Fast-Paced High School Biology CTY Course Syllabus GUIDING PRINCIPLES Welcome to Fast-Paced High School Biology! In this course, we will cover the biology principles normally taught in a first year high school Biology class. However, as indicated by the title, this is an intensive, accelerated course. It takes time to become accustomed to the pace of the course, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t feel things are coming easily (it’s good to be challenged!). Remember, your peers, TA, and myself are here to SUPPORT you. In order to make the course a positive experience for everyone, both academically and socially, I have 3 guiding principles: 1) Work to understand, not to complete: Everything we do is to help you master biological principles, refine your scientific thinking, and appreciate science. There is no grade given for “completing work.” Instead, every assignment provides you with opportunities to practice, apply concepts, and obtain feedback that can further your learning. 2) We learn as a community, not as an individual: Science is not performed by a single scientist in an ivory tower. It is done with other scientists and then critiqued over and over by a community of experts. Therefore, I will try to implement as many collaborative assignments as possible since we all come in with different experiences and expertise that can be shared. During group work, ask your peers and respect their knowledge, regardless of your own biases and beliefs. We are all here to learn and enjoy our time at CTY. 3) Be respectful and safe: We all have common goals as well as individual differences. It is important to understand who we are and to not make anyone feel uncomfortable or offended through your language and behavior towards them. In addition, we want the classroom to be a physically and academically safe environment. This is paramount. Those who do not comply will be removed.
DAILY ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTATIONS LECTURES
The purpose of lectures is to provide all students with fundamental principles of each topic. I will use a PowerPoint presentation to guide all lectures, and corresponding note packets with important fill-in-the-blanks and questions to be answered. Your role during lectures is to be active and attentive, engaging with each other and myself. I also treat lectures as an opportunity to check for understanding by asking questions to you and for you to check your own understanding by asking questions to myself or your TA.
SCIENCE JOURNALS
The purpose of the science journals is twofold. First, it gives the student a daily log in which to posit and answer the day’s essential questions, and second, it allows the student to voice thoughts that he or she either did not have time to voice or was reluctant to do so in the public classroom setting. The journals are for your and the instructor (and TA‘s) eyes only. It is informal and can be personal. Journals are typically used at the beginning and end of the day. BIOBANTERS
Throughout the course, we will engage in more informal, yet still instructional, conversations known as “BioBanters.” These involve a set of guiding questions to engage you in thinking more about the general topic of the day. The purpose is to provide you with opportunities to ask questions that we do not have time to address during lecture and learn from the expertise of your peers. In addition, I want you to refine your scientific thinking skills by providing evidence for claims made, addressing alternative explanations, and limitations of explanations. As instructor, my role is to facilitate the discussion, but this is mostly a conversation amongst you and your peers. EVALUATION
Throughout the course, we will provide you with feedback on quizzes, laboratory analyses, and the body systems project. I will have a point system in a separate book of my own if a grade is necessary, but the students will not see grades. The point of this course is to provide a thorough understanding of biological themes and concepts, not to get an “A”. This means that we learn to understand, rather than to receive a good grade. I also evaluate students on how well they demonstrate a willingness to learn and their own proficiency of the material throughout the course. Participation will count and it is expected that students will become as actively involved in the class as possible. I will provide you with a page evaluation at the end of the course, which can be used to pass out of high school biology with my recommendation. In the evaluation, I will comment on your: 1) General participation throughout the course (especially during group work and Biobanters) 2) Mastery of biological principles through quizzes and worksheets 3) Scientific thinking through lab analyses 4) General performance on the body systems project.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Day 1: Monday
Morning
1. Who are we? survey
Scientific Thinking/ What is Life?
2. Who are we? icebreaker 3. Course introduction/typical day overview/classroom layout 4. Rules of conduct/Lab safety and protocol 5. Lecture: Scientific method and Biological themes 6. Activity/TPS: is it alive?
Day 1: Monday
Afternoon
Scientific Thinking/ What is Life?
1. Lecture: Properties of life 2. Lab: Safety devices in the classroom (graph paper) 3. Answering the essential questions If time: BioBanter: the scientific community
Day 1: Monday
Evening
Scientific Thinking/ What is Life?
1. Quizzes 1 and 2: Scientific Thinking/Biothemes/Life’s properties 2. Science Journal: Read pp. and take notes on biochemistry 3. Science Journal: Thoughts and questions 4. Review with TA
Day 2: Tuesday Biochemistry
Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Lecture: The Macromolecules 3. Activity: Macromolecule C-Map 4. Lecture: water, synthesis and lysis 5. Lab: Water’s Wonderful Properties
Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Day 2: Tuesday
Afternoon
1. Lab: A Case of Possible Food Poisoning/Catalase Demo
Biochemistry
2. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: Chemical reactions and life Day 2: Tuesday
Evening
Biochemistry
1. Quiz 3: Biochemistry 2. Read pp. and take notes on the Cell 3. Science Journal: Thoughts and questions 4. Review with TA
Day 3: Wednesday
Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Activity: How many cells do we have?
Cell Structure and Function
3. Lecture: The Cell and its organelles 4. Activity: Coloring the Cell 5. Lecture: Transport across the cell membrane 6. Activity: Modeling the cell membrane
Day 3: Wednesday
Afternoon
1. Lab: SA to volume Ratio 2. Activity: Cell C-Map
Cell Structure and Function
3. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: Why are cells so small?
