Syllabus: Biology I
Unit I: Evolution: Patterns and Products of Change in Living Systems
Theme / Chapter 1: The Human Animal
Essential Question / Problem: Humans as animals share a common bond of humanness as a species but a wide variance of biological and
cultural characteristics. Humans as a group of animals can be studied, examined, and compared to other animals such as primates by using
the skills and processes of science. This chapter allows an individual to develop an understanding of the human animal and what it means to
be human.
Time Limit: 9 days (85 minute / period)
Outcomes:
Life Role Emphasis: Self-Directed Learner; Problem Solver; Responsible Citizen; Collaborative Performer;
Effective Communicator
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Learning to Read Independently 1.1.8.D, E, F, G, H
Reading Critically in All Content Areas 1.2.8.A
Types of Writing 1.4.8.B
Speaking and Listening 1.6.8.A,
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Science and Technology
Unifying Themes 3.1.10.B.
Inquiry and Design 3.2.10.C, D.
Biological Science 3.3.10.A.
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to be engaged in thinking about the extent to which humans are different from other animals.
2. Students will be able to create a list of the characteristics that may make humans different.
3. Students will be able to discuss in what ways chimpanzees seem like humans and in what ways they seem different.
· Students will be able to demonstrate their awareness by developing a set of questions that these observations of chimpanzees might generate.
· Students will be able to appreciate that there are certain characteristics that humans share with other animals, but the expression of them is somewhat different.
4. Students will be able to compare how humans and other primates move about and use their hands and feet .
· Students will be able to compare the size and shape of various regions of the human brain with those regions in other animals’ brains.
5. Students will be able to create a list of questions about the way primates use their hands.
6. Students will be able to develop a better understanding of what it means to be human.
7. Students will be able to share their understanding of
· how humans are structured to be bipedal,
· how the human hand is similar to and different from the hands of other primates,
· how different parts of the cerebrum are associated with various behaviors,
· how different parts of the human brain are similar to and different from the brains of other primates, and
· how nerves transmit information.
8. Students will be able to understand that humans have a longer period of dependency as they mature than most other animals.
9. Students will be able to appreciate how long childhood in humans is connected to our capacity for learning, our capacity for language, and our capacity for culture.
· Students will be able to demonstrate by providing examples of other animals, such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and dolphins that have a certain capacity for learning, communication, and culture.
10. Students will be able to recognize a distinction between the human brain and the human mind by:
· defining the terms brain and mind in their own words and
· explaining how the brain and the mind are related.
11. Students will be able to propose evidence-based explanations for the change in behavior of an individual by:
· listing evidence that is related to the cause of the behavior,
· generating several alternative explanations that are based on the
· available evidence for the cause of the behavior, and
· suggesting a tentative diagnosis for Tony’s condition.
12. Students will be able to understand that scientific explanations involve evidence and inference by:
· explaining that explanations without evidence are not considered scientific,
· making inferences that are based on their observations and evidence, and
· analyzing their explanations, and revising them if necessary, in the light of new information.
Concepts:
1. Humans have characteristics that distinguish them from other living things.
2. Humans share many characteristics with other living systems.
3. There is a diversity of living systems on Earth.
4. Evolution provides the scientific explanation for diversity on Earth.
5. The methods of science include developing critical-thinking skills, asking questions, making observations, collecting data,
recording data, and analyzing data.
6. The methods of science involve using evidence and inference appropriately.
Content Focus / Essential Knowledge:
1. Characteristics of the Human Animal
2. Characteristics of the Higher Primates
3. Characteristics of the Human Brain
4. Brain Function
5. Human Capacity for Culture and Learning
6. Relationship of the Brain and the Mind
7. Brain Structure and Function
8. Overall Characteristics of Humans
Process Focus: analyzing, predicting, designing, solving problems, explaining, demonstrating
Assessment: journal writing, laboratory work, class work, homework, essay writing, do now, test
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Theme / Chapter 2: Evolution: Change Across Time
Essential Question / Problem: Students learn about different types of evidence for evolution and a mechanism for the process of evolution. Time Limit: 9 days (85 minute / period)
Outcomes:
Life Role Emphasis: Self-Directed Learner; Problem Solver; Responsible Citizen; Collaborative Performer;
Effective Communicator
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Learning to Read Independently 1.1.8.D, E, F, G, H
Reading Critically in All Content Areas 1.2.8.A
Types of Writing 1.4.8.B
Speaking and Listening 1.6.8.A,
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Science and Technology
Unifying Themes 3.1.10. A. B. C. D.
