Open Disclosure Statement                  Biology                   

 

Teacher: Ryan Anderson, DC.BS.

Website: http://my.uen.org/201467

Email: randerson@tuachan.org

 

Text: Biology: The Dynamics of Life.  Biggs, Alton, Et. Al    

 

Course Description and Objectives:

This is an intermediate high school Biology course in which we discuss the processes, characteristics, structure, and history of life.  We will also discuss the differences and relationship between science and technology. 

 

During this course we will study the structure and function of Viruses. During that discussion we will discuss the reproductive cycles of Viruses and the HIV/Aides Virus will be part of that discussion. During our comparison of Asexual and Sexual Reproduction the production of sperm and eggs in humans will be part of our discussion. If you have any issues with your student participating in these discussions please contact me and we will discuss options.

A full copy of your rights and my responsibilities can be accessed at the Utah State Office of Education web site.

 

Because this is an intermediate course, you will learn how to research scientific topics and how to apply classroom knowledge to everyday problem solving.

            In addition, the Utah State Biology Core will be followed to help ensure a positive first experience with Biology.

 

Objectives:

·           Develop, through experience, critical and higher order thinking skills.

• Acquire a basic understanding of the Earth, living organisms and their processes.
• Explore purposes and processes of gathering information and testing hypotheses.
• Build self-confidence in understanding, and exploring science.

How We’ll Do It:

            Class discussions                                               Readings

            Demonstrations                                     Guests

            Lab Work                                                         Lectures

            Group Activities                                                Writing

 

Weekly Schedule:

The typical week will begin with new material presented on days 1 – 4.  A quiz will be generally given every Friday.

 

Materials Needed:

·         A pencil, or a pen

·         Three ring binder with paper.

 

Homework/Class work:

·         Much of the work you will do will be done in class there will be occasions however when homework is necessary.

·         Work turned in on time will be graded against a rubric, and be worth 100% of the amount earned.

·         Work turned in late will be discounted 10%.

 

 

Attendance:

            Attendance is a must in this class. Much of the information is new to you as students and not well understood by parents. The benefits of being in class to receive instruction cannot be discounted. Being present every day is sometimes not possible.  In such a cases, make arrangements with Dr. Anderson prior to the absence for make up work details. There may be a quiz or writing assignment daily to check for understanding of the previous day’s material. Therefore, attendance is very important.  There will be a test at the end of each unit or chapter depending on the amount of information presented in each. Taking these tests on time is a great advantage to you!

 

Grading:

            Grading will be based on a percentage of the total points possible.  Tests, writing assignments, quizzes, labs, group work, and participation scores will be included in the final grade.  Students are encouraged to keep track of their own grades. Keeping track is easy through use of the SIS. I reserve the right to scale grades based on natural breaks.  Letter grades will be based on the following scale:

 

100-93  A                    92-90   A-                    

89-87   B+                    87-83    B                     83-80    B-       

80-77   C+                    77-73    C                     73-70    C-

70-67    D+                   67-63    D                    63-60    D-

60-0      F                     

 

Grades are updated weekly - not daily

 

Keys to Success:

• Be on time and don’t miss class.
• Respect others.
• Don’t get behind.
• Save all your science stuff.
• Take very good notes. If you need help with note taking see Dr. Anderson, every reasonable effort will be made to help you learn note-taking skills.
• Ask Questions
• Do your own work.

 

Most of these keys have natural consequences and rewards affixed.  Tuacahn High School standards of conduct are expected from each student in each class.  Following the previous helps could be of great worth for most students in achieving the grade they desire in this class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make-up work and extra-credit                   

                Make-up work and extra-credit will be available. Any request for make-up for test scores will be accepted only if every effort was made to do the assignments before the test. Class participation and conduct will also be taken into consideration when the make-up request is made. Warm-up quizzes can be made up only if prior arrangements were made for the absence on the day warm-up quiz was given. Extra-credit will be on a “your request basis” if you want extra-credit come to me with a proposal and I will accept, reject, or modify and except it.

 

Americans with Disabilities Act

            In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students needing special accommodations may contact the instructor for alternative arrangements.

 

Final Word

 

            This is an intense course, some things may prove challenging.  Keep up and participate in class activities. Again, if you need help, please come to me and set up an appointment for help after school.  I am ready and willing to help you succeed.

There will surely be more things we will need more detail on as the year progresses, so if you have any questions or comments, feel free to let me know.

 

 

Biology Core Curriculum

Science Benchmark

 

STANDARD I:  Students will understand that living organisms interact with one another and their environment.

 

Objective 1:  Summarize how energy flows through an ecosystem.

a.         Arrange components of a food chain according to energy flow.

b.         Compare the quantity of energy in the steps of an energy pyramid.

c.         Describe strategies used by organisms to balance the energy expended to obtain food to the energy gained from the food (e.g., migration to areas of seasonal abundance, switching type of prey based upon availability, hibernation or dormancy).

d.         Compare the relative energy output expended by an organism in obtaining food to the energy gained from the food (e.g., hummingbird - energy expended hovering at a flower compared to the amount of energy gained from the nectar, coyote - chasing mice to the energy gained from catching one, energy expended in migration of birds to a location with seasonal abundance compared to energy gained by staying in a cold climate with limited food).

e.         Research food production in various parts of the world (e.g., industrialized societies’ greater use of fossil fuel in food production, human health related to food product).

