North Kitsap High School PAL Program
Course Title: Biology
Course Code: SCN040
Text: Biology, Miller and Levine/ Prentice Hall, 2008
Month
Topics
Learning Objectives
Essential Questions
Learning Activities
See contract for additional
detail
September
The Science of
Biology, The
Chemistry of Life
(Chap 2) Explain the goal of science, explain the meaning of hypothesis and how one is tested,
explain how a scientific theory develops, describe characteristics of living things
(3) Identify levels of organization studied by ecologists, trace the flow of energy through life systems,
evaluate the efficiency of energy transfer in an ecosystem, describe how matter cycles among
biotic/abiotic parts of an ecosystem, explain importance of nutrients in a living system.
Biology Reflection,
Characteristics of Living
Things, Text/Questions,
Discussion with Advisor,
Potato Lab
Chapters 2, 3
The Biosphere
Ecosystems and
Communities,
Populations,
Humans in the
Biosphere
(Chap 4) Identify the interactions that occur within communities, describe how ecosystems recover
from a disturbance, identify characteristics of major land and biomes, describe characteristics of
marine and freshwater ecosystems, (5) list characteristics of populations, identify factors that effect
population size, differentiate between density-dependent and density-independent factors, describe
how the size of the human population has changed over time. (6) Describe human activities that can
affect the biosphere, identify the characteristics of sustainable development, define biodiversity and
explain its value, describe the goal of conservation biology, describe two types of global change that
concern biologists.
(Chap 7) Distinguish between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, describe the function of the cell nucleus
and all organelles, identify the functions of cell membranes and cell walls, describe/explain diffusion,
osmosis, active transport, describe cell specialization, identify the organization levels in multicellular
organisms (8) Explain where and how plants get energy to produce food, describe the role of ATP in
a cell, state the equation for photosynthesis and respiration, describe the role of light and chlorophyll
in photosynthesis, describe the structure and function of chloroplasts, describe light-dependent
reactions, the Calvin cycle, and factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis.
(Chap 9) Explain what cellular respiration is, what happens during glycolysis, two types of
fermentation; describe what happens during the Krebs cycle, three pathways the body uses to release
energy during exercise. (10) Describe how cell division solves the problems of cell growth, name the
main events of the cell cycle, describe what happens during the four phases of mitosis, identify a
factor that can stop cells from growing.
(Chap 11) Describe Mendel’s ideas about inheritance and how they apply to organisms, explain the
principle of dominance and independent assortment, describe how geneticists use Punnett Squares,
summarize the events of meiosis, contrast meiosis and mitosis, identify the structures that assort
independently. (12) Summarize the relationship between genes and DNA, describe the structure of
the DNA molecule, summarize the events of DNA replication, tell how DNA differs from RNA,
name the three main types of RNA, identify the genetic code, summarize translation, contrast gene
mutations and chromosomal mutations, describe a typical gene (not a typical teen).
Inquiries, Study Plot Lab or
Ecosystems Project, Text/
Questions, United Streaming,
Suzuki Speaks, Discussion with
Advisor.
Chapters 4, 5, 6
October
Cell Structure;
Photosynthesis;
November
December
Cellular
Respiration, Cell
Growth & Division
Genetics, DNA
and RNA
January
Inquiries, Labs, Text/
Questions, United Streaming,
Cells Project, Discussion with
Advisor. Chapters 7, 8
Virtual Lab #3, #6
Inquiries, Labs, Text/
Questions, United Streaming,
Discussions with Advisor.
Chapters 9, 10. Virtual Lab #8
Inquiries, Labs, Text/
Questions, United Streaming,
DNA Modeling, Discussion
with Advisor, Chapters 11, 12
Virtual Lab #9
Assessment
(Rubric:
1,2,3,4)*
North Kitsap High School PAL Program
Course Title: Biology
Course Code: SCN040
Text: Biology, Miller and Levine/ Prentice Hall, 2008
Month
Topics
Learning Objectives
Essential Questions
Learning Activities
Genetics, DNA
and RNA
(Chap 13 sections 1,2,4) Explain of purpose of selective breeding, describe two techniques used in
selective breeding, tell why breeders try to induce mutations, explain how scientists manipulate
DNA, describe the usefulness of some transgenic organisms to humans. (14 sections 1,2) Describe
examples of the inheritance of human traits, explain how small changes in DNA cause genetic
disorders, explain how gender is determined, identify characteristics of human chromosomes,
describe some sex-linked disorders and explain why they are more common in males than in females.