Inquiry and Design 3.2.10. C. D.
Biological Sciences 3.3.10.D
Objectives: By the end of this study period, students should understand that:
1. populations of organisms change across time,
2. billions of years were required for the evolutionary process to produce the great diversity of life on earth,
3. evidence for biological evolution exists in the fossil record and in biological characteristics such as embryological development and genetics,
4. natural selection is a major mechanism of biological evolution, and
5. humans are both a product and a driving force of biological evolution
Concepts:
1. Change in Human like Organisms
2. Earth's History (sequence and placement of events)
3. Deep Time
4. Evidence for Change
5. Theory of Evolution
6. Natural Selection
7. Nature of Science
8. Adaptation
9. Cultural and Biological Evidence for Evolution
10. Evaluation of Evolutionary Evidence
Content Focus / Essential Knowledge:
1. Lucy; fossilized skeletal remains; hominid; anthropology
2. nonhuman primate versus human primate
3. inference versus evidence
Process Focus:
1. describe how Lucy may have looked and behaved.
2. speculate on how Lucy may bridge the gap between modern humans and early nonhuman primates.
3. discuss by comparing early hominids to modern humans.
4. estimate when certain events occurred and place them on a time line.
5. identify relationships among time line events.
6. explain relationships among time line events.
7. demonstrate understanding by using a time line to identify patterns and relationships between events.
8. develop a presentation that articulates the evidence for change across time.
9. analyze data and use them as evidence to support an idea.
10. answer questions about essays and available figures or videodisc segments.
11. record evidence for change in their journals.
12. work collaboratively in their specialist group.
13. communicate findings of their specialty with their team members.
14. explain the theory of evolution from a historical perspective.
15. develop questions about who, what, when, where, how, and why regarding Darwin and evolution.
16. develop a rebuttal to the criticism that Darwin's theory is conjecture and include in the rebuttal an explanation of the proper scientific use of the term heory.
17. record data from a predator / prey simulation and create a graphic presentation of the activity.
18. explain and describe how variation, reproductive potential, and differential survival are factors that control the idea of natural selection.
19. explain the difference between biological and cultural evolution.
20. explain the role of variation in characteristics in the evolution of resistant populations and explain how differences in reproductive success affect the evolution of populations of bacteria.
21. discuss how cultural evolution is a factor in the advancement of medical science.
Assessment: journal writing, class discussions, develop a time line, presentations, newspaper story, create a chart, graphing, laboratory work classwork, homework, do now, test
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Theme / Chapter 3: Products of Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Essential Question / Problem: What is the connection between evolution, adaptation and the diversity of life on Earth.
Time Limit: 8 days (85 minute / period)
Outcomes:
Life Role Emphasis: Self-Directed Learner; Problem Solver; Responsible Citizen; Collaborative Performer;
Effective Communicator
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Learning to Read Independently 1.1.8.D. E. F. G. H
Reading Critically in All Content Areas 1.2.8.A.
Types of Writing 1.4.8.B.
Speaking and Listening 1.6.8.A. C.
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Science and Technology
Inquiry and Design 3.2.10.C. D.
Biological Sciences 3.3.10.A. D.
Concepts:
1. Recognizing Life
2. Distinguishing Life From Non-life
3. Common Properties of Living Systems
4. Unifying Principles of Biology
5. Diverse Organisms Share Common Properties
6. Adaptations and Diversity
7. Criteria For Classification
8. Hierarchal Nature of Classification
9. Variation and Diversity
10. Structure / Function Relationships
11. Adaptations to Specific Environments
Content Focus / Essential Knowledge:
1. five kingdom structure: prokaryotes, fungi, plants, animals, protists.
2. evolutionary tree.
3. prokaryote versus eukaryote.
4. definition of evolution, homeostasis, cell, reproduction, continuity, growth, development, interactive, interdependent.
5. characteristics of each kingdom.
6. binomial nomenclature: kingdom, phyla, class, order, family, genus, species.
7. unicellularity, multicellularity.
8. precambrian, paleozoic, mesozoic, cenozoic evolutionary events.
9. definition of population, diversity, variation, adaptation.
