Integrated Biology
OVERVIEW
The Integrated Biology course conceptualizes foundational life and Earth science core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. It combines life science, Earth and space science, and engineering design standards. Students in Integrated Biology develop an understanding of critical concepts that help them make sense of the interactions between life science and Earth and space science. Students in Integrated Biology also continue their ability to develop possible solutions for major global problems with engineering design challenges. At the high school level, students are expected to engage with major global issues at the interface of science, technology, society, and the environment and to bring to light the kinds of analytical and strategic thinking that prior training and increased maturity make possible.
MAJOR TOPICS AND CONCEPTS
Foundations Of Biology:
- Science processes
- Observations and inferences
- Historical frame of reference—scientists and explorers
- Theory vs. law; science vs. pseudoscience
- Properties of carbon atoms
- Organic compounds (Honors)
- Carbohydrates/proteins/lipids/nucleic acids
- The origin of life on Earth
- Universal genetic code
- Anaerobic respiration (Honors)
- Glycolysis (Honors)
- Discovery of cells
Life Origins:
- Technology/microscopes
- Properties of water
- Cell theory
- Theory of endosymbiosis (Honors)
- Cell membrane
- Osmosis/diffusion
- Active transport
- Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
- Comparison of plant and animal cells
- Energy and ATP
- Cell respiration
- Fermentation
- Krebs cycle/Calvin cycle
- Stages of photosynthesis
- Light-dependent/Independent reactions
Cell Reproduction:
- Cell cycle
- Cell cycle signaling (Honors)
- Mitosis
- Meiosis
- Binary fission (Honors)
- Cancer
- History of genetics
- Discovery of DNA and its role in genetics and heredity
- DNA replication (Honors)
- Protein synthesis (Honors)
- Principles of genetics and heredity
- Mutations
- Biotechnology
Earth’s Diversity:
- Levels of organization
- Biotic and abiotic factors
- Energy in the ecosystem
- The flow of matter and energy (Honors)
- Food chains and food webs
- Climate/climate zones
- Biomes
- Marine ecosystems
- Habitat/niche
- Successions
- Populations
- Threats to biodiversity
- Air/water quality
- Human population growth
- Cycling matter
- Making informed decisions
- Earth’s hydrologic and biogeochemical cycles (Honors)
Scientific Connections:
- Theories on evolution
- Catastrophism/gradualism/uniformitarianism
- Evidence of evolution
- Artificial selection
- Natural selection
- Patterns of evolution
- Primate evolution
- Molecular evolution (Honors)
Classification And Diversity:
- Classification systems of living organisms
- Classification systems of nonliving things (Honors)
- Introduction to the kingdoms of life
- Taxonomy of bacteria
- Viruses vs. bacteria
- Taxonomy of protists
- General characteristics of protists
- Taxonomy of fungi
- General characteristics of fungi
- Taxonomy of plants
- Adaptations of plants
- Structure and function in plants
- Importance of plants
- Plant reproduction, pollination
- Fruits, seeds, seed dispersal
- Taxonomy of animals
- Characteristics of invertebrates
- Characteristics of vertebrates
Human Systems:
- Nervous and endocrine systems
- Cell signaling (Honors)
- Respiratory and circulatory systems
- Feedback mechanisms (Honors)
- Digestive and excretory systems
- Muscular/skeletal/integumentary systems
- Reproductive system
- Immune system
Life And Earth’s Systems:
- Interactions of Earth’s systems
- Factors contributing to climate
- Earth’s impact on human populations
- Impacts of natural resources on biodiversity and human populations
- Human activities impact on natural systems
- Global challenges
HONORS:
- Identify art, art tools, art rules, and correct behavior
- Elements of art: line, shape, color, and space
- Identify different elements of art and how they are used in artwork
- Types of lines and shapes
- Pigments, hue, intensity, and value
- Contrast and scale
Fee Details
| Program | Regular | Honors |
| Fee | $ 558 | $ 583 |
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