Frequently Asked Questions regarding Mr. Lang's Biology Classes
*CE Human Biology 1200 students, will have their F.A.Q.'s at the bottom of this page.
Will we do any dissections this year in Biology?
No, unless guest presenters are arranged that provide all of the specimens and safety equipment. Dissections are no longer required as part of the State Core Standards for Biology in Utah (Click Link to view Standards --> Utah Core Standards for Biology pages 69-74).
Will we use a textbook in Biology?
You will NOT be required to check out a textbook for Biology. We will access the OER Online Textbook.
Will I need any special materials or equipment for Biology?
We will use our classroom Chromebooks almost every day. In addition to that, students are encouraged to bring a spiral notebook or a binder with lined paper as well as a pen or pencil. We will have 2 projects during the year (Cell Art Posters and DNA Models) that require additional supplies. Those details will be given as we in October. All other materials and resources that are necessary for this course will be provided.
Will we take any field trips in Biology?
Probably not, though we may keep our options open. Costs and liabilities are ever increasing, and though field trips can greatly enhance the learning experience through memorable activities, there are many valuable and exciting learning activities that can be done within and around our own campus at Snow Canyon High School. We also have access to ever increasing technology allowing for the possibility of several virtual field trips. If a field trip were to be arranged this year, special arrangements, communications, announcements, etc. would be made available as well as the ability to opt-out for alternative assignments and/or activities.
Can I choose my own seat and sit by my friend in Biology?
Students will be expected to sit in the seat that will be assigned to them in the "Seating Chart" designed at the discretion of Mr. Lang.
How often can I use the Hall Pass in Biology?
Students are not permitted to leave class unless they are accompanied by the teacher or have permission to sign out of class using SmartPass. Excessive use of SmartPass is discouraged. However, for legitimate and real needs, the needs of students will be respected. But understand that students will lose points and extra credit opportunities for the excessive missing of class activities while outside of the classroom.
If abuse of the SmartPass privilege is suspected as a means of getting of out class (e.g. just because you don't feel like sitting in class, want to play on your phone, or because you plan to meet up with friends and wander the halls, etc), the parent(s)/guardian(s) may be notified to discuss the behavior.
-Any student that feels the SmartPass allowance is insufficient may refer to the following disclaimer:
*Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring academic accommodations or auxiliary aids will need to contact the counseling center or special education department to determine eligibility for the provision of services.
How much Homework will we have in Biology?
Most assignments can be completed during class. Students will be expected to review and study their class notes and any other pertinent material. I will not bury them with "busy work", but I do expect them to know and understand the course material.
The nature of my classroom teaching style involves very high levels of repetition and involvement of multiple learning styles (i.e. visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc) as I provide lectures with accompanying learning guides, reading, PowerPoints, poetry, music, videos, hands-on learning, guest speakers, etc.
I strive to embed this material deep into the Long-Term Memories of my students. Rather than overload my students with mundane out-of-class tasks, I prefer to expect short, productive, daily study time. Parents/Guardians are invited to support this policy and hold their children accountable.
"Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong!" -Unknown
How will I turn in assignments in Biology?
All assignments will be turned in using your student CANVAS account.
How will I know what I missed and what I need to do to make it up if I am ever absent in Biology?
All assignments, quizzes, exams, and school work (with instructions) will be accessible in your student CANVAS account. Just look up the details provided on the day you missed, and you will find all coursework and instructions there.
Will we be able to re-take Quizzes and Exams in Biology?
Exam/Quiz make ups and retakes may take place before or after school. Students may retake any Exam or Quiz (except End of Year Final) 1 time within 7 days of the original exam date for up to 90% of the total points possible.
Mr. Lang reserves the right to make any necessary changes he deems appropriate (e.g. alternative assessments) to enhance the educational experience and success of students on a case by case basis under the direction of administrators and other pertinent counselors and/or advisors.
Will there be any Extra Credit in Biology?
There will be EXTRA CREDIT and BONUS point opportunities given during each grading period. These opportunities are completely up to the discretion of the teacher as a means of helping students demonstrate proficiency as part of the course requirements and standards.
The following interventions are in place to assist students with unsatisfactory grades.
Students may retake each Exam or Quiz 1 time within 7 days of the original exam date for up to 90% of the total points possible.
Students will also have a chance to turn in late assignments and/or correct low scoring assignments for partial credit provided this is completed before the end of the unit or the next test.
If an earned grade is still unsatisfactory after exhausting the above interventions, special arrangements may be made on a case-by-case scenario for appropriate alternative assessments to determine if the student has met the state core standards and is deserving of a higher grade.
Will we have any Guest Speakers in Biology?
Yes. Students are invited to provide potential Guest Speakers for this class. Simply communicate with Mr. Lang to make arrangements to schedule the best time for the visit. Guest Speakers will need to check in at the front office where they will be given an official pass as a visitor. We also have the option for doing "Google Hangouts" with professional guest speakers that might have time and/or constraints.
Can I bring a Water Bottle to class in Biology?
Yes.
How can I stay informed on any updates in Biology?
Mr. Lang will frequently send out messages through the PowerSchool Program and or CANVAS with updates and reminders.
How can I contact Mr. Lang?
Email is the school administration's preferred way for parent(s)/guardian(s)/students to communicate with their teachers. nick.lang@washk12.org is where you can reach Mr. Lang.
Emergency Contact: If there is an Emergency during school hours, contact the front office of Snow Canyon High School (435) 634-1967 and let them know the nature of your emergency.
Work Address:
Snow Canyon High School
1385 North Lava Flow Drive
St. George, UT 84770
F.A.Q.'s for CE Human Biology 1200
*Expectations are higher and are under strict guidelines issued by Utah Tech University. CE Human Biology 1200 students will be given separate Disclosures and F.A.Q.'s that will better help you understand classroom expectations and policies.
