National Teaching Standards
NS 9-12.3 Life Sciences

Interdependence of organisms

Matter, energy, and organization in living systems

Behavior of organisms
21st Century Skills: GA 1; CL 1 & 3; HL 5; EL 1-4 used throughout course.
KY High School Standards
SC-HS-3.4.7
Students will: classify organisms into groups based on similarities; infer relationships based on internal and external structures and chemical
processes.SC-HS-4.7.1
Students will:
 analyze relationships and interactions among organisms in ecosystems;
 predict the effects on other organisms of changes to one or more components of the ecosystem.
SC-HS-4.7.2
Students will:
 evaluate proposed solutions from multiple perspectives to environmental problems caused by human interaction;
 justify positions using evidence/data.
SC-HS-4.7.3
Students will:
predict the consequences of changes to any component (atmosphere, solid Earth, oceans, living things) of the Earth System;
propose justifiable solutions to global problems.
Interactions among the solid Earth, the oceans, the atmosphere and living things have resulted in the ongoing development of a changing
Earth system.
OUTCOMES
I. The Ocean Environment
 Identify the major oceans on a map.
 Identify oceanic landforms
 Analyze the characteristics of water and how these affect temperature, salinity, pressure, waves and
currents.
II. Ecology
 Examine interrelationships and interdependencies of organisms in marine ecosystems and the factors
that influence the interactions between organisms.
III. Marine Ecosystems
 Investigate the various marine ecoystems and identify what makes each of them unique.
IV. Marine Organisms
 Examine the diversity of structure and behavior in marine organisms.
Course Scope & Sequence
Unit 1 Introduction to the Ocean Environment
A.
B.
C.
D.
The major oceans
Oceanic geology
Physical and chemical attributes of water
Salinity, Temperature, Pressure
(3 days)
E.
F.
G.
H.
Wave types and actions
Water and Wind currents
Tides
El Nino
Unit 2 Ecology of Marine Ecosystems
(4 days)
Basics of organism interaction with each other and the environment
Current Marine Issues Project
Marine Ecosystems Project
Unit 3 Microorganisms and Producers
Marine Microorganisms
Multicellular Producers
Bioluminescence
(3 days)
Unit 4 Polar Seas
Ecology of Polar Seas
Cetaceans
Penguins
Polar Bears
Sea Otters
Pinnipeds
(10 days)
Unit 5 Temperate Seas
Ecology of temperate oceans
Manatees & Dugongs
Sea Turtles
(3 days)
Unit 5 Tropical Seas
Invertebrates
Fish: jawless, cartilaginous, bony
(9 days)
Newport Aquarium Trip
(1 day)
Final review day and Exam
(2 days)