Learning Recommendations: Successful completion of SCI125 - Chemistry Lab Methods and proficiency in lab technique, grade level reading, and graphing

General Description: 

• This is a year-long course which fulfills a lab science requirement for graduation and college entrance.
• Biology provides a knowledge base that helps students understand the nature of life, and prepares them to make informed decisions about health, medicine, genetics, and the environment.
• There is an emphasis on using the scientific practices, focusing on developing and using models, constructing explanations, and engaging in evidenced-based reasoning.
• Successful completion of this course supports students as they prepare for the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS).
• This course fulfills college prep requirements as outlined by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) as a lab-based Science course.

Content: Students will be actively engaged in learning and experiencing the following:

• Ecology, specifically matter and energy in ecosystems, population dynamics, and human impact on the biosphere
• Cellular biology, energetics, cell growth, and division
• Classification and relationship among organisms
• Genetics, including molecular molecular inheritance, genetic regulation of processes, and biotechnology
• Evolution of populations, biodiversity, and modern classification
• Ecosystem interactions, including group behavior

Skills Taught in this Course:

• Laboratory techniques
• Use and care of microscopes
• Problem solving and critical thinking strategies
• Data analysis and graphing techniques

Strategies: Students will learn through a combination of:

• Lecture/discussion
• Inquiry-based laboratory work
• Critical thinking exercises
• Multimedia offerings (computer simulations, video features)
• Online textbook, web activities and reinforcement
• Demonstrations (teacher or student directed)
• Student project and research
• Cooperative learning
• Interdisciplinary applications are used when appropriate/possible
• Communication
• Scientific inquiry

Equipment to be provided by Student: set of colored pencils, journal or notebook, basic calculator, 3-ring binder, bound composition book (graph paper preferred), No. 2 pencils, 2 colors of pen