ADVANCED LIFE SCIENCE: ANIMALS
CURRICULUM
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Advanced Life Science: Animals is a year long, standards-based, interdisciplinary science course that integrates
biology, chemistry, and microbiology in an agricultural context. Students will formulate, design and carry out
animal-based laboratory and field investigations as an essential course component. Students investigate key
concepts that enable them to understand animal growth, development and physiology as it pertains to
agricultural science. This course stresses the unifying themes of both biology and chemistry as students work
with concepts associated with animal taxonomy, life at the cellular level, organ systems, genetics, evolution,
ecology, and historical and current issues in animal agriculture.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to apply the principles of scientific inquiry to solve problems related to biology and
chemistry in highly advanced agricultural applications of animal development.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
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How are taxonomic keys used to classify animals based upon characteristics?
What functions occur within an animal cell?
What are the major mammalian organ systems and what role do cells play in their function?
What role does genetic information have in determining biological inheritance?
INDIANA STATE STANDARDS
Standard 1:
Standard 2:
Standard 3:
Standard 4:
Students will classify all living things, specifically categorizing animals using a taxonomic key.
Students will explain how the principles of chemistry, biochemistry, and biological functions
relate to the field of animalian agricultural science.
Students will explore the major vertebrate animal organ systems and the role that the cells, and their
development, and chemicals play in the function of that system.
Students will examine the importance of genetic information and determining biological inheritance.
UNITS OF INSTRUCTION
Unit 1:
Unit 2:
Unit 3:
Unit 4:
Unit 5:
Scientific Investigation
Taxonomy and Classification
Molecules and Cells
Development and Function of Organ Systems
Animal Genetics and the Environment
COURSE ASSESSMENTS
Daily Preparedness for Class
Reading Renaissance
Agriculture Notebook of Work
Projects
Homework
Labs
Quizzes
Tests
Research Projects
Final Exams
COURSE MATERIALS: MAJOR TEXTS, PRINCIPAL MATERIALS AND FILMS
KEY TEXTS:
Semester One
Biology Concepts and Connections
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:
Semester One
Semester Two
Biology Concepts and Connections
Semester Two
* Parents should contact the teacher or department chair to discuss concerns with texts. If required, the teacher will
provide a substitute text of comparable length that approximates the stated academic purpose. Selected essays, short
stories, poems and articles will be used to teachers to augment major units.
COMMERCIAL FILMS/VIDEOS:*
Teachers may select from the following:
Semester One
Semester Two
OTHER FILMS/VIDEOS *
Semester One
*A parent may excuse his/her child from the viewing of a commercial film/video. The parent should contact the teacher or
Department Chair to discuss his/her concerns. The teacher will provide any excused student an alternative assignment
of comparable length that is relevant to the stated academic purpose.
Advanced Life Sciences: Animals - Walker
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