 

Objective 2:  Explain relationships between matter cycles and organisms.

a.         Use diagrams to trace the movement of matter through a cycle (i.e., carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, water) in a variety of biological communities and ecosystems.

b.         Explain how water is a limiting factor in various ecosystems.

c.         Distinguish between inference and evidence in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or Internet article that addresses an issue related to human impact on cycles of matter in an ecosystem and determine the bias in the article.

d.         Evaluate the impact of personal choices in relation to the cycling of matter within an ecosystem (e.g., impact of automobiles on the carbon cycle, impact on landfills of processed and packaged foods).

 

 

Objective 3:  Describe how interactions among organisms and their environment help shape ecosystems.

a.         Categorize relationships among living things according to predator-prey, competition, and symbiosis.

b.         Formulate and test a hypothesis specific to the effect of changing one variable upon another in a small ecosystem.

c.         Use data to interpret interactions among biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., pH, temperature, precipitation, populations, diversity) within an ecosystem.

d.         Investigate an ecosystem using methods of science to gather quantitative and qualitative data that describe the ecosystem in detail.

e.         Research and evaluate local and global practices that affect ecosystems.

Science language students should use:

predator-prey, symbiosis, competition, ecosystem, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle, population, diversity, energy pyramid, consumers, producers, limiting factor, competition, decomposers, food chain, biotic, abiotic, community, variable, evidence, inference, quantitative, qualitative

 

 

Science Benchmark

 

STANDARD II:  Students will understand that all organisms are composed of one or more cells that are made of molecules, come from preexisting cells, and perform life functions.

 

Objective 1:  Describe the fundamental chemistry of living cells.

a.         List the major chemical elements in cells (i.e., carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, sulfur, trace elements).

b.         Identify the function of the four major macromolecules (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids).

c.         Explain how the properties of water (e.g., cohesion, adhesion, heat capacity, solvent properties) contribute to maintenance of cells and living organisms.

d.         Explain the role of enzymes in cell chemistry.

 

 

Objective 2:  Describe the flow of energy and matter in cellular function.

a.         Distinguish between autotrophic and heterotrophic cells.

b.         Illustrate the cycling of matter and the flow of energy through photosynthesis (e.g., by using light energy to combine CO₂ and H₂O to produce oxygen and sugars) and respiration (e.g., by releasing energy from sugar and O₂ to produce CO₂ and H₂O).

c.         Measure the production of one or more of the products of either photosynthesis or respiration.

 

Objective 3:  Investigate the structure and function of cells and cell parts.

a.         Explain how cells divide from existing cells.

b.         Describe cell theory and relate the nature of science to the development of cell theory (e.g., built upon previous knowledge, use of increasingly more sophisticated technology).

c.         Describe how the transport of materials in and out of cells enables cells to maintain homeostasis (i.e., osmosis, diffusion, active transport).

d.         Describe the relationship between the organelles in a cell and the functions of that cell.

e.         Experiment with microorganisms and/or plants to investigate growth and reproduction.

Science language students should use:

organelles, photosynthesis, respiration, cellular respiration, osmosis, diffusion, active transport, homeostasis, cell theory, organic, carbohydrate, fermentation, protein, fat, nucleic acid, enzyme, chlorophyll, cell membrane, nucleus, cell wall, solvent, solute, adhesion, cohesion, microorganism

Science Benchmark

 

STANDARD III:  Students will understand the relationship between structure and function of organs and organ systems.

 

Objective 1:                        Describe the structure and function of organs.

a.         Diagram and label the structure of the primary components of representative organs in plants and animals (e.g., heart - muscle tissue, valves and chambers; lung - trachea, bronchial, alveoli; leaf - veins, stomata; stem - xylem, phloem, cambium; root - tip, elongation, hairs; skin - layers, sweat glands, oil glands, hair follicles; ovaries - ova, follicles, corpus luteum).

b.         Describe the function of various organs (e.g. heart, lungs, skin, leaf, stem, root, and ovary).

c.         Relate the structure of organs to the function of organs.

d.         Compare the structure and function of organs in one organism to the structure and function of organs in another organism.

e.         Research and report on technological developments related to organs.

 

Objective 2:                     Describe the relationship between structure and function of organ systems in plants and animals.

a.         Relate the function of an organ to the function of an organ system.

b.         Describe the structure and function of various organ systems (i.e., digestion, respiration, circulation, protection and support, nervous) and how these systems contribute to homeostasis of the organism.

c.         Examine the relationships of organ systems within an organism (e.g., respiration to circulation, leaves to roots) and describe the relationship of structure to function in the relationship.

d.         Relate the tissues that make up organs to the structure and function of the organ.

e.         Compare the structure and function of organ systems in one organism to the structure and function in another organism (e.g., chicken to sheep digestive system; fern to peach reproductive system).

