Cardinal Newman High School
Ms. A. Andersen
MARINE BIOLOGY/OCEANOGRAPHY
CNHS 2011-2012
Projected Course of Study – Introduction to Oceanography and
Marine Biology
This course will generally follow the textbook. However additional oceanography and geology of
the oceans material will in the first semester class. * Denotes additional information beyond the
scope of the text. Be advised that class notes are critical! Tests always reflect material assigned
or covered in class.
FIRST SEMESTER
Part 1 The Ocean Environment - Oceanography
Chapter 1 – Introduction and overview of Marine Biology and Oceanography
 Importance of the oceans, how it affects our lives, history and civilizations.
 History of Marine Science
 * Scientific oceanographic research institutions, research vessels, marine reserves and
sanctuaries
 *oceanographic sampling techniques
 The Scientific Method process, the difference between scientific data (factual) and
scientific interpretations (hypotheses)
Chapter 2 – Fundamentals of Marine Ecology, Biosphere, Hydrosphere
 KEY Oceanographic Terms
 Marine biosphere and ecosystems
 Feeding and survival relationships
 Bio/Chem/Geo Cycles
Chapter 3 – Geology and the Oceans, Ocean Zones
 Formation of the Earth and Oceans
 Plate Tectonic Theory, how it is used as a “unifying construct” in explaining the past,
present and future of the ocean basins.
 Seafloor geologic features and processes
 GPS, latitude and longitude
Chapter 4 – Water, Waves and Tides and its influence on weather and climate
 Physical and chemical properties of seawater
 Ocean temperature changes (global/local)
 Major Ocean currents and global wind currents, causes of these currents
 Ocean layering and mixing
 Waves and Tides
**ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT: RESEARCH AND
PRESENTATION OF A SPECIFIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM. TOPICS FROM
CHAPTERS 13-18,
Part 2 Marine Organisms – Marine Biology
Studying the origin and nature of the ocean’s amazing and diverse marine life, including aspects
of biological evolution, food webs, lifestyles, form and function, reproduction and survival
techniques.
Chapter 5 – Evolution & Biological Classification
 Building blocks of life, review cell biology, photosynthesis, reproduction
 Darwin, evolution and natural selection, bio classification
Chapter 6 – Marine Microorganisms (Lab Classifications)
 Microscopic life, bacteria, viruses
 Plankton, zoo, phyto, macro, micro, nano
Chapter 7 – Multicellular -- Producers
Marine plants, primary producers
Semester Exam Cumulative from Chapters 1-7, including information learned from
Marine Ecosystem Alternative Assessment Projects and any field trips.
SECOND SEMESTER
Chapter 8 – Marine Animals – Primary Consumers -- Sponges, Cnidarians and Marine Worms
 Simple marine animals including jellyfish and corals
Chapter 9 – Mollusks, Arthropods, Lophophorates, Echinoderms
 This chapter contains a variety of local marine organisms including bivalves, gastropods,
cephalopods and starfish.
 Lab Dissection of a squid and starfish will be included in this chapter.
Chapter 10 – Fishes
 Jawless, cartilaginous (sharks and rays) and bony fishes
 Lab dissection of a Shark or bait fish MAY be included in this chapter
 GYOTAKU Lab of a bony fish
Chapter 11 – Reptiles and Birds
 Sea Turtles, marine reptiles, marine birds
Chapter 12 – Marine Mammals
 General common characteristics of various marine mammals including pinnipeds (seals),
sirenians (manatees), cetaceans (whales and dolphins)
Part 3
Marine Ecosystems
Alternative Assessment project will be included in this section. This Alternative Assessment
project will be assigned in the first semester. Additional systems will be assigned.
Chapter 13 – Estuaries
Chapter 14 – Intertidal Communities
Chapter 15 – Coral Reefs
Chapter 16 – Coastal Seas and the Continental Shelf
Chapter 17 – The Open Sea
Chapter 18 – Deep Water
Part 4
Oceans and Their Human Connection
The influence of human activities on the marine environment. Issues such as marine pollution,
habitat destruction, extinction, loss of resources, global climate changes and global warming and
solutions associated with these issues. NOTE: This section may focus on LOCAL marine issues
as well as global marine issues described in the text.
Chapter 19 – Harvesting the Ocean’s Resources
Chapter 20 – Oceans in Jeopardy
Final Exam Cumulative from all the information covered from Chapters 9-20, including any
field trips.
*NOTE: The sequence and depth of each topic will vary.