Day 3: Wednesday Cell Structure and Function
Evening
1. Quiz 4: Cell Structure and membrane transport 2. Science Journal: Read pp. and take notes on cell energetics 3. Science Journal: Thoughts and questions on cells 4. Review with TA
Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Day 4: Thursday
Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day
Cell Energetics/Plant Physiology
2. Lecture: Cells and Energy 3. Lab: Yeast and balloon 4. Activity: Chloroplast/Mitochondria sheets
Day 4: Thursday
Afternoon
Cell Energetics/Plant Physiology
1. Lecture: Plant and Flower morphology 2. Lab: Flower dissection 3. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: How important is Carbon?
Day 4: Thursday
Evening
Cell Energetics/Plant Physiology
1. Quiz 4: Cellular Energetics 2. Science Journal: Read pp. and take notes 3. Formal Lab write-up 4. Review with TA
Day 5: Friday
Morning
Mitosis/Cell Cycle and Meiosis
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Lecture: Mitosis/Cell Cycle and Meiosis 3. Activity: Describe the Mitotic Phases 4. Answer regents questions
Day 5: Friday Mitosis/Cell Cycle and Meiosis
Afternoon
1. Lab: Observing Mitosis in the Onion/DNA extraction 2. Answering the Essential Questions 3. Quiz 5: Mitosis, Cell cycle and Meiosis
Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Sunday
Evening
1. Make observations and conclusion on Ps lab 2. Formal Lab write-up 3. Science Journal: Thoughts and questions on the previous week 4. Review with TA
Day 6: Monday
Morning
Genetics
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Engage: Corn genetics 3. Lecture: Genetics 4. Activity: Codominance handout
Day 6: Monday
Afternoon
Genetics
1. Lab: Karyotyping 2. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: Do we always look like our parents? Epigenetics…
Day 6: Monday
Evening
Genetics
1. Quiz 6: Genetics 2. Science Journal: Read pp. and take notes 3. Begin Body Systems project 4. Review with TA
Day 7: Tuesday Protein Synthesis and Biotechnology
Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Lecture: Protein synthesis 3. Lab: How Proteins are Made
Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Day 7: Tuesday
Afternoon
1. Lecture: Biotechnology
Protein Synthesis and Biotechnology
2. Activity: Hospital mixup handout 3. Activity: Make a plasmid 4. Lab: Gel electrophoresis (cheese lab) 5. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: Should we clone?
Day 7: Tuesday
Evening
Protein Synthesis and Biotechnology
Day 8: Wednesday
2. Body Systems project Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Evolution Jigsaw
Evolution
Day 8: Wednesday
1. Quiz 7: Proteins and Biotechnology
3. Lecture: Evolution Afternoon
1. Lab: Antibiotic resistance 2. Activity: anatomical evidence for evolution
Evolution
3. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: What have humans done to impact evolution
Day 8: Wednesday Evolution
Evening
1. 1.Quiz 8: Evolution 2. Body Systems Project 3. Science Journal: Thoughts and questions
Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Day 9: Thursday
Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day
Classification
2. Lecture: Classification 3. Activity: Checking out the phyla again… 4. Lab: Dogfish Shark Dissection
Day 9: Thursday
Afternoon
Classification
1. Lab: Dogfish Shark Dissection 2. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: When are genes turned on?
Day 9: Thursday
Evening
Classification
1. Quiz: Classification/Development 2. Science Journal: Read pp. and take notes 3. Body Systems Project
Day 10: Friday
Morning
1. Body Systems Presentations
Afternoon
1. Body systems Presentations
Evening
1. Post-test review
Body Systems Presentations Day 10: Friday Body Systems Presentations Sunday
2. QQs Day 11: Monday Body Systems Reinforcement
Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Lecture: Body Systems/videos 3. Microscope fun: Histology slides (Stations)
Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Day 11: Monday
Afternoon
1. The incredible human machine
Evening
1. Quiz: Body Systems
Body Systems Reinforcement Day 11: Monday Body Systems Reinforcement Day 12: Tuesday
2. Review post-test with TA
Morning
Development
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Lecture: Developmental 3. Developmental videos 4. Reading: Hox Genes
Day 12: Tuesday
Afternoon
Development Day 12: Tuesday
2. QQ catchup/stomata Evening
Development Day 13: Wednesday
Ecology I
1. Science Journal: Thoughts and questions 2. Review post-test with TA
Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Lecture: Ecology I
Ecology I
Day 13: Wednesday
1. Epigenetics discussion
3. Activity: Food Web Afternoon
1. Lab: Energy pyramid 2. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: Should humans hunt?
Day/Topic
Session
Topics/Objectives
Day 13: Wednesday
Evening
1. Quiz I: Ecology 2. Science Journal: Thoughts and questions
Ecology I
Day 14: Thursday
3. Review with TA Morning
1. Science Journal: Essential Questions for the day 2. Lecture: Ecology II
Ecology II
3. Ecological walk 4. Readings and Biobanter: Human impacts on the environment
Day 14: Thursday
Afternoon
1. Lab: Human population growth 2. World population ticker website
Ecology II
3. Answering the Essential Questions If time: BioBanter: Does population increase affect sustainability
Day 14: Thursday
Evening
1. Post-Test!
Morning
1. Course review
Ecology II Day 15: Friday Conclusion Day 15: Friday Conclusion
2. Biological sing-a-long Afternoon
1. Conferences
