Course Syllabus
Biology A

Description

This is the first segment of a two-semester course sequence. The Biology course is a two-segment study that builds on the foundations of life science, scientific practices, and scientific thinking skills. In this course, students will explore the relationships between living things and their environments. Students will develop an understanding of biological concepts through scientific inquiry, investigations, interactive experiences, higher-order thinking, real-world applications, interpreting and collecting data, and virtual and hands-on experiences. The key big ideas of the Biology course are molecular, cellular, heredity, evolution, classification, organisms, populations, and ecosystems. Students will enhance their mastery of biological concepts, which will enable them to make real-world connections and apply their understanding to everyday life. Prerequisites:  None

Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...

• Identify the different types of biology
• Explain scientific processes and investigation
• Describe each step of the scientific method
• Differentiate between repetition and replication
• Analyze data and draw conclusion
• Describe the structure and function of each macromolecule
• Explain why macromolecules are essential for living things
• Explain the origins of life on Earth
• Describe the properties of water
• Differentiate between the different types of cells
• Describe each type of microscope
• Identify the parts of the microscope
• Describe the structure and function of cell organelles
• Explain how materials are transported through the cell membrane
• Differentiate between passive and active transport
• Describe the function of ATP
• Explain what happens to ATP when it is broken down
• Identify the products of photosynthesis and cellular respiration
• Explain how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are interrelated
• Describe each phase of the cell cycle
• Explain what happens if cell division is not regulated
• Describe the function of DNA and RNA
• Explain DNA replication
• Explain transcription and translation
• Describe the different types of mutations
• Create a monohybrid and dihybrid cross
• Explain how genetics is passed down from parent to offspring
• Describe the different types of biotechnology
• Explain the benefits and disadvantages of biotechnology

Course Outline:

Module 01: Foundations of Biology

Module 02: Life’s Origins

Module 03: Cell Reproduction

Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.

Additional Costs: Student-supplied Lab Materials: Students need to supply the following materials to complete the coursework for Lesson 02.04 Membrane Transport (The materials required for the hands-on option are listed; use only these specified materials when opting for the hands-on approach).

• 3 Raw eggs
• String or thread or yarn (or kitchen scale)
• Ruler (or kitchen scale)
• White vinegar
• Tap water
• Syrup
• 3 Cups

Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final score out of total points earned will be submitted to your school mentor for conversion to their own letter grading system.

Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.

Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.

Ensure that your school or district network and device administrator establishes network access permissions or exceptions for online resources relevant to the course in which you are choosing to enroll. Ref., Michigan Virtual Course Allow List

Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements.

Lightweight devices such as Apple iPads, Google Chromebooks, and tablets have limited support for Java or Flash which still appear in a small percentage of our catalog. While FLVS does not offer technical support for these devices, FLVS is working to remove Flash from their remaining course content. Students will need extra work-around steps or alternate browsers to engage with some portions of those courses. FLVS recommends students have a