Syllabus
Biology
9, 10, 11, 12th grades
Mr. Charles Massie
Syllabus (Revised September, 2011)
Textbook:
Modern Biology
Edward Alcamo, et. al.
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, copyright 2002
General Description:
Biology at the high school level during the first semester includes the study of lab safety, the general scientific method, biological themes, biological processes, structure and functions of the cell, homeostasis and transport, photosynthesis and respiration, nucleic acids and protein synthesis, chromosomes, mitosis, and meiosis, fundamentals of genetics, inheritance patterns and human genetics. During the second semester biology will include the origin of life, evolution including evidence and theory, speciation, classification, viruses, bacteria, protozoa, the importance of plants, plant evolution and classification, plant structure and function, plant reproduction, plant responses, the biosphere and biomes, ecosystems including their structure, and ecosystems including their relationships. Hands on activities will include coloring books, lab exercises, and specimen collections. In class activities will include critical thinking discussions, section and chapter reviews, review of study guides, and chapter/unit tests including research topics for second semester. Topics are designed to meet or exceed the standards set by the state of Illinois. The course can be applied to graduation credit in science or utilized as preparation for a 2 to 4 year college degree and as a prerequisite for landscaping /horticulture.
Objectives:
By the end of this course the student should be able to:
- Know and apply concepts that explain the basic biological processes
- Know and apply concepts that showing the relationship between plant and animal cells
- Know and apply concepts that apply an understanding of homeostasis and transport in organisms
- Know and apply concepts that show an understanding of photosynthesis and respiration
- Know and apply concepts that show how to identify chromosomes, mitosis and meiosis
- Know and apply concepts that explain the fundamentals of genetics
- Know and apply concepts that show an understanding of inheritance and human genetics
- Know and apply concepts that show possible origins of life
Know and apply concepts that determine the evidence for an theory of evolution
- Know and apply concepts explaining how natural selection demonstrates evolution
- Know and apply concepts relating to classification of organisms
- Know and apply concepts regarding the functioning of viruses
- Know and apply concepts regarding the functioning of bacteria and their importance to humans
- Know and apply concepts relating to the great negative economic impact of protozoa
- Know and apply concepts relating to the importance of plants
- Know and apply those concepts that relates to the evolution and classification of plants
- Know and apply concepts relating to plant structure and function
- Know and apply concepts that relates to plant reproduction
- Know and apply concepts relating to responses in plants
- Know and apply the concepts relating to the biosphere and biomes
- Know and apply concepts relating to the structure of ecosystems
- Know and apply concepts relating to the relationships among ecosystems
Procedures/Outline/Assignments:
Weeks 1-2—chapter 1 (biological themes, scientific method), lab (review of the microscope, lab safety, and life in a drop of water), vocabulary competition, critical thinking activity, coloring book, section and chapter reviews, study guide, chapter 1 test
Weeks 3-4—chapter 2 (chemistry of life), vocabulary competition, lab (paper chromatography and the scientific method), critical thinking, coloring book, section and chapter reviews, study guide, chapter 2 test
Weeks 5-6—chapter 4 (structure of the cell), vocabulary competition, lab (comparing plant and animal cells), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 4 test
Weeks 7-8—chapter 5 (homeostasis and transport), lab (osmosis, diffusion, and turgor pressure), vocabulary competition, section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 5 test
Weeks 9-10—chapter 6 and 7 (photosynthesis and respiration), vocabulary competition, lab (observing photosynthesis and respiration), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 6 and 7 test
Weeks 11-12—chapter 8 (chromosomes, mitosis, and meiosis), vocabulary competition, lab (microscopic observation of chromosomes, mitosis, and meiosis), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 8 test
Weeks13-14—chapter 9 (fundamentals of genetics), vocabulary competition, lab (doing monohybrid and dihybrid crosses), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 9 test
Weeks 15-16—chapter 10 (nucleic acids and protein synthesis), vocabulary competition, lab (making a model of DNA), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 10 test
Weeks 17-18—chapter 12 (inheritance and human genetics), vocabulary competition, lab (human genetics and a family pedigree), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 12 test
Week 19—review chapter 1 to 12, Midterm Exam
Weeks 20-21—chapter 14 (the origin of life), vocabulary competition, lab (individual readings on spontaneous generation, making microspheres), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 14 test
Weeks 22-23—chapter 15 and 16 (evolution—evidence and theory, evolution—speciation), vocabulary competition, lab (demonstration of natural selection and evolution), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 15 and 16 test
Weeks 24-25—chapter 18 (classification), lab (doing a simple dichotomous key, making plant or insect collections), research preparation (title, abstract, hypothesis, and procedure), vocabulary competition, section and chapter review, critical thinking, coloring book, study guides, chapter test for chapter 18
Weeks 26—chapter 25 (viruses), lab (chain of infection), vocabulary competition, research preparation (research data collection), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter 25 test. Continue if time permits to the following.
