LIVING ENVIRONMENT Long Term Plan

Semester I

SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Unit Time Topics Lab
1 2 Days Organization— 1. Lab Safety
class rules & procedures, contract, book distribution, groupwork
activities
3 Days Metric System

5 Days Scientific Method— 2. Scientific Method

hypothesis, inference/theory/law, designing controlled
experiments, control vs. experimental groups, dependent and
independent variables, data analysis, conclusions
2 Days Graphing 3. Tools of a Biologist
4 Days Making Connections (State Lab)
In-class lab
1 Day Characteristics of Life Activity: live or not
Homeostasis, nutrition, cellular respiration, synthesis, panel
circulation, excretion, regulation, reproduction
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam

ECOLOGY
Unit Time Topics Lab
2 1 Day Levels of Organization— 4. Intro to Ecology
Atoms—molecules—organelles—cells—tissues—organs—
organism…
1 Day Biosphere Organization—
...organism—population—community—ecosystem—biome—
biosphere, abiotic, biotic
5 Days Nutritional Relationships— 5. Lesson of the
Autotrophs, heterotrophs, producers, consumers, decomposers, Kaibob
carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, predators, prey, scavengers,
symbiosis, food chain, food web
1 Day Symbiotic Relationships— 6. Nutritional
Parasitism, mutualism, communalism Relationships
1 Day Energy Pyramid—
10% rule
1 Day Material Cycles—
Water, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus
2 Days Ecological Succession—
Primary succession, secondary succession, pioneer species,
climax community, benefits of biodiversity
1 Day Population Growth— 7. Eagle Population
Overpopulation, carrying capacity (2 weeks)
1 Day Stable Ecosystems—
Niche, habitat, succession, biodiversity, predators
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam
 HUMAN IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEMS
Unit Time Topics Lab
4 3 Days Human Impact on Ecosystems—
Positive vs. negative: conservation of species and resources,
recycling, water treatment, crop rotation, bioremediation vs.
chemicals, industrialization, nuclear fuels, technology, erosion,
desertification, direct harvesting, habitat destruction, fertilizers,
land/water/air pollution, acid rain, ozone shield damage
1 Day Species Populations—
Foreign, endangered, threatened, carrying capacity
1 Day Resources—
Renewable, non-renewable, impact of resource availability on
ecosystems
1 Day Dynamic Equilibrium—
Stable ecosystems (extension): impact of water cycle
contamination on ecosystems (food chain & energy cycle),
greenhouse effect vs. impact of global warming on biosphere
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam 8. Acid Rain

Midterm

CELLS
Unit Time Topics Lab
4 4 Days Cell Structure— 9. Preparing a Wet
Cell theory, organelles: nucleus, cell membrane, cell wall, Mount
vacuoles, cytoplasm, mitochondria, ribosome, chloroplast, plant
cells vs. animal cells
2 Days Cellular Transport—
Cell membrane function, diffusion, osmosis, active transport,
passive transport
3 Days Diffusion (State Lab) 10. Plant & Animal
Cells
1 Day Cellular Communication—
Hormone communicators, receptors
1 Day Photosynthesis—
Chloroplast function, equation
1 Day Photosynthesis vs. Respiration
1 Day Enzymes—
Influences, functions, Ph
1 Day Brief Review of organelles related to life functions 11. Urinalysis
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam
 BODY SYSTEMS
Unit Time Topics Lab
5 1 Day Homeostasis & Feedback Systems—
1 Day Digestive System— 12. Dissection
Diffusion, enzymes, pH, villi (2 weeks)
1 Day Respiratory System—
Diffusion, alveoli, circulation
1 Day Circulatory System—
Diffusion
1 Day Excretory System—
Diffusion, nephron
1 Day Nervous System—
Neurons, receptors, neurochemicals, hormones
1 Day Endocrine System—
Hormone regulation (appetite, sleep, behavior), reproduction
1 Day Immune System—
White blood cells, pathogens, antigens (foreign proteins),
antibodies
1 Day Immunity—
Passive immunity, active immunity, aids
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam

Semester II

REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Unit Time Topics Lab
1 2 Days Methods of Reproduction— 1. Frog Mitosis
Asexual, sexual, external fertilization, internal fertilization
laying eggs, live young, many offspring (overproduction), few
offspring
1 Day Mitosis—
Interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase
2 Days Asexual Reproduction—
Binary fission, budding, sporulation, regeneration, vegetative
propagation,
1 Day Meiosis—
Gametes (ova/sperm) ogenesis/spermatogenesis, haploid,
diploid, chromosomes, genetic variation
4 Days Sexual Reproduction— 2. Fetal Growth
Fertilization, reproductive anatomy (testes, vas deferens, ovaries,
oviducts, bladder, vagina, penis, uterus), placenta
1 Day Fertilization & Development—
Zygote, embryo, differentiation, fetal health, cloning
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam
 GENETICS
Unit Time Topics Lab
2 2 Days Major Concepts— 3. Strawberry DNA
recombination, independent assortment, hereditary,
heterozygous, homozygous, recessive, dominant, co-dominant,
incomplete dominance, alleles, traits, phenotype, genotype
1 Day DNA—
Nucleus, chromosomes, shape, base pairs, nucleotides
1 Day Proteins—
shape, enzymes, expression, environmental conditions
2 Days Protein Synthesis— 4. Genotype &
transcription/translation, codons, amino acids, shape/function Phenotype
1 Day Mutations—
causes: mutagens, random, harmful/beneficial
effects: cancer, passed to offspring, ancestry
2 Days Recombinant DNA & Bioengineering—
cloning, splicing, restriction enzyme, plasmid
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam 5. Gel Electrophoresis

EVOLUTION
Unit Time Topics Lab
3 1 Day Geologic Record—
Earth history, fossils, carbon dating, rock type, Pangaea
1 Day Evidence of Evolution—
Homologous structures, embryology, fossils, biochemistry/DNA
(gel electrophoresis) geographic location
3 Days Natural Selection— 6. Classification of
Darwin, survival of the fittest, adaptive value, geographic & Sharks
reproductive isolation, shared characteristics, niche, competition,
speciation, overproduction, mutation, extinction, genetic
variation. [Contrast with: Lamarck, acquired characteristics, use
and disuse]
1 Day Phylogenic Trees (Cladograms) & Dichotomous Keys—
Taxonomy, speciation, extinction, common ancestors
3 Days Beaks of Finches (State Lab) 7. Cladograms
4 Days Relationships & Biodiversity (State Lab)
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam 8. Fossils

Midterm (mid-way through Evolution unit)

 HUMAN IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEMS
Unit Time Topics Lab
4 3 Days Human Impact on Ecosystems— 9. Water Pollution
Positive vs. negative: conservation of species and resources,
recycling, water treatment, crop rotation, bioremediation vs.
chemicals, industrialization, nuclear fuels, technology, erosion,
desertification, direct harvesting, habitat destruction, fertilizers,
land/water/air pollution, acid rain, ozone shield damage
1 Day Species Populations—
Foreign, endangered, threatened, carrying capacity
1 Day Resources—
Renewable, non-renewable, impact of resource availability on
ecosystems
1 Day Dynamic Equilibrium— 10. Scientific Method
Stable ecosystems (extension): impact of water cycle
contamination on ecosystems (food chain & energy cycle),
greenhouse effect vs. impact of global warming on biosphere
3 Days Vocab Activity/Review/Exam

REGENTS REVIEW

*All time requirements are estimated.

Overarching Questions and AIMS

Biology: A Human Approach

BEING HUMAN: OUR ORIGINS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

What is Biology and why do we study it?

What is Biology?
Are Humans Animals?
What does it mean to be alive?
Big Themes in Biology
Why should we study biology?
What is the nature of science?
Science, Religion and Art and the questions they answer

Should we care about the environment?

Ecology

Where did humans come from?

Origin of Life
Intro to bio molecules and basic biochemistry
Cells
Cellular Transport
Cell growth and division (mitosis and meiosis)
BEING HUMAN: COMPARATIVE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

How do living things obtain and use energy?

Sexual vs. Asexual Reproduction
Respiratory System
Digestive System
Excretory System
Worm Dissection

How do living things respond to their environment?

Defense mechanisms
Tropisms
Nervous System
Integumentary System
Skeletal and muscular system

How do living things maintain homeostasis?

Homeostasis
Immune System
Endocrine System
Circulatory System

How do living things grow and develop?

Developmental anatomy
Lifecycles

How do living things reproduce?

Sexual vs. Asexual Reproduction
Reproductive System
Dogfish Dissection

Should humans “create” life?

Frankenstein
Genetics
Biotechnology

Why is there so much diversity in the living world?

Evolution (introduce DNA and genes)
Natural Selection
Human Evolution
Classification
Are humans cheating evolution?