Fall 2017 Spring 2018

Ms. Yang
melissayang492@gmail.com
Room #33

Rationale
Biology is the study of life, individual organisms, their communities, and the systems, cells, and processes that
make up living matter. Students of biology undertake a program in which they study living organisms and the
systems and processes that permit life. Courses include subjects like cell biology, evolutionary biology, human
biology, and plant biology. When you think of life on earth, you envision familiar animals, your pet dog or cat,
the bird you see in the tree outside your window. But that is really only a small sample of all the types of life on
our planet, which include plants, bacteria, fungi, and animals in a vast array of body forms and types.

Overview
General biology is a course where students integrate their knowledge and experiences to scientific
phenomenons occurring around them on a macroscopic and microscopic level. This course tests your skills of
integrating the scientific knowledge you have attained thus far to build on cross-cutting concepts and
engineering practices that coincide with the Next Generation Science Standards. From this course, you will soak
in information about biology, learn how to problem solve by using contextual knowledge and gain reasoning
skills for all walks of life.

Expectations and Rules

The goal of this class is to be a productive community that is built on learning experiences characterized by
excitement for discovery from labs and lessons, strong communication skills and social growth from group
work, satisfaction and pride at ones accomplishments from individual assessments. To attain all of these
positive emotions we need to follow these simple guidelines:
1. Be respectful to everyone in the classroom this includes yourself, your peers, and your
instructor.
2. Be punctual, positive, prepared, and ready to learn.
3. Be present and PARTICIPATE!!!!
4. Turn in ALL work on time.

Grading Procedures
Grades are assessments of student work, participation, effort and knowledge. It gives students a method of
evaluation to their understanding of the material. The class is weighted 75% on labs and assessments, 15% on
class work, and 10% on attendance and participation. The scales are as followed:

Weighted Scale Grading Scale

Lab and Tests Letter Grade Percentage Grade Point
A 100-90 4.0
B 89-80 3.0
Class Work
C 79-70 2.0
D 69-60 1.0
Attendance E >59 0
and
Participation 1
Schedule of Topics

Timeline Topics Learning Objectives

Develop and use a model to illustrate the
Week 1 Cell Biology and Levels of Organization hierarchical organization of interacting
systems that provide specific functions
within multicellular organisms.
Plan and conduct an investigation to
Weeks Maintaining Homeostasis in Plants and provide evidence that feedback
2-4 Animals mechanisms maintain homeostasis.

Develop a model to illustrate the role of

Weeks Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration photosynthesis and cellular respiration in
5-7 the cycling of carbon among the
biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and
geosphere.
Construct and revise an explanation
Weeks Biotic and Abiotic Factors based on evidence for the cycling of
8 10 matter and follow of energy in aerobic
and anaerobic conditions.
- Use mathematical representations
to support claims for the cycling
of matter and flow of energy
among organisms in an
ecosystem.
Evaluate the claims, evidence, and
Weeks Ecosystem Stability and Change reasoning that the complex interactive in
11 13 ecosystems maintain relatively consistent
numbers and types of organisms in stable
conditions, but changing conditions may
result in a new ecosystem.
- Use mathematical and/or
computational representations to
support explanations of factors
that affect carrying capacity of
ecosystem at different scales.
Use mathematical representations to
Weeks support and revise explanations based on
14 18 Population Dynamics evidence about factors affecting
biodiversity and populations in
ecosystems of different scales.
Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for
Weeks Human Impact reducing the impacts of human activities
19 - 20 on the environment and biodiversity.

2
 Construct an explanation based on
Weeks evidence for how the structure of DNA
21 - 23 determines the structure of proteins
which carry out the essential functions of
life through systems of specialized cells.
- Ask questions to clarify
DNA to Protein
relationships about the role of
DNA and chromosomes in coding
the instructions for characteristic
traits passed from parents to
offspring.
Use a model to illustrate the role of
Weeks Mitosis cellular division (mitosis) and
24 25 differentiation in producing and
maintaining complex organisms.
Make and defend a claim based on
Weeks evidence that inheritable genetic
24 - 27 Meiosis variations may result from: (1) new
genetic recombinations through meiosis,
(2) viable errors occurring during
replication, and/or (3) mutations caused
by environmental factors.
Apply concepts of statistics and
Weeks Genetics, Inheritance and Variation probability to explain the variation and
28 - 30 distribution of expressed traits in a
population.
Communicate scientific information that
Weeks common ancestry and biological
31 32 Natural Selection evolution are supported by multiple lines
or empirical evidence.
- Evaluate the evidence for the role
of group behavior on individual
and species chances to survive
and reproduce.
Construct an explanation based on
Weeks Evolution evidence that the process of evolution
33-35 primarily results from four factors: (1) the
potential for a species to increase in
number, (2) the heritable genetic variation
of individuals in a species due to
mutation and sexual reproduction, (3)
competition for limited resources, and (4)
the proliferation of those environment.