Biology Course Syllabus
David W. Butler High School
Teachers: Tommy Arnold, Cindy Kendrick, Scott Moser, Shari Mudd, Joanna Schimizzi, Jennifer Wells-Lewis
The North Carolina Standard Course of Study goals for Biology - Grades 9-12
Learners will study natural and technological systems. All goals should focus on the unifying concepts of science defined by the National Science Education Standards: Systems, Order, and Organization; Evidence, Models, and Explanation; Constancy, Change, and Measurement; Evolution and Equilibrium; and Form and Function. (http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/science/scos/2004/23biology)
The approach to these goals at David W. Butler High School will be addressed as follows:
Curricular goals:
· To survey the content of Biology in 18 weeks divided into 17 content-related units.
o (1) The Nature of Biology, (2) Ecology, (3) Human Impact,
(4) Organization, (5) Cell Structure, (6) Cell Physiology, (7) Cell Division and Reproduction, (8) Molecular Basis of Heredity, (9) Biotechnology and Genomics, (10) Genetics, (11) Human Genetics, (12) Evolution, (13) Classification of Organisms, (14) Microbiology, (15) Botany,
(16) Zoology, (17) Animal Behavior
· To develop effective laboratory skills
· To produce critical thinking skills that analyze data and develop conclusions
Timeline of achievement of goals:
· The first quarter (9 weeks) will cover Units 1-6 and Units 8 and 9
o The second quarter will cover Units 7 and Units 10-17
· Basic laboratory safety and skills will be demonstrated by the end of Week 1. Skills such as using microscopes, balances, and other equipment are accumulated by the end of 1st quarter and applied during the 2nd quarter.
· Critical thinking and conclusion development are introduced by the end of Week 1 with the completion of an inquiry-based lab. These skills are continuously developed throughout the quarter.
Methods by which student demonstrate mastery:
· Biology content mastery is demonstrated through the completion of daily quizzes, vocabulary journals, lab reports, notebook assessments, and unit tests. Students will often be given the opportunity to review their graded work and revise it to improve their comprehension and correct any errors.
· Lab safety will be demonstrated by demonstrating correct procedures during lab execution. Lab skills are demonstrated by the analysis of errors that were made during the lab and accounted for in the lab report.
· Critical thinking skills are demonstrated during lab report analysis of results attained and comparison of that to expected results. Critical thinking skills are also demonstrated during tests in an essay format that requires connections be established between content topics.