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Audience & Goals
Module 1 - Introduction to Biology
Unit Goals & Objectives
The student will understand:
- the steps and importance of the scientific method; topics studied
by biologists, and the significance of their contribution in the work
force
- that all life is organized into 5 kingdoms
The student will learn:
- how to match scientific experiments and studies to the steps of
the scientific method; the basis for divisions of life into 5 kingdoms,
and key characteristics of each
- professions/careers that use biology
Module 2 - The Cell Unit
Unit Goals & Objectives
The student will understand:
- how cells are organized through specialization to form multicellular
organisms; the structural and functional components of cells; the
distinguishing characteristics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells;
how cells are limited in size by the nature of a volume to surface
ratio; and, the three main postulates of the cell theory
- how human activities can affect an organism at the cellular level and cause permanent damage
The student will learn:
- how to access the Internet for information about cellular biology;
how to evaluate appropriate kinds of research related to cell biology;
how to describe the relationship between cell shape and cell function
to distinguish between tissues, organs, and organ systems
- to compare and contrast animal and plant cells; to name the major
organelles found in the cell, and describe their functions; how to
describe the way in which cells are organized in multicellular organisms;
to become a class expert for a topic of their choosing in cell biology
- to describe how human activities can alter environmental conditions
and cause cellular damage
Module 3 - The Genetics Unit
Unit Goals & Objectives
The student will understand:
- how to compare and contrast differing social and political viewpoints
concerning genetic issues; how human activities can affect a gene
pool and cause genetic characteristics in future populations to change
the structural and functional components of genes and chromosomes;
how chromosome number determines a species; that certain genetic conditions
(disorders) are common among populations of certain races, age groups,
and ancestry
- how to develop an appreciation for variation within a population,
and a sensitivity for individuals who have genetic disorders
The student will learn:
- how to access the Internet for information about genetic issues;
to evaluate appropriate kinds of reseach related to genetic disorders
and conditions; to use pedigree charts to make predictions about genotype
ratios in offspring; to generalize that variation in a gene pool is
healthy for the species; to recognize how genetic conditions are passed
on from one generation to the next; to distinguish between phenotypes
and genotypes; to examine their own values and beliefs related to
genetic disorders; to become a class expert for a genetic condition
of their choosing
- to describe how human activities can alter environmental conditions
and cause genetic disorders
Module 4 - The Biotechnology Unit
Unit Goals & Objectives
The student will understand:
- the possibility that science cannot predict consequences of our
current actions; DNA manipulation has occured for centuries
- recent technology allows for manipulation in ways previously unimaginable
The student will learn:
- the process of genetic alterations; how uncovering the molecular
basis for inheritance provided science with new knowlegde of what
to manipulate and how
- how to compare and contrast differing social viewpoints concerning
biotechnology issues
Module 5 - The Evolution Unit
Unit Goals & Objectives
The student will understand:
- how biologists use both indirect and direct evidence to support
the theory of evolution; the importance of using the scientific method
when discussing evolution as a theory; the key concepts and evidence
that led Darwin to the idea of how species might change over time;
the role of biosystematics in inferring evolutionary relationships;
how family trees can illustrate phylogeny and evolutionary relationships
- why evolutionists believe life on this planet began as prokaryotes
and progressed to complex eukaryotes
The student will learn:
- how to access the Internet for information about evolution; to evaluate
appropriate kinds of research related to evolution; to describe how
the fossil record suggests that species have changed over time; to
outline the evidence of evolution provided by living organisms; to
define geographic isolation, and explain how it can lead to speciation;
to describe the role of adaption in the survival or extinction of
a species; to evaluate how natural selection differs from mutation,
migration, and genetic drift in terms of its ability to cause significant
changes in a gene pool; to compare the morphological concept of species
with the biological concept
- to understand how both mutation and migration each disrupt genetic
equilibrium
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