Biology Syllabus

Ms. Hughes
Biology G/T
Course Syllabus: Biology

In this course we will be using the textbook Biology by Miller and Levine, published by Prentice Hall. The following is an approximate guideline for the topics and chapters we will be learning in each quarter of the school year.

In May, all biology students will be taking the biology high school assessment (HSA), which will count as a graduation requirement for all incoming freshmen. In preparation for the HSA, we will have quarterly, county-written assessments which mirror the HSA in content and format.

Unit I: Chemistry of Life
· Properties of water (polarity, density, solvent properties, inorganic)
· Characteristics, structure, and function of organic compounds (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids)
· Theories of enzyme action and factors (temperature, pH, concentration) affecting enzyme activity
· Role of vitamins and minerals in enzymatic reactions

Unit II: Cells and Homeostasis
· Comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
· Structure and function of cellular organelles (cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplast, and ribosomes)
· Mechanisms of movement in unicellular and multicellular organisms
· Role of the cell membrane and effect of temperature on cellular transport (osmosis, diffusion, active and passive transport, endocytosis, exocytosis)
· Structure and function of basic body systems

Unit III: Energy Transfer and Use
· Basic molecules involved in photosynthesis and cellular respiration
· Flow of energy between sunlight to high-energy chemical compounds
· Environmental factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis and cellular respiration
· Differentiation between anaerobic and aerobic respiration
· Structure and function of vascular tissue in multicellular plants

Unit IV: Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
· Structure and function of the DNA molecule, genes, and chromosomes
· Asexual cellular reproduction (binary fission, budding, and vegetative reproduction)
· Phases of the eukaryotic cell reproductive cycle in plants and animals (mitosis)
· Structure, function, and location of mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA
· Transcription and translation

Unit V: Genetics
· Formation of gametes through meiosis
· Dominant and recessive genetic traits
· Prediction of inherited traits based on parental traits
· Sex determination and sex-linked inheritance in humans
· Co-dominance, incomplete dominance, polygenic inheritance, and multiple alleles
· Genetic and chromosomal mutations and their inheritance
· Current uses of biotechnology and corresponding ethical issues

Unit VI: Evolution, Classification, and Diversity
· Evidence of evolution (fossil record, biochemistry, embryology, and comparative anatomy)
· Mechanisms of evolutionary change (genetic variation, environmental changes, and natural selection)
· Selective advantages and disadvantages of given characteristics and traits
· Linnaeus' system of classification and binomial nomenclature

Unit VII: Ecology
· Impact of abiotic and biotic factors on an ecosystem
· Major roles of living organisms (producer, consumer, decomposer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore) and their trophic levels
· Characteristics of ecological biomes
· Ecological recycling systems (carbon, nitrogen, water)
· Factors contributing to stability of an environment
· Return to stability through primary/secondary succession