Inquiries, Labs, Text
Questions, United
Streaming, Genetics Packet,
Discussion with Advisor,
Chapters 13-1, 13-2, 13-4,
14-1, 14-2. Inheritance
Evolution
(Chap 15) Describe the pattern Darwin observed among organisms in the Galapogos Islands,
compare ideas of Hutton, Lyell, Lamarck, and Malthus, describe how natural variation is used in
artificial selection, describe how natural selection is related to species’ fitness, identify evidence
Darwin used to present his case for evolution by natural selection, and state his theory. (16) Explain
what a gene pool is, state what determines how a phenotype is expressed, explain how natural
selection affects single-gene and polygenic traits, describe genetic drift, list five conditions needed to
maintain genetic equilibrium, identify the conditions necessary for a new species to evolve. (17
sections 1,2,4) Describe the fossil record, state hypotheses that have been proposed to explain how
life first arose on Earth, identify important patterns of macroevolution.
(Chap 18) Explain how living things are organized for study, explain Linnaeus’s system of
classification, explain how we can compare very dissimilar organisms, name the six kingdoms of life
as they are now identified, describe the three-domain system of classification.
(19.1, 19.2) Explain how the two groups of prokaryotes differ, explain why bacteria are vital to
maintaining the living world, explain how viruses cause infection, explain how bacteria and viruses
cause disease, describe how bacterial growth can be controlled.
(20.1) Explain what a protest is. (21.1, 21.3) Identify the defining characteristics of fungi. Describe
the main structures of a fungus. Explain how fungi reproduce. Explain the ecological role of fungi.
(22.1, 22.5) Explain what a plant is. Describe what plants need to survive. Describe how the first
plants evolved. Identify the characteristics of angiosperms. Explain what monocots and dicots are.
(25-1) Describe patterns of plant growth. Explain what plant hormones are. (26-1) List the characteristics that all animals share. Describe the essential functions that animals carry out. Identify important
trends in animal evolution. (30-1) Identify characteristics that all chordates share. Explain what vertebrates are. (32.1-3) List the characteristics of mammals. Describe how mammals perform key life
functions. Explain how the three groups of living mammals differ. Identify the characteristics all primates share. (33-3) Describe how the organ systems of chordates carry out life functions.
Prep for Biology EOC (35.1-4) Describe how the human body is organzed. Explain homeostasis.
Identify functions of the nervous system. Describe how a nerve impulse is transmitted. Name the five
types of sensory receptors. (36.1-2) State the functions of the skeletal system, describe three types of
muscle tissue. (37.1-3) Identify the functions of the human circulatory system. Name three types of
blood vessels. Describe blood plasma. Explain functions of red and white blood cells. Describe
respiration.
Rubric:
1 – insufficient evidence of learning ( U) 2 – adequate evidence of learning (C)
3 – good understanding of material (B) 4 – excellent grasp of material (A)
Inquiries, Labs, Text
Questions, United
Streaming, Discussion with
Advisor, Chapters 15, 16,
17-1,17-2, 17-4
Adaptations, Dichotomous
Key packets, Virtual Lab
#15
February
March
April
May
Systems and
Relationships of
the Kingdoms:
Protista, Monera,
Fungi, Plantae,
Animalia
Systems and
Relationships of
the Kingdoms:
Protista, Monera,
Fungi, Plantae,
Animalia
Human biology
June
Inquiries, Labs, Text
Questions, United
Streaming, Discussion with
Advisor, Chapters 18, 19
Flower Dissection lab
Inquiries, Labs, Text
Questions, United
Streaming, Discussion with
Advisor, Chapters 20, 21, 22,
25, 26, 30, 32,33 (Selected
sections). Virtual Labs #16,
#17
Inquiries, Labs,Text
Questions, United
Streaming, Discussion with
Advisor
Assessment