Biology Curriculum

Topic

 

Essential Question

 

Content Objectives

 

Skills

 

Labs/ Activities

 

Assessments

 

Classification and Taxonomy

 

 

How do scientists classify organisms using “relatedness”?

-What is living?

-History of classification (Linnaeus)

-Levels of organization

 (kingdom-àspecies)

-Dichotomous Key

-Binomial nomenclature

-Domains

-Define descriptive science

-Understand science as a

 changing process

-Provide evidence to support  

 conclusions

-Make and record

 scientific observations

-Organize specimen

  photos

-Create a 

 dichotomous key

-Dichotomous key

 of classmates

 

Kingdoms of Life (Macro)

 

 

What are the six kingdoms of life?

 

What are the distinguishing characteristics of Animals, Plants and Fungi?

-Describe the six kingdom system of

 classification

-Identify distinguishing

 characteristics of Plants, Animal

 and Fungi

- 9 major animal phyla

- 4 major plant groups (mosses, ferns,

  gymnosperms, angiosperms)

- Fungi- mushrooms and

   yeast

 

- Demonstrate lab safety

  techniques

-Create pie graph

-Use mathematical

  operations to analyze and

  interpret data

-Demonstrate

 dissection techniques

 

-Jar lab

-Flower Dissection

- Quiz on lab

  safety

 

Kingdoms of Life (Micro)

Microscopes Microbes and Metrics

 

 

 

What are the distinguishing characteristics of Protists and Bacteria?

 

How have microscopes contributed to our understanding of Biology?

 

-History of microscopes

-Types of microscopes

-Parts and functioning of compound

  microscope

-Metric system and conversions

-Measuring with a microscope

-Identification and observation of

 microorganisms using the

 microscope

-Compare and contrast

  science and technology

-Utilize a microscope to

 observe and measure

 microorganisms

-Dimensional analysis

-Drawing specimens to scale

-“Discovering the

 Cell” Video

-Microscope Lab

 with measurements

-Protists and Pond

 Water

-Bacteria Slide Lab  

 

-Test

History of Life on Earth

 

 

 

What are the processes that are responsible for life’s unity and diversity?

-Correct progression of life

 on earth

-Describe the causes and effects of

 the major events in the history of

 life on earth

-Use deductive reasoning to

  sequence events

-Calculate percentage of

 time for each era and

 represent graphically

-“Miracle Planet”

-Timeline walk

-Era worksheet

 

 

Evolution

 

 

 

What is evolution and what is the scientific evidence to support it?

 

-Define evolution

-History of the Theory of Evolution

(Lyell, Wallace, Lamarcke, Malthus)

-Darwin and Theory of Natural

 Selection

-Define “fitness”

-Evidences for Evolution

-Punctuated Equilibrium

  and Gradualism

-Mass extinction, convergent

 evolution, adaptive radiation

-Modes of Natural selection

-Antibiotic resistance

 

-Distinguish between

 theory and hypothesis

-Distinguish between

 inductive and deductive

 reasoning

-Application of

  knowledge

-Natural Selection

 activity (Thumb

 lab, beak lab)

-The Evolution 

 Series video

 

Characteristics of Life

 

 

 

What characteristics do all living things share?

-Brainstorm on characteristics of life

-Develop final list of characteristics

  • Energy use (metabolism)
  • Organization based on universal genetic code
  • Reproduction
  • Evolution
  • Response to stimuli
  • Homeostasis (removal of waste)
  • Growth and development
  • Cell organization

 

-Application of  knowledge

-Yeast Lab

-Candle Lab

-Is Sammy alive?

 

 

Scientific Method

 

 

 

 

How do scientific knowledge created and communicated?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Cricket lab activity

- Brine Shrimp lab activity

 

-Identify testable questions

-Identify independent

 and dependent variables,

 controls and constants

-Design an experiment

-Conduct an experiment

-Formulate conclusion

 based on data analysis

-Present findings in a formal

 lab report

-Application of knowledge

-Cricket lab activity

-Brine Shrimp lab

 activity

-TEST

Cell Structure

How are organisms structured to ensure efficiency and survival?

-Cell theory

-Compare and contrast prokaryote

 and eukaryote cell structure and

 viruses

-Compare and  contrast plant cell

 and animal cell structure

-Describe the function of cell

 organelles

-Explain the relationship between

 cell function and presence/absence

 of certain cell organelles

-Explain the basis for different

 cellular structure (proteins/DNA)

-Describe the importance of the cell

 as an integrated system

-Describe the function and process

 of the endomembrane system

 

-Describe significant

 similarities and differences

 in the basic structure of

 plant and animal cells

-Model construction

-Microscope use

-Application of  knowledge

 

-Plant and Animal

 cell microscope lab

-Cell model (animal, plant, bacteria, virus)

-Cell analogies

-Cell video

-Position Paper/ Are

 viruses alive?

 

-Daily organelle

 quiz
-Quest

Basic Chemistry

How are the principles of Chemistry applied to Biology?

-Atoms and molecules

-Atomic structure & electron

 configurations

-Types of bonds; covalent, ionic,

hydrogen bonding(electronegativity)

-Polar versus non-polar covalent

 bonds

-Molecular formula, structural

 formula, and isomers. 

-pH,  Hydrogen ion concentration,

 Acids, Bases & Buffers  (blood

 and limestone)

-Properties of water

-Chemical reactions  (rearranging

 atoms)

-Chemical Energy (energy is stored

 in chemical bonds)

 

 

 

-Experimental design

 and execution

-Model manipulation

-Levels of

 organization

 activity

-Molecular Bonding

 Lab

-CAPT Antacid Lab

 

 

Organic Molecules and Cell Membrane

What are organic compounds and how do they form the basis of life?

- Carbon

- Functional groups

- Monomer, polymer

- Dehydration synthesis and

  hydrolysis 

- 4 classes of macromolecules 

 (structure/function)

- Enzymes and ATP

 

-Analysis of graphs

-Experimental design and

 execution

-Application of knowledge

-Murder Mystery

 Organic Molecule

-CAPT Apple Juice

-Diet/nutrition activity

-Nylon polymer  

 demo

Jello demo

 

-TEST

Cell Transport and Communication

How does the cell interact with its external environment?

-Understand what limits cell size

 (role of surface area to volume ratio

 in proper cell functioning)

-Discussion of terms involved in the

 movement of molecules (active,  

 passive, diffusion, osmosis

 conc gradient, hypertonic,

 hypotonic, isotonic…)

-Applying Diffusion and Osmosis to

 society

 

-Critical thinking and 

 application of

 knowledge

-Surface Area to

 Volume Ratio Lab

-Station activity

-Scenarios

-Egg Demo

-Dialysis Lab

-Quest on Cell

 Transport

 

-Quest on Cell Transport

DNA and DNA Replication

What molecule is responsible for life’s organization?

 

 

 

 

 

-Discovery of DNA

-Describe DNA structure

-Describe the relationship  between chromosomes,  genes and DNA

-Explain the process of  DNA replication

 

-Review scientific

  paper

-Evaluate quality of

 experimental designs

-DNA Extraction

-DNA Model

-Dolan Learning

 Center Website

-Timeline of DNA

 discovery from

 Exploring Life site

 

 

Protein Synthesis and Gene Mutations

 

 

How does DNA direct life’s processes?

-Compare DNA and RNA

- DNAà RNAàProtein

-Details of the processes of

 transcription and translation

-Describe the universal  nature of

 the genetic code

-Define introns, exons and

 RNA splicing

-Mutations (connect to evolution)

 

-Kinesthetic protein

 synthesis activities

-Translating the Code Video

-TEST