Welcome To Biology: Course Documents
Biology literally means the study of life. Therefore, we will focus our class on the scientific study of living things, their actions and processes, how they relate to one another, and how they interact with and function in their environment. There will be lab experiences you have not had in the past and you may get a little messy at times. In the end, my hope is that you will learn much about the living world and gain a new respect for how the living world works.
The curriculum for Biology is based on the National Science Education Standards and the science benchmarks established by the state of Michigan. Biology A focuses on the process of science, Ecology and the Transformation of Energy, Population Dynamics, and Changes in Ecosystems.
The curriculum for Biology is based on the National Science Education Standards and the science benchmarks established by the state of Michigan. Biology A focuses on the process of science, Ecology and the Transformation of Energy, Population Dynamics, and Changes in Ecosystems.
Syllabus and Learning Targets
Bio A Syllabus | |
File Size: | 208 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Bio A Learning Targets | |
File Size: | 63 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Lab Report Format and Rubric
Lab Report Format | |
File Size: | 18 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Lab Report Rubric | |
File Size: | 53 kb |
File Type: | doc |
How to Deal With Data: Collecting, Manipulating, and Interpreting
how_to_make_charts.xlsx | |
File Size: | 44 kb |
File Type: | xlsx |
The Nature of Biology: Scientific Methods and Inquiry, March 11 - 18
Highlighted sections contain links to help with your learning
Unit Learning TargetsCharacteristics of Living Things
Scientific Process
Essential Question: What are the characteristics and needs of all living things?
9/3/2013
9/4/2013
- I can distinguish between a living and non-living thing by use of characteristics.
- I can explain the difference between growth and development in living things.
- I can compare and contrast how different living things accomplish similar functions such as obtaining energy and oxygen and eliminating waste.
Scientific Process
- I can design controlled scientific experiments to answer such questions that include hypothesis, data collection and analysis, and that draw conclusions based on such data.
- I can Identify and give examples of the steps to the scientific method, and I can identify the parts to a scientific investigation
- I can explain the progression of ideas and explanations that lead to scientific theories (see vocabulary above)
- I can identify and explain the functions of many of the tools used in Biology such as microscopes.
- I can identify patterns in data and draw conclusions using evidence from investigations
- I can predict what would happen if variables or methods of an investigation were changed.
Essential Question: What are the characteristics and needs of all living things?
9/3/2013
- Welcome to Biology A - Syllabus and Expectations
- Alive or not - using your thinking skills, determine if the items placed around the room are alive or not. Why? What characteristics do all living things share?
- HW = complete the activity for Tuesday
9/4/2013
- Characteristics of living things follow up. Use your text to complete this activity.
- Use the link in the first learning target to reinforce your understandings of the characteristics and needs of all living things.
- Scientific Methods on CK12. Read through this review of the methods of science. Watch the video link and prepare written responses to the 6 "think about" questions posed beneath the video. Due Wednesday.
March 14th and 15th, 18th 2013
- How are the methods of science used to solve problems? Review 6 questions from cK12.
- Methods of Science Cornell Notes. Please complete by 8:30am.
- How are the methods of science reported and shared?
- Think tubes. Can you use the methods of science to determine the internal structure of Mr. Smit's think tube?
- Following the methods of science discussed in class and in chapter1:2, design an experiment/investigation that seeks to determine the internal structure of the think tube. Your investigation will eventually be presented to your classmates in the form of a formal paper with a model to represent your ideas.
- Write your reports following the SHS Science department handout provided. There is a link to the document above.
HOMEWORK = Bring in supplies to build and model your own think tube. I will provide the tube and twine.
Watershed Ecology
April 15 - June 3, 2013
EQ = How Healthy is Saugatuck's Local Watershed? Unit instructions and guidelines.
A good Resource for learning about Biomonitoring and Aquatic Macroinvertebrates |
5/7/13 Agenda
Roles for the Day (Chemical/Physical Quantitative data):
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Roles for the Day (Organismal Quantitative data):
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Asses todays data - what conclusions can you draw from the data and what is your reasoning?
Assignment = For Thursday, complete the Reading Essentials on Populations, this will be the next direction our investigation will take. What limiting factors ar at work in Saugatuck's watershed?
Assignment = For Thursday, complete the Reading Essentials on Populations, this will be the next direction our investigation will take. What limiting factors ar at work in Saugatuck's watershed?
Unit 2: Principals of Ecology, Chapters 2 and 9, March 25th - April 12th
Essential Questions of the Unit:
- How do energy transformations from the sun to organisms provide energy for all life forms to exist?
- How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
- How are matter and energy conserved within ecosystems?
Ecosystems
www.mindfully.org
Unit Learning Targets: Follow links for help with these targets.
April 8th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
Today we will be discussing LT 5 : I can use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers and explain how energy flows through trophic levels.
