants her students to be “studying, not staring.” Basically, she wants her students to do more than just read the information…she encourages us to draw pictures, make flash cards, etc. The idea is to find new and creative ways to help you process and retain the information at hand. My advice is to experiment and figure out what techniques work best for you. 

 

Aside from this, there’s not a whole lot more to be said. I should mention, however, that Mrs. Rathbun makes this class entirely worthwhile. She (along with Dr. Wile’s textbook) does a great job of clearly explaining topics that often confuse students. If you consider yourself a science person, you should definitely take this class, because it will help you to continue developing a love for the study of Biology. If you don’t consider yourself a science person…well, you should still take this class, because it will help you to cultivate an interest in one of science’s most important fields.  It is truly amazing to observe God’s marvelous Creation! 

 

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English 8, section 5 English 9, section 7 English 9, section 8 HS Biology