Syllabus Life Science B Course Overview Life Science is a branch of natural science that deals with the structure and behavior of living organisms. You will learn about the diversity of life on Earth and how to make sense of the systems and events in nature. In Life Science B, you will begin by studying how traits are passed from one generation to the next. You ll follow the flow of energy and matter in an environment as you study relationships among organisms in an ecosystem. You will study ways to prevent disease, and understand the stages of human reproduction and development. Finally, you ll take a look at evolution and natural selection, and see how scientists use fossils to establish the geologic timescale. Course Goals By the end of this course, you will be able to do the following: Explore the role of DNA with respect to genes and traits. Understand the meaning of heredity, genetic variation, and biotechnology. Follow the flow of energy and matter through an environment. Distinguish between different levels in a food chain, food web, and energy pyramid. Describe how life on Earth depends on energy from the Sun. Differentiate between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem. Explain the stages of human reproduction and development. Know ways to prevent communicable and noncommunicable disease. Understand the impact that diet and exercise have on maintaining weight. Describe changes that have occurred in organisms throughout human history. Observe the eras created by scientists to identify periods of time. Identify key principles of conservation and their impact on life on Earth. Examine how human beings use technology and the effect it has on the environment. General Skills To participate in this course, you should be able to do the following: Complete basic operations with word processing software, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Perform online research using various search engines and library databases. 1 2013 EDMENTUM, INC.
For a complete list of general skills that are required for participation in online courses, refer to the Prerequisites section of the Plato Student Orientation document, found at the beginning of this course. Credit Value Life Science B is a 0.5-credit course. Course Materials Notebook Basic calculator Computer with Internet connection and speakers or headphones Microsoft Word or equivalent Course Pacing Guide This course description and pacing guide is intended to help you keep on schedule with your work. Note that your course instructor may modify the schedule to meet the specific needs of your class. Unit 1: Genetics and Heredity Summary In this unit, you will explore the role of DNA with respect to genes and traits, as well as heredity, genetic variation, and biotechnology. Day Activity/Objective Type 1 2 8 Syllabus and Plato Student Orientation Review the Plato Student Orientation and Course Syllabus at the beginning of this course. Genes and Traits Identify components of DNA and how they fit together in a double helix. Match the terms chromosome, gene, trait, and protein to their definitions. Distinguish between examples of DNA and RNA. Identify examples of chromosomes, genes, traits, and proteins. Predict what would happen if a copy of a gene were not transferred from parent to offspring. Predict the general effect of changing DNA sequences (mutation) on the traits exhibited by an organism. 2 Course Orientation
6 days: 9 14 5 days: 15 19 Sequence steps in transcription and translation. Heredity Match the terms genotype, phenotype, homozygous, and heterozygous to their descriptions or definitions. Match the terms dominant, recessive, complete dominance, codominance, and incomplete dominance to their descriptions or definitions. Distinguish between a male and a female karyotype. Distinguish between phenotypes and genotypes given genetic information and/or an illustration of organisms. Identify examples of incomplete dominance and complete dominance when presented with information about dominant and recessive alleles and phenotypic or genotypic information. Predict the genotypic or phenotypic outcome in individual quadrants of a Punnett square given a cross between two organisms. Predict the gender of offspring in any quadrant of a Punnett square when given a cross between a male and a female or be able to tell the genotype of either parent given the outcome of the cross. Build Punnett squares for a cross between two organisms exhibiting incomplete dominance. Build a pedigree for a genetic trait. Assign phenotypes in a cross between two organisms in which one allele has complete dominance over the other and the genotypes are shown in a Punnett square. Genetic Variation and Biotechnology Identify benefits or disadvantages to sexual or asexual reproductive strategies. Observe the disadvantages of inbreeding and benefits of selective breeding. Distinguish between examples of inbreeding, selective breeding, and genetic engineering given illustrations and descriptions of organisms. Distinguish among examples of sexual and asexual reproduction. Predict beneficial or deleterious effects of selective breeding or inbreeding. Predict the effect of different reproductive strategies (sexual, asexual, selective breeding) on variation or survival. Sequence steps involved in producing recombinant DNA. 3
20 Apply a selective breeding strategy to create hypothetical offspring with a desired trait. Sequence important steps for transferring a gene from one organism to another. Posttest Unit 1 Unit 2: Organisms and Their Environment Summary In this unit, you will explore the flow of energy throughout your environment while observing the roles of biotic and abiotic factors. Day Activity/Objective Type 21 27 2 days: 28 29 Flow of Energy and Matter in Nature Identify the functions of producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem and match terms to their descriptions. Identify food sources of various consumers (herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, and scavengers) in an ecosystem and be able to match terms to their descriptions. Identify important steps in the water cycle (evaporation and condensation), the nitrogen cycle (nitrogen fixation by bacteria and lightning), and the carbon/oxygen cycle (role of plants and animals with respect to O2/CO2). Match the primary and secondary succession, pioneer species, and climax community to their descriptions/definitions. Distinguish among the different levels in a food web: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, and decomposers. Distinguish among examples of food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids. Predict what will happen at a particular step or if a step were removed in one of the carbon/oxygen, nitrogen, and water cycles, build a food chain, and identify roles of organisms in a food web. Interdependence of Life Analyze and describe how life on Earth depends on energy from the sun. Describe how the Sun affects the relationship between producers, consumers, and decomposers. Offline 4