April 9th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
What is a niche and what aspects of an organisms life are defined by a niche? Can an organism have multiple niches and if so, what would that look like in a food web?
April 10th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
Today we will be discussing the idea of symbiosis in LT 6: I can define and describe symbiosis and its variations.
April 11th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
Today we will be discussing the idea of nutrient cycles in LT 7: I can describe the common environmental processes of the carbon and nitrogen cycle and explain their role in the processing of matter crucial to life.
Homework = Quiz Friday over LT's 1-7
- I can differentiate and give examples of abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem.
- I can identify how energy is stored in ecosystems (in what types of molecules)
- I can describe how energy is transferred through ecosystems and account for energy lost as heat (how much past on from one trophic level to the next)
- I can explain how energy flows through ecosystems and predict changes to food webs when organisms are removed
- I can use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers and explain how energy flows through trophic levels
- I can define and describe symbiosis and its variations.
- I can describe the common environmental processes of the carbon and nitrogen cycle and explain their role in the processing of matter crucial to life.
April 8th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
Today we will be discussing LT 5 : I can use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers and explain how energy flows through trophic levels.
- Follow the instructions for LT 5 on your unit plan. Use the links above to aid in your understandings.
- Be sure to identify all trophic levels.
- When complete - peer review with one other student . What do you like about your peers web? What could be improved?
- Present/Share your webs with class.
April 9th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
What is a niche and what aspects of an organisms life are defined by a niche? Can an organism have multiple niches and if so, what would that look like in a food web?
- After defining the first question, create a food web with at least 8 organisms. Identify the primary producers, first order consumers and the second, third, and 4th order consumers.
- Symbiosis - How does an organisms niche play a role in the symbiotic relationships it is a part of?
April 10th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
Today we will be discussing the idea of symbiosis in LT 6: I can define and describe symbiosis and its variations.
- Dissect the word. What does sym-bio-sis literally mean?
- PPT. Use the orange link above - What is symbiosis and in what 3 forms does it exist as?
- Symbiotic relationship review - can you spot commensalism, parasitism,and mutualism.
- LT work time and formative assessments.
April 11th
EQ = How does matter cycling through the environment provide the materials necessary for life?
Today we will be discussing the idea of nutrient cycles in LT 7: I can describe the common environmental processes of the carbon and nitrogen cycle and explain their role in the processing of matter crucial to life.
- Introduction to the importance of cycles - orange video link above.
- Work on the foldable activity for LT#7. When completed - please have me take a look.
- LT work time and formative assessments
Homework = Quiz Friday over LT's 1-7
April 16 - 17, 2013
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Getting Started. Click here to begin our discussions on Photosynthesis.
FT Exploring is a great website for our understandings of the role of photosynthesis in providing energy and making matter available to ecosystems. Thin links below from FT exploring will help with the handout for these LT's.
FT Exploring is a great website for our understandings of the role of photosynthesis in providing energy and making matter available to ecosystems. Thin links below from FT exploring will help with the handout for these LT's.
Photosynthesis Learning Targets
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Biomagnification
http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes
EQ = How does the cycling of mater and energy through an ecosystem play a role in the process of biomagnification?
Links: www.epa.gov, Great Lakes.net, Jazz meets Biomagnification (yeah baby!), Mercury Pollution.
- At this point you should understand how both matter and energy cycle through ecosystems.
- As you read through the resources below, answer the following: a)what is the difference between a point and non-point source of pollution? b) what are some common pollutants found in the great lakes?
- Explain the phenomenon of bimagnification in the context of food chains and food webs. Why are Gulls in more peril than zooplankton?
- Would you have to worry about biomagnified toxins within a national park? Explain by summarizing the last video link. Support your ideas with details and example.
- Off what concern is this situation to you? Read through this guide and some conclusions on why this should or should not be a concern of yours?
Links: www.epa.gov, Great Lakes.net, Jazz meets Biomagnification (yeah baby!), Mercury Pollution.
Unit 3: Populations, Chapter 4
Essential Questions:
1. How are population sizes influenced and controlled within natural ecosystems?
2. What consequences do invasive species have on the native species in the Great Lakes ecosystem?
3. Has the earth’s human population reached carrying capacity?
www.algebralabs.org
Learning Targets:
- I can graph and interpret data on populations and describe the trends they show such as exponential growth, leveling off, and carrying capacity.
- I can explain and distinguish between density dependent, density independent, abiotic an biotic factors that act on population densities
- I can predict the influence of invasive organisms on the survival of populations of native organisms.
- I can describe and explain how the earth’s human population is growing and predict whether or not the population has reached a carrying capacity.
- I can define and use the following vocabulary: Species, population, limiting factors, density dependent factors, density independent factors, (list all for each) exponential growth, carrying capacity, life history pattern