Download zoology parent letter Sp16

August 29, 2016
Dear Student, Parent, or Guardian,
I am thrilled to be teaching Honors Zoology again. The class is an honors elective science class.
As an honors class, it will require a fair amount of work and some homework. Students are
expected to have already had Biology and remember the cells and ecology parts.
My philosophy of teaching is to be a facilitator. I intend to help students learn that they can
learn on their own and from each other. Occasional lecture and videos will also be shown. One
of the school district goals is that our students become self directed learners. I also believe
being able to collaborate with peers is important.
Students are expected to individually research, design and perform an experiment, then report
on it at our Science Festival at the end of the semester. They will be using invertebrate
organisms for this, and are expected obtain their materials and do this outside of class time. My
classroom is available after school if they need a place to set up the experiment.
There will be 2 educational and fun field trips, one to the Aquarium at Ft. Fisher and the other
to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. There is a cost for these trips since we have to pay for the buses. If
you cannot afford the trips please let me know. There are resources available. I will get the
dates to the students as soon as I get them.
Since this is an honors elective, I do not expect any discipline problems. If they do occur, we will
follow the attached ‘Class Expectations’ plan.
I look forward to teaching your son or daughter this semester and to meeting you at Open
House on Tuesday, September 13th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. If you would like to contribute to the
class, we can use Lysol or Clorox wipes, paper towels, Kleenex, Whiteboard markers and gloves
for dissecting (like your doctor has.)
Thank you for allowing me to teach your son or daughter.
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Miller
Room 1324
919-776-7541 ex 2573
[email protected]