Science language students should use:

organ, organ system, organism, hormonal modification, stomata, tissue, homeostasis, structure, function

Science Benchmark

 

STANDARD IV:  Students will understand that genetic information coded in DNA is passed from parents to offspring by sexual and asexual reproduction.  The basic structure of DNA is the same in all living things.  Changes in DNA may alter genetic expression.

 

Objective 1:  Compare sexual and asexual reproduction.

a.         Explain the significance of meiosis and fertilization in genetic variation.

b.         Compare the advantages/disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction to survival of species.

c.         Formulate, defend, and support a perspective of a bioethical issue related to intentional or unintentional chromosomal mutations.

 

Objective 2:  Predict and interpret patterns of inheritance in sexually reproducing organisms.

a.         Explain Mendel’s laws of segregation and independent assortment and their role in genetic inheritance.

b.         Demonstrate possible results of recombination in sexually reproducing organisms using one or two pairs of contrasting traits in the following crosses: dominance/recessive, incomplete dominance, codominance, and sex-linked traits.

c.         Relate Mendelian principles to modern-day practice of plant and animal breeding.

d.         Analyze bioethical issues and consider the role of science in determining public policy.

 

Objective 3:  Explain how the structure and replication of DNA are essential to heredity and protein synthesis.

a.         Use a model to describe the structure of DNA.

b.         Explain the importance of DNA replication in cell reproduction.

c.         Summarize how genetic information encoded in DNA provides instructions for assembling protein molecules.

d.         Describe how mutations may affect genetic expression and cite examples of mutagens.

e.         Relate the historical events that lead to our present understanding of DNA to the cumulative nature of science knowledge and technology.

f.          Research, report, and debate genetic technologies that may improve the quality of life (e.g., genetic engineering, cloning, gene splicing).

 

Science language students should use:

DNA, replication, fertilization, dominant trait, recessive trait, genetic engineering, gene splicing, phenotype, genotype, sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction, chromosome, gene, mutation, cloning, inheritance, bioethics, pedigree

 

 

Science Benchmark

 

STANDARD V:  Students will understand that biological diversity is a result of evolutionary processes.

 

Objective 1:  Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.

a.         Describe the effects of environmental factors on natural selection.

b.         Relate genetic variability to a species’ potential for adaptation to a changing environment.

c.         Relate reproductive isolation to speciation.

d.         Compare selective breeding to natural selection and relate the differences to agricultural practices.

 

Objective 2:  Cite evidence for changes in populations over time and use concepts of evolution to explain these changes.

a.         Cite evidence that supports biological evolution over time (e.g., geologic and fossil records, chemical mechanisms, DNA structural similarities, homologous and vestigial structures).

b.         Identify the role of mutation and recombination in evolution.

c.         Relate the nature of science to the historical development of the theory of evolution.

d.         Distinguish between observations and inferences in making interpretations related to evolution (e.g., observed similarities and differences in the beaks of Galapagos finches leads to the inference that they evolved from a common ancestor; observed similarities and differences in the structures of birds and reptiles leads to the inference that birds evolved from reptiles).

e.         Review a scientific article and identify the research methods used to gather evidence that documents the evolution of a species.

 

Objective 3:  Classify organisms into a hierarchy of groups based on similarities that reflect their evolutionary relationships.

a.         Classify organisms using a classification tool such as a key or field guide.

b.         Generalize criteria used for classification of organisms (e.g., dichotomy, structure, broad to specific).

c.         Explain how evolutionary relationships are related to classification systems.

d.         Justify the ongoing changes to classification schemes used in biology.

 

Science language students should use:

evolution, fossil record, geologic record, molecular, homologous, vestigial structures, mutation, recombination, hierarchy, classification scheme, theory, natural selection, adaptation, evidence, inference, speciation, biodiversity, taxonomy, kingdom, virus, protist, fungi, plant, animal, dichotomy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure Document Signature Sheet

 

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ARE THERE ANY MEDICAL OR PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT MIGHT AFFECT THIS STUDENT’S BEHAVIOR OR EDUCATION IN OR OUT OF THE CLASSROOM? THIS INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND THIS IS MEANT TO BE IN THE STUDENTS INTEREST ONLY.

 

 

AFTER YOU HAVE READ THE ENTIRE DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT, PLEASE SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN IT.

 

I HAVE READ THE DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT AND FILLED OUT THIS FORM WITH CORRECT INFORMATION. MY SON/DAUGHTER UNDERSTANDS IT COMPLETELY AND WE AGREE TO ABIDE BY ITS RULES AND REGULATIONS TO INCTEASE LEARNING IN MR. WEBB’S CLASSROOM.

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

Parent /Guardian Signature                                                        Date

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

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(If this is not returned within three weeks of the distribution date it will be assumed that you are satisfied with all parts of this document)