30 36 37 5 days: 38 42 Living with the Environment Match various levels of biological organization (species, population, community, and ecosystem) to their descriptions. Identify the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem. Match the terms habitat and niche to their descriptions or definitions. Distinguish between examples of abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem. Distinguish among examples of competition, symbiosis, and predation in communities. Distinguish among examples of population size, spacing, and density. Distinguish among different types of symbioses (commensalism, mutualism, or parasitism). Predict the effect of changing certain limiting factors on carrying capacity, population growth/decline, or survival. Discover how to live harmoniously with our flora and fauna. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Observe how human beings use technology to match or exceed many of the abilities of other species and that humans have exceeded the ability of other animals in transportation and travel, although not been without a cost to the environment and its inhabitants. Maintaining Conditions for Life Identify plant tropisms and many animal homeostatic responses as being controlled by hormones. Identify that many rapid responses in animals result from stimuli affecting the nervous system. Match the terms innate and learned behavior to their descriptions. Match the terms stimulus and response to their descriptions. Distinguish between examples of internal and external stimuli. Distinguish between examples of innate and learned responses. Predict a homeostatic response to an internal or external stimulus. Predict a behavioral response to an internal or external stimulus. Select the stimulus that may have provoked a certain behavior (e.g., plant bending toward light). Webtivity 5
43 44 50 51 The Environment and You Determine that the environment may contain dangerous levels of substances that are harmful to human beings, therefore understanding that the good health of individuals requires monitoring the soil, air, and water as well as taking steps to keep them safe. Biomes and Biodiversity Match a geographic or environmental characteristic to a particular biome or ecosystem. Identify advantages of preserving biodiversity, conservation, minimizing pollution, and not introducing non-native species. Distinguish among examples of different terrestrial or aquatic biomes. Distinguish among examples of pollution, loss of habitat, nonnative species, over-hunting, and overpopulation. Predict what would happen if an organism had a certain characteristic or lacked a certain characteristic adapted to a particular biome. Predict potential consequences of environmental problems or a solution to a particular environmental problem (pollution, loss of habitat, deforestation, non-native species introduction, overhunting, and overpopulation). Posttest Unit 2 Webtivity Unit 3: Human Health and Reproduction Summary In this unit, you will explore the factors that impact human health and a human s ability to reproduce. Day Activity/Objective Type 8 days: 52 59 Immunity and Preventing Disease Identify the meaning of disease, bacteria, virus, germ, and pathogen. Match the terms antibiotic, antiseptic, vaccine, and disinfectant to their description. Identify components of the human immune system and the immune response. 6
2 days: 60 61 2 days: 62 63 6 days: 64 69 70 Distinguish between communicable and noncommunicable disease. Distinguish among ways to prevent communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Predict ways to prevent communicable diseases given a scenario and potential options. Predict ways that lifestyle, exposure, or genetic factors may result in a specific noncommunicable disease. Predict immunological or technological methods beneficial in preventing or curing a certain disease. Arrange Koch s postulates in the proper order to identify a disease. Bird Flu Observe how technology has improved disease prevention and analyze how these improvements have improved people s lives and longevity. Childhood Obesity Observe that the amount of food energy (calories) a person requires varies with body weight, age, gender, activity level, and natural body efficiency. Understand that regular exercise is important to maintain a healthy heart/lung system, good muscle tone, and strong bone structure. Human Reproduction and Development Match reproductive structures to their descriptions/definitions. Identify the number of chromosomes in cells involved in human reproduction. Distinguish among the placenta, umbilical cord, and amniotic sac based on descriptions of their functions or structure. Distinguish among developmental stages in the human life cycle. Distinguish among each of the three trimesters given two characteristics of the developing offspring in each. Choose the correct order of terms (zygote, embryo, fetus, infant, child, adolescent, and adult) used for individuals in various stages of development. Predict outcomes of fertilization differences that lead to the development of twins or single offspring. Predict potential consequences or benefits of reproductive processes being highly specific. Posttest Unit 3 7 Offline Offline
Unit 4: Change Over Time Summary In this unit, you will explore changes that have occurred in human history, observing the eras created by science to identify periods of time. Day Activity/Objective Type 71 77 78 84 Evolution and Natural Selection Match evolution terms (evolution, natural and artificial selection, diversity, adaptation, mutation, migration, isolation, adaptive radiation, etc.) to their definitions or descriptions. Distinguish between natural and artificial selection. Identify examples of each of the four points of the theory of natural selection. Distinguish among four different forms of speciation (mutation, migration, isolation, and adaptive radiation) or identify an example in a list that does not pertain to a particular type of speciation event. Predict an outcome of an environmental change on gene frequencies given information about the survival advantage/disadvantage conferred by a particular characteristic or gene. Predict whether or not evolution will occur in a species given information about gene frequencies and changes in an environment. Fossils and the Geologic Timescale Match key terms (extinction, fossil, geologic time scale, mass extinction) to their descriptions or definitions. Match key terms (extinction, fossil, geologic time scale, mass extinction) to their descriptions or definitions. Match a type of fossil to its general category, definition, or description. Distinguish examples of different types of fossils given their characteristics or where they are found. Discriminate among the four eras (Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic) in the geologic time scale using information about different organisms and climates. Distinguish among periods of rapid species divergence and mass extinction given information about species numbers and resources. Predict the relative age of a fossil given information about other 8
3 days: 85 87 88 89 90 fossils (index) and a fossil's position in a sedimentary layer. Predict whether a species is more likely to change over time or go extinct given information about a species and a type of change that has/will occur(ed) and match key terms (extinction, fossil, geologic time scale, mass extinction) to their descriptions or definitions. Biotic and Abiotic Factors Describe the differences between substances that were produced by living organisms (biotic substances) and substances that result from non-living processes (abiotic substances). Posttest Unit 4 Semester Review End-of-Semester Test Offline 9