Letter to a Biology Student

Dear biology student,
   My name is Sophie. I was 15 at the beginning of this school year and starting my sophomore year. I went to Redwood Middle School prior to coming to Saratoga High School. I was very interested in my English class this year because it was more challenging than my freshman English class. But my favorite class this year was newspaper because it is extremely difficult and takes up a lot of time and energy, but it is all worth it because looking at the finished product is so satisfying. I am very interested in writing so my first elective is newspaper and my second elective is Spanish. I approached my sophomore year surprised that the difficulty level had increased a lot more than freshman year. I participated in Cheer and learned that I really love throwing people and yelling. I expected my first biology class to be difficult and intense, but it ended up being very informative and welcoming.
   Mr. Orre expects you to listen very respectively. You should refrain from conversing with your table partner while he is talking. NEVER talk when he is talking. Once you enter Orre's class, you are expected to stop talking, sit down, get out your notebook and look at the Do Now and start writing the assigned task. A typical class day includes going over last night's Vodcast asking Mr. Orre questions, discussing in a group to review it,  then doing a lab or class work that has to do with what has just been learned. The homework takes about 30-45 minutes to take thorough notes of a Vodcast + the CFU. There are no quizzes, only tests. The tests are very fair and only ask questions about the topics that have been covered and thoroughly discussed in class. The notebook is your most prized possession. It is where you keep all of your assignments organized and it is was truly helps you study. You have to keep each assignment organized and listed in your table of contents. REMEMBER to put the date on each assignment to receive full credit in the notebook check. Your biology blog is where you write about labs and reflections for the unit. The blog posting was difficult in the beginning of the year, but it progressively became an easier task. My favorite lab/blog post here This is my favorite blog post ever because it includes my best friend John, the fetal pig my group dissected. I had the most fun during this lab because we all worked together to create our own Vodcast about our pig. My blog evolved over time because I figured out how to explain labs more concisely.  I personally changed over the course of this year by taking a LOT more naps, not procrastinating, eating healthier, and making my main priority school. Another important thing to know about the class is that sometimes there are moments of silence where Mr. Orre rings a bell or chime thing which is a signal for everyone to be quiet and compose themselves into relaxed human beings. It is important for you to use this silence to clear your mind and ready yourself to learn biology.
    Some of Mr. Orre's pet peeves are unnecessary noises being made such as the click of a pen, tapping of a foot, humming, or whistling. It takes a lot of time and effort to receive a good grade on an assignment. You can't just bs your way through homework, you have to really make an effort to understand what you are writing. It takes a lot of studying and listening to achieve a good grade on a test. Retaking the CFU's is very helpful. To get the most out of this class, a student can participate, listen attentively, absorb the information, and ask questions. Three mistakes I made this year were talking, not checking canvas, and not forgetting to put one Vodcast notes into my notebook.  I was caught talking once and it angered Mr. Orre so I refrained from having side conversations the rest of the year. My second mistake was that I turned in one of my labs late because I thought I had an extra day to complete it. If you turn in a lab late you receive zero points out of fifty. I never turned a lab in late again. My third mistake was forgetting to glue one of the vodcast notes into my notebook because it was a separate piece of paper. During the notebook check, I received no credit for the Vodcast notes because I forgot to glue in the notes for that ONE Vodcast. I never forgot to glue in Vodcast notes after that. I grew from these experiences and did not repeat them, making me a better student.
   I would rate the class a 9/10 because I really enjoyed the flipped classroom. It allowed more time for labs, and the labs we do are very fun. I am either taking Chemistry or Physics next year. To sum it up, do all of your homework on time, don't talk while Mr. Orre is talking or make any unnecessary noises, and lastly, try to enjoy the class and really absorb the information. By listening, you will get the most out of this class. What you learn is more important than the grade.

Sincerely,
Your Homie Sophie Z