Weeks 27-28—chapter 24 (bacteria), lab (observation of hanging drop bacteria), vocabulary competition, research preparation and presentation ( conclusion, organization, display board, and science fair), self quiz, critical thinking, coloring book, study guides, chapter test for chapter 24
Weeks 29—chapter 26 (protozoans), vocabulary competition, lab (observation of protozoans and their negative economic importance), section and chapter reviews, critical thinking, coloring book, study guide, chapter test for chapter 26
Week 30-31—chapter 29 (the importance of plants), lab (food plant morphology), section and chapter reviews, study guide, chapter test for chapter 29
Weeks 32-33—chapter 30 (plant evolution and classification), section and chapter reviews, study guide, chapter test for chapter 30, chapter 31 (plant structure and function), section and chapter reviews, study guide, chapter test for chapter 31, chapter 33 (plant responses), section and chapter reviews, study guide, chapter test for chapter 33
Weeks 34-38—chapters 19, 20, 21 (ecology, populations, community ecology), section and chapter reviews, videos on ecology, study guides, chapter test for chapter 19, 20, and 21
Week 39—review chapter 1 to 33 for final exam, prepare and take final exam
Homework:
Homework is to be turned in when it is due. Late work is accepted only for half the original value unless presented one day late with excused absence. Excused absence is defined as personal illness (with doctor’s statement) or death in immediate family (with funeral notice). There may be exceptional circumstances where additional time is allowed or full credit given.
Final Exam Policy:
The final exam policy is provided by the school administration.
Class Rules: GENERAL RULES--
(1) DO NOTHING TO HARM YOURSELF
(2) DO NOTHING TO HARM OTHERS OR DAMAGE PROPERTY
SPECIFIC RULES—
(1) DO NOTHING TO HARM YOURSELF BY—
(a) using less than four chair legs
(b) touching any lab equipment without permission
(c) touching any chemicals, electrical equipment, animals, plants, equipment, or tools in the room without permission
(2) DO NOT HARM OTHERS OR DAMAGE PROPERTY BY—
(a) sitting on desk tops
(b) placing feet on chairs, tables, and desks
(c) NEVER adjust anything in the room without direct permission including WINDOWS, FANS, CHAIRS, TABLES, or anything that is not owned by you
(d) throwing anything
(e) touching, taunting, or in any way aggravating other students, staff, or teachers
(f) NEVER write on ANYTHING that is not your paper including books, desks, or anything else in the room. Place nothing inside your textbook.
(g) delaying class by sharpening pencils, walking around the room, talking to anyone, or talking back to the teacher WHILE THE TEACHER IS GIVING DIRECTIONS. You will be informed that directions are being given by the word “TODAY” being spoken by the teacher.
(h) interfering with the educational process by not wearing or inappropriately
wearing uniforms, using any type of electrical sound equipment and phones,
to talking/leaving assigned seat while directions are given,
(i) food or any sugar based drinks except water is not permitted in the classroom
(j) upon entering the room you must hang accessory garments on the rack, get out
your work materials, take your seat, and become quiet
THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING. READ THE RULES CAREFULLY AND ASK QUESTIONS NOW. YOUR FIRST OFFENSE WILL COST YOU BEHAVIOR POINTS, SECOND OFFENSE DOUBLE POINT LOSS, AND THIRD OFFENSE WRITE UP AND REMOVAL FROM THE ROOM. DISOBEYING SCHOOL RULES IN THE ROOM WILL CAUSE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINE.
Materials:
Students should bring the following materials to class everyday or they will receive a behavior point deduction: (1) class notebook, (2) pencil or pen, (3) textbook, (4) any previously dispensed handouts
Evaluation/Grading Scale/Grading Practice:
Evaluation will be based on, but not limited to, section reviews, chapter reviews, labs, tests, critical thinking exercises, vocabulary competitions, research, coloring book, portfolios, attendance, and behavior. The grading practice and scale includes a point value for each assignment so that total earned points divided by total possible points recieves the percentage
grade achieved. The grade scale will follow a district wide scale.
Prerequisite course:
None
Follow-up course:
This class is a prerequisite for horticulture or landscaping and provides preparation for courses in other life sciences