These are the most common questions that students in CE Human Biology 1200 ask each year...
Unlike regular high school classes where tests are taken in your normal classroom, all Unit Exams and the Final Exam must be taken in person at the Utah Tech University Testing Center on campus:
Location: Holland Centennial Commons (HCC), Room 475 on the main Utah Tech campus.
Hours: 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM, 7 days a week (doors lock 1 hour prior to closing).
Scheduling: Exams are typically open for 1 week. You must plan ahead to avoid peak times. Once an exam period closes, it will not be reopened, and late exams receive a 0%.
Note: There are NO Retakes on Exams in CE Human Biology 1200. However, your lowest unit exam score will be dropped (excludes the Final Exam).
Because this is a college course through Utah Tech University, all course materials, grades, guided notes, and assignments are hosted exclusively on Utah Tech Canvas.
You will log in using your Utah Tech student credentials rather than your Washington County School District account.
Important announcements will be made in class, through the PowerSchool messaging system, and on your Utah Tech Canvas dashboard.
Yes. The course requires an e-book integrated with McGraw Hill Connect, where required pre-lecture quizzes are completed.
Cost: Approximately $95.
Setup: You will register through a link on your Utah Tech Canvas homepage during the first week of class with Mr. Lang’s assistance.
Extra credit and access to special exam study resources are privileges reserved for students who meet specific attendance and conduct requirements each quarter:
Attendance Risk: You must maintain at least 70% attendance. Accumulating 3 tardies, 3 early check-outs, or 3 hall pass violations each count as 1 official absence against this requirement.
Behavior Risk: Getting 3 disciplinary log entries in PowerSchool in a single quarter (for phone use violations, dress code infractions, or misbehavior) results in an automatic loss of extra credit for that quarter.
Quizzes & Regular Assignments: Late submissions lose 1% per day, capped at a maximum 90% deduction.
Exams: No late exams are accepted (0%) unless due to documented medical emergencies, bereavement, or pre-approved university travel.
Printing is optional, but taking guided notes is expected in this class whether you print them on paper or use the provided digital copy of the lecture notes to complete using a chromebook. Taking notes and participating is part of the behavior expectations that are required to be eligible for extra credit opportunities and Mr. Lang's exam study guides.
All guided note outlines are posted as PDFs in the Utah Tech Canvas Modules.
You may choose to print full units in advance or download the digital notes to your Google Drive to complete on a chromebook or laptop during class.
Mr. Lang provides digital notes for those that prefer to use a Chromebook or Laptop to take notes digitally.
*Important Dates for CE Human Biology 1200 for the 2026-27 Academic Year:
Thursday August 13, 2026 - School begins
Thursday December 10, 2026 - Last Day of Class for CE Human Biology 1200 for 2nd Quarter. Mid-term grades will be submitted on Monday December 14, 2026, so if there is anything you need to reconcile before December 14, visit with Mr. Lang. Class resumes January 5, 2027
Monday December 14, 2027 - Mid-term grades due for year-long CE classes.
Tuesday January 5, 2027 - Class resumes
Tuesday May 4, 2027 - UT Tech Testing Center closes at the end of the day. Last Day of Class for CE Human Biology 1200 for the school year! You are no longer expected to report to class. All required coursework is complete. Final grades will be submitted on Monday May 10, 2027, so if there is anything you need to reconcile before May 10, visit with Mr. Lang.
Monday May 10, 2027 - Final grades due for CE courses taught at the high school campuses.
You are not paying $96 simply to read a textbook. You are paying for access to the digital learning system that we use as part of CE Human Biology 1200.
The complete Human Biology eBook - You have access to the entire textbook whenever you need it. You can read an entire chapter, look up a confusing concept, review a diagram, or quickly find information while studying for an exam.
25+ integrated Connect quizzes - These quizzes are connected directly to the textbook. When you don't know an answer, you can go directly to the relevant section of the eBook, learn the material, and try the question again.
Unlimited opportunities to improve - You can continue working on the quizzes until you reach 100%. The goal isn't to punish you for what you don't know the first time. The goal is to give you an opportunity to learn what you missed and master it.
Immediate feedback - Instead of waiting until a test to discover what you don't understand, Connect lets you identify gaps in your knowledge while you are learning.
A built-in study resource for exams - The quizzes give you a way to review the most important concepts before an exam. Your Connect work can actually make studying for exams much easier.
A cushion for your course grade - Because you can earn high scores on the Connect assignments through repeated learning and practice, they help balance the course grade. You don't have to depend entirely on getting extremely high scores on exams to earn a strong final grade.
Because I don't believe that reading an entire chapter before class is automatically the best use of your time.
Instead, I want you to learn the material in multiple ways: through class instruction, activities, discussions, labs, assignments, and retrieval practice through Connect. You can use the eBook when you need additional explanation or when a quiz sends you back to a specific concept.
And there is an important reason I like this approach: research consistently shows that actively retrieving information through practice questions helps people learn and remember information better than simply rereading material.
McGraw Hill also specifically designs Connect to integrate the eBook, assignments, interactive questions, feedback, and learning tools into one system.
You aren't paying $96 for a book you are required to read.
You are paying for access to the textbook AND the interactive learning system we use to help you learn Human Biology, practice the material, prepare for exams, and earn college credit.
The best part is that you don't have to use the eBook the same way another student does. If you understand something from class, great. If you need more explanation, the eBook is there. If you miss a Connect question, the eBook is there. If you're preparing for an exam, the eBook and Connect quizzes are there.
The goal isn't to make you read more. The goal is to give you more ways to learn successfully.