HINSDALE SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE
Course: Biology
Date:10/7/09
Topic/Unit:1 The Scale and Scope of Biology
Designer(s):Lapetino, Townsend, Hallihan, Gaubatz, Conyer, Malas
Chapters/Resources:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3: pp. 118-121 - Carbon
Course Goals
GOAL 1: Understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments and solve problems.
GOAL 2: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences.
GOAL 3: Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.
Enduring Understandings
Understand that life adheres to specific, predictable patterns and rules
Understand that biologists approach their discipline in a unique way
Pattern 1: Life builds/organizes from the bottom up
1.
Essential Questions
Course Objectives: Students will be able to…
GOLD = Biology AR Concept to be covered later in the academic year
RED = chemistry
BROWN = Geophysics
BLUE = Honors
BOLD = “Essential”; NON-BOLD = “Non-essential”
Use the skills (data analysis, measurements, graphing, inference/observation, qualitative/quantitative,
independent/dependent variables, statistics) and identify the approaches to the science method
(controlled experiment, case study, field study) Biologist use to analyze scientific issues.
a. Compare biologists’ approach to a problem to that of another discipline (biology v.
chemistry/physics AND biology v. English/math/social studies).
Apply statistical knowledge to a data set (p-value, SEM, r-value).
b. Apply the metric system to real world situations.
Differentiate between an observation and an inference.
Given a graph/table, determine the scientific design (IV/DV, type of experiment,
experimental questions, conclusion).
Given a scenario, identify the appropriate study type to answer the question.
DuPage/State Framework Item(s)
SciProcess 2, 3, 4, 6
Create a graph and draw a logical conclusion for a given data set.
c. Apply metric system prefixes as used in Biological systems (nano, micro, milli, cm, kilo).
Given an experiment, identify the IV/DV.
Identify the type of study being performed.
Identify the control group/experimental group in a given experiment.
What is the purpose of a control group?
Given a data set, determine if it is quantitative or qualitative.
Given a graph, answer questions about the graph.
2. Explain how the scope of Biology ranges from the microscopic to macroscopic and how the
scope changes the way a biologist works (levels of organization, emergent properties/patterns)
a. Describe what an emergent property/pattern is.
Explain how life is an example of an emergent property of chemistry.
b. Give an example of an emergent property/pattern.
Describe the significance of carbon’s important chemical properties
c. What are the benefits and drawbacks of using a model?
Describe microscopic v. macroscopic and give examples of each.
List the levels of organization in order from subatomic particles to biosphere.
Give examples of atoms and molecules common to life. CHNOPS, CO2, H2O, O2
3. Describe the general patterns of Biology and connect them to real-world situations
a. Given a scenario, identify the patterns
b. Link the general patterns of Biology to the classic “Characteristics of life”
Evaluate the classification of a virus as non-living entity using the characteristics of life.
c. Match the pattern to its correct definition/explanation
Explain in your own words what each pattern means
Connect the characteristics of life to an example
Use the characteristics of life to describe a virus.
Key Labs and Investigations
1. Connection between Chemistry and Biology demo stations
2. Scientific method lab: plants in the light and dark
3. Match scenarios/situations to the pattern they display
4. Start (worm) compost activity – refer back later when doing
matter cycling (figure out activities, one per room)
Ecology 1
SciProcess 1
Reading, ACT, Writing.
Read the text, defining “key vocabulary” as you read (in your own words)
Read and analyze current research (science publications and popular writing)
and apply scientific method knowledge.
Evaluation conclusions to determine if it appropriate for the data (is there
bias?).
Vocabulary
Chapter 1
Atom
Cell
UniMultiMolecule
NanoMicroMacroUnity
Diversity
Homologous
Inference
Hypothesis
Smallest unit of matter
Smallest unit that exhibits characteristics of life
One (unicellular)
Many (multicellular)
More than one atoms bonded together to make a new substance
One-billionth of… (nanometer)
Smaller than can be seen with the unaided eye (microscopic)
Visible with the unaided eye (macroscopic)
Having much in common
Having differences
Having similarities (structure/form)
Logical statement based on observations
Logical, testable prediction based on observations
Chapter 2
Observation
Qualitative
Quantitative
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Optimize
Maximize
Opportunistic
DNA
Gene
Protein
Membrane
Mutation
Polarity
Density
Solution
Using one’s senses to record facts
Observation/data without numbers
Observation/data that involves numbers
Factor that is directly changed by the experimenter
Factor that changes due to the experiment/independent variable (measurable)
Balance many factors to be most effective
One factor is favored over all others
Takes advantage of each situation for gain
Molecules that make up the code found in genes;
Instructions for proteins
Molecule that directly determines physical/chemical characteristics
Thin-walled structure that controls passage of materials in and out of a cell
A change in DNA that leads to variation
Having a slight positive end and slight negative end
The amount of matter in a certain amount of space
A mixture of at least two substances that has the same appearance throughout
Solvent
Adaptation
Response
Feedback loop
Interdependent
A substance that dissolves another substance
Something you’re born with that helps you survive
Action (chemical or physical) that happens because of a change
A responsive loop that says “too much” or “not enough”, and makes a correction
When two or more things depend on each other
Guiding Questions – Chapter 1
Section 1.1
1. What vocabulary words are mentioned in this section? There are three of them.
2. What’s the connection between these words and how a whale arm is like yours?
Section 1.2
3. The most important elements in living things are shown on p. 6. What are they?
4. Is a nanometer large or small? Why is it used so frequently pages 6-9?
5. Relate the phrase “life depends on these frequent and vigorous collisions” on page 4 to the Kinetic Molecular Theory.
Section 1.3
6. What does the prefix “nano-“ mean?
7. Put the following in order of largest to smallest: mm, km, nm, cm, µm.
8. Which units from the question above would you use to measure the following?
a. Bacterial cell
b. A ribosome
c. A continent
d. A ship
e. A marble
9. On page 10, which part of Pascal’s quote relates to the macroscopic side of Biology and which part relates to the microscopic side of Biology?
10. How does Robert Hooke’s work with the microscope relate to Blaise Pascal’s writing about imaginative powers?
11. How does imaginative powers relate to inferences?
Section 1.4
12. Using the picture on page 14, why bother to connect the “world of molecules” with the world you can see around you?
13. Why is it important to have both a reductionist and a holistic viewpoint? Relate these two terms to the phrase “can’t see the forest for the trees.”
Section 1.6
14. From your chemistry class, you’ve had experiences with models of atoms and molecules. Why are models helpful in Biology? What are the strengths and
weaknesses of models?
15. Look at the illustration on pages 18 and 19; write down the chapter titles you see at the bottom of the picture of the folded page, then write what they seem to
be about, and circle the one you think would be the most interesting to you (and why); put an “X” next to the one you think looks least interesting to you (and
why).
Chapter 2:
Patterns work:
1. Write down each section title, and choose at least two from the following to write about:
a.
b.
c.
Explain what this means in your own words
Explain how the main picture in each section connects to the section title
Give an example from the text, relating it to the title of the section
Guiding Questions – Chapter 3
1. What characteristic of carbon allows it to be the main atom of biological chemicals?