Process Focus: analyzing, solving problems, explaining, discussing, describing, classifying, observing, constructing arguments,
organizing, developing, categorizing, synthesizing data
Assessment: journal writing, laboratory work, classwork, homework, essay writing, test
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Unit II: Homeostasis: Maintaining Dynamic Equilibrium in Living Systems
Theme: Chapter 4: The Internal Environment of Organisms
Time Limit: 8 days (85 minute / period)
Essential Question / Problem: How do organisms maintain an internal and an external balance with their environments?
Conditions in the body can change in response to external conditions; various factors can affect internal conditions, including the individual’s behavior.
Outcomes:
Life Role Emphasis: Problem Solver; Responsible Citizen; Effective Communicator; Self-directed Learner;
Collaborative Performer
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Learning to Read Independently 1.1.8.D.E.F.G.H.
Reading Critically in All Content Areas 1.2.8.A
Types of Writing 1.4.8.B.
Speaking and Listening 1.6.8.A.
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Science and Technology
Unifying Themes 3.1.10.A.B.
Inquiry and Design 3.2.10.C. D.
Biological Science 3.3.10.A.B.
Concepts:
1. Internal Conditions Change in Response to External Conditions
2. Containers and Boundaries; Internal and External Environments
3. Cell Membrane Characteristics, Selective Permeability; Molecular Movement
4. Diffusion; Surface-volume relationship; Cell Size
5. Role of Circulatory and Urinary Systems in Regulation; Systems as compartments made of smaller compartments
6. Internal and external compartmentalization; Boundaries and Membranes
Content Focus / Essential Knowledge:
1. Compartments
2. Structure of the Cell
3. Structure of Membranes
4. Molecular Movements through Membranes
5. Diffusion / Osmosis
6. Systems Applications of Diffusion / Osmosis: The Circulatory System and The Excretory System
Process Focus: Explain; Demonstrate; Construct and evaluate; Develop and apply skills of observation; Analyze, Collect Data;
Recognize patterns; Predict; Design and conduct experiments
Assessment: Team and Class Discussions; Wet Lab; Videodisc application; Journal Entries; Modeling; Lab Report; Student Illustrations
from lab work; Chapter Test
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Theme: Chapter 5: Maintaining Balance in Organisms
Essential Question / Problem: How do organisms maintain an internal and an external balance with their environments ? Conditions in the body can change in response to external conditions; various factors can affect internal conditions, including the individual’s behavior.
Time Limit: 7 days (85 minute / period)
Outcomes:
Life Role Emphasis: Problem Solver; Responsible Citizen; Effective Communicator; Self-directed Learner
Collaborative Performer
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Learning to Read Independently 1.1.8.D. E. F. G. H.
Reading Critically in All Content Areas 1.2. 8.A.
Types of Writing 1.4.8.B.
Speaking and Listening 1.6.8.A.
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Mathematics
Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication 2.5.8.B.; 2.7.8.B.
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Science and Technology
Unifying Themes 3.1.10.D.
Inquiry and Design 3.2.10.C.D.
Biological Sciences 3.3.10.A.B.
Concepts:
1. External changes lead to internal changes; Internal changes are general and beneficial.
2. Regulation in the human body
3. Interaction of systems in maintaining homeostasis
4. Buffering pH as part of homeostasis
5. Behavioral mechanisms that maintain homeostasis
6. Internal/external environment;Interaction of systems to maintain homeostasis
Content Focus / Essential Knowledge:
1. homeostasis
2. stimuli - response
3. physiological versus behavioral response
4. contrast of nervous versus endocrine systems
5. positive versus negative feedback
6. respiratory system and homeostasis
7. ectothermism versus endothermism
Process Focus: Students will: Explain; Demonstrate; Construct and evaluate; Develop and apply skills of observation; Analyze; Collect
Data; Recognize patterns; Predict; Design and conduct experiments
Assessment:
1. Team and Class Discussions
2. Wet Lab
3. Videodisc application
4. Journal Entries
5. Modeling
6. Lab Report
7. Developing hypotheses and if-then statements
8. Synthesizing ideas; making and interpreting observations
9. Chapter Test
10. Do Now
Unit III: Energy, Matter, and Organization: Relationships in Living Systems
Theme: Chapter 8: The Cellular Basis of Activity
Essential Question / Problem: How do cells and organisms regulate their functions with reference to energy and chemical reactions?