Travis Multhaupt

Travis Multhaupt

Biology HL

Biology is a fascinating subject; its many applications transcend society on a global scale. From agriculture to medicine, many of the applications of biology have a profound impact on our daily lives. Whether it is the serendipitous discovery of the effects of platinum containing compounds inhibiting the growth of cell sin culture, or the engineering of a drought resistant crop that enables populations of people to survive and prosper in an arid environment, biology is a truly unique science. The scientific study of life requires the student to have a working knowledge of physics, mathematics, and chemistry, and like no other subject, biology ties all of these disciplines together in fundamental ways that allows us to make sense of the living world.

A variety of teaching techniques are employed in the teaching of HL Biology. Students will read from a variety of sources, including journal entries, novels, web articles, etc. The topics of these materials will vary in both breadth and depth and will provide students with a wealth of information to assist them in their construction of scientific knowledge. Additionally, such resources will serve as the catalyst for Socratic dialogue. On a weekly basis, students will be required to communicate with on another in a way that fosters both the sense of community, ownership within the classroom with regard to other’s opinions and interpretations of various information. Furthermore, a wide variety of reading strategies will be employed to assist students’ understanding of the study of life.

Biology HL covers the core topics as outlined by the IBO and gives adequate time to them. Additionally, an Option has been chosen based on my personal experience and expertise as well as the resources available for use at our school. Upon completion of the HL Biology course, students will have a thorough understanding of scientific facts and concepts, methods, techniques, and the methods for accurately researching and presenting scientific information. The ability to apply these skills will come from instructional practices that assist students in the discovery, construction, analysis, and evaluation of scientific information. Such a classroom will foster the development of personal skills and cooperative responsibility of laboratory based scientific investigations and problem solving. These skills will be performed and sharpened with the highest level of precision and safety.

Students enrolled in the HL Biology course will be encouraged to be open minded, internationally oriented thinkers who seek to build their knowledge base by studying science through the eyes of a person who fully understands the scientific method and the relationships between the various scientific disciplines. Such students will use many different types of technology (the Internet, laptop computers, tablets, smart phones, etc.) to familiarize them with its use in facilitating data collection in both guided and open-ended experiments. These tools will assist students in becoming reflective thinkers who are aware of the moral, ethical, social, economic, and environmental implications these tools uncover. Moreover, students will develop the necessary skills to communicate their results to others.

The breadth and depth of coverage given to HL biology closely resembles the example given in the Diploma Programme Guide for the 2016 Examinations. There are minor differences with regard to the teacher notes, laboratory investigations, and methods for achieving the Aims, objectives, various assessments and incorporating the TOK component internationalism components. However, these differences reflect the teaching style and experience rather than the deviance from the standards upheld by the IBO.

The TOK piece for biology is pervasive. Each topic has multiple TOK components that are woven into the delivery of the material. For instance, at various times throughout the course students walk into class and will see a TOK statement or question on the screen. A couple of specific examples are, “Our current understanding is that emotions are the product of activity in the brain rather than the heart. Is knowledge based on science more valid than knowledge based on intuition?” and, “There is a difference between the living and the non-living environment. How are we able to know the difference?” and, “Natural selection is a theory. How much evidence is required to support a theory and what sort of counter evidence is required to refute it?” and, “A number of scientific discoveries are claimed to be incidental or serendipitous. To what extent might some of these scientific discoveries be the result of intuition rather than luck?” and, “Plants communicate chemically both internally and externally. To what extent can plants be said to have language?” Because we do this so much, students know they need to begin writing their response and collecting their thoughts in preparation for a brief discussion. These discussions are centered around the students and their responses. Sometimes the discussions are quick and last 5-10 minutes, other times they may last a half-hour or longer. Attempts are made to provide as many connections to their other classes as possible. Students are encouraged to bridge gaps and identify other areas of their studies where our discussion topic is relevant.

Using a variety of Approaches to Teaching and Learning, the student’s experience in an IB course will take into account both the prescribed syllabus as well as a variety of teaching and learning techniques designed to reach the wide variety of learners we have in our classrooms. While the course is underpinned using a lecture/discussion format, there are a wide variety of other methods which will be employed to deliver the material. A typical topic will include terminology students will be asked to learn, hands-on activities, a laboratory component, and a variety of formative and summative assessment opportunities for students to demonstrate their development and mastery of these approaches.

In general, all aspects of HL Biology will seek to develop the students’ thinking skills. The manner in which the material is delivered naturally lends itself to the development of thinking skills and an ability to conceptualize. With the ability to think, pay attention, and follow along in a lecture/discussion provided students with endless opportunities to communicate—in both written and oral form—throughout their time in class. The format of the class helps students to develop a deeper understanding of the topics, and to realize that many local issues are also global in context. Knowing what and when to contribute to the discussion assists with the development of social skills.

The laboratory component of the course is very broad based and seeks to incorporate as many hands-on activities as possible throughout the syllabus. Students develop social skills when working with other students, they learn valuable time-management skills in both preparation for and participation in lab activities. For certain lab activities, and when writing an Internal Assessment, students will develop useful research skills that will assist them for the rest of their lives. We have a unique opportunity in our school where all students are given multiple opportunities to develop their research skills in a variety of contexts. Beginning in their freshman year, they learn basic research techniques as well as communication skills that will carry them through the diploma program.

