Course

Biology I for Credit Recovery

Pre-Requisites: Previous attempt at Biology I without successful completion.
Credits: 1.0
Estimated Completion Time: 10 weeks per segment

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Description

This Biology course is designed to give students a fundamental look at the characteristics of living organisms and their environment. Students will be introduced to the structure, function, diversity and evolution of living matter. The course provides scientific inquiry and discovery by incorporating hands on labs and a variety of web-based activities that engage the student in their study of the biological life that surrounds us all.

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Major Topics and Concepts

SEGMENT 1
Module 1: Foundations of Biology
· Science processes
· Observations and inferences
· Historical frame of reference – scientists and explorers
· Theory vs. law, science vs. pseudoscience
· Technology/microscopes
· Properties of water
· The origin of life on Earth
· Universal genetic code
· Discovery of cells

Module 2: Life’s Origin
· Properties of carbon atoms
· Carbohydrates/proteins/lipids/nucleic acids
· Cell theory
· Cell membrane
· Osmosis/diffusion
· Active transport
· Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
· Comparison of plant and animal cells
· Energy and ATP
· Cell respiration
· Fermentation
· Glycolysis
· Krebs cycle/Calvin cycle
· Stages of photosynthesis
· Light dependent/independent reactions

Module 3: Cell Reproduction
· Cell Cycle
· Mitosis
· Meiosis
· Cancer
· History of genetics
· Discovery of DNA and its role in genetics and heredity
· Principles of genetics and heredity
· Mutations
· Biotechnology

SEGMENT 2

Module 4: Earth’s Diversity
· Levels of organization
· Biotic and abiotic factors
· Energy in the ecosystem
· Food chains and food webs
· Climate/climate zones
· Biomes
· Marine ecosystems
· Habitat/niche
· Successions
· Populations
· Threats to biodiversity
· Air/water quality
· Human population growth
· Cycling matter
· Making informed decisions

Module 5: Scientific Connections
· Theories on evolution
· Catastrophism/gradualism/uniformitarianism
· Evidence of evolution
· Artificial selection
· Natural selection
· Patterns of evolution
· Primate evolution
· Classification systems
· Introduction to the kingdoms of life
· Taxonomy of bacteria
· Taxonomy of protists 
· General characteristics of protists
· Taxonomy of fungi
· General characteristics of fungi

Module 6: Classification and Diversity
· Taxonomy of plants
· Adaptations of plants
· Structure and function in plants
· Importance of plants
· Plant reproduction, pollination
· Fruits, seeds, seed dispersal
· Taxonomy of animals
· Characteristics of invertebrates
· Characteristics of vertebrates
· Nervous and circulatory systems
· Reproductive system
· Immune system

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Grading Policy

Students are required to complete one DBA per module and one collaboration per course in addition to other course work.