A variety of inquiry based, open-ended laboratory activities as well as a number of general labs to enhance students’ skills will be performed in the course. The wide variety of laboratory activities also teaches the students the importance of teamwork. Developing the skills necessary for students to work in teams is of utmost importance. Researchers push the envelope at greater and greater speeds as technological advances come on line. This requires students to be able to work as a team, to collaborate in person as well as online, and to be able to rely on one another during the process.

For instance, a good example of a lab to be used for sharpening skills associated with the Internal Assessment will have present students with the task of collecting and measuring the zone of inhibition using the Kirby-Bauer test. The only guidance students will receive will be on places NOT to collect bacteria from, as well as incubating only at room temperature. An example of a skill-building exercise students will perform is the Use of a Compound Microscope lab. Learning the proper use and care for a microscope is crucial to the long-term survival of these important tools.

A variety of instructional techniques will be used as a normal part of the course to prepare students for their External Assessment examinations. To sharpen their written communication skills, students will be required to write papers, lab reports, answer short-answer questions on tests and quizzes, answer essay-type questions, and respond in a variety of ways to questions related to curricular content. Students will also prepare oral presentations to deliver the findings of an inquiry-based question of their choosing. Further, many of these activities will make use of the TOK component of the course which is designed to pull relevant course material from a variety of different sources, such as journal publications, news media, books and other literature.

Topics and Teaching Time: HL Biology

Core:95 Teaching Hours

1. Cell Biology15 Teaching Hours

2. Molecular Biology21 Teaching Hours

3. Genetics15 Teaching Hours

4. Ecology12 Teaching Hours

5. Evolution and Biodiversity12 Teaching Hours

6. Human Physiology20 Teaching Hours

Additional Higher Level (AHL)60 Teaching Hours

7. Nucleic Acids9 Teaching Hours

8. Metabolism, Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis14 Teaching Hours

9. Plant Biology13 Teaching Hours

10. Genetics and Evolution8 Teaching Hours

11. Animal Physiology16 Teaching Hours

Option25 Teaching Hours

B. Biotechnology and Bioinformatics25 Teaching Hours

Practical Scheme of Work60 Teaching Hours

Practical Activities40 Teaching Hours

Individual Investigation (Internal Assessment—IA)10 Teaching Hours

Group 4 Project10 Teaching Hours

Total Teaching Hours240

Inquiry Lab Examples, (not exhaustive):

Measurement Techniques

Microbiology

Osmosis in a Natural Cell and a Model Cell

Determining the Approximate Concentration of Cell Cytoplasm

Enzymes and Reaction Rates

Cellular Respiration

Photosynthesis

Bacterial Transformation

Predator-Prey Relationships

Exercise Physiology

General Technique Lab Examples, (not exhaustive):

Polytene Chromosomes

Using a Compound Light Microscope

Measuring Techniques

Gram Staining and Sterile Technique

Slide Preparation

DNA Extraction

Plant Pigments

Assessment

Various forms of formative and summative assessment will be used as we go through the practical scheme of work, and all of them are designed to prepare the student for external assessment and successful completion of the Diploma Programme. Students will perform labs (both subject specific and interdisciplinary, some of which are long-term types of investigations), take oral, written and essay format tests. In each case, students will be assessed in relation to identified assessment criteria as outlined by the IBO, and not in relation to the work of other students. Additionally, students will be encouraged to take inquiry risks and will be supported in their endeavors. Such practice will promote student inquiry and critical thinking about particular topics.

Resources

The resources for this class are too numerous and wide reaching to list. Biology, 8th Edition, by Campbell, Mitchell and Reece will be the main text used to assist students with learning the material. Other materials include scholarly journals, book entries, web-based material, etc.

Teachers have collaborated and organized cross curricular and subject specific laboratory exercise for both core material and optional/higher level topics as detailed in the IBO Topic outline. The course will provide adequate training in analytical, critical thinking, and will encourage students to step out of their comfort zone, or to look at a topic from a different angle. The methodology and resources are diverse and are presented to students with both an international perspective, as well as with a local aspect to help students realize they are part of a much bigger picture. Having a diverse school population aides in this methodology. Many of our students have lived in, were born in, or frequently travel to foreign countries. As a result, their perspective adds a great deal of insight to our program.

Science teachers have worked together for a number of years planning and modifying the Group 4 Project, and have put together a workable plan that is fun for both students and parents alike. The current version of the Group 4 Project represents a revised edition from previous years using student, staff, and parent input. Generally what is done is the students sign up using a Google form listing the people in their group (The groups must be multidisciplinary). Any student not filling out the form is then placed into a group ensuring the cross-disciplinary requirements are met. On the day of the Group 4 project, students are presented with the topic (usually in the form of one word), and are then given time to research and build a presentation. Students often produce exhibitions that include both practical and theoretical explanations for what they’ve explored. At the end of the day, students then present their findings to their peers, teachers, and parents that have come to the school that evening to participate in the activites. In all, the Group 4 project exceeds the required 10 hours, and the kids have an outstanding time collaborating and creating their presentations.

The teaching facilities are adequately equipped to perform the exercises required by the IB Diploma Programme Curriculum. They include both classroom space as well as a dedicated laboratory to assist in the instruction of, and to provide a means to deliver a wide variety of experiments in all of the Group 4 courses. Moreover, a sufficient quantity of high quality, highly variable instructional materials are available for each Group 4 course. Included in the facilities are an adequate number of computers with access to appropriate periodicals, journals, and other resources to aid in research and writing of all necessary assignments. The fiscal means to acquire necessary instructional materials and equipment for each of the Group 4 subjects is reassessed on an annual basis.

Topics and Teaching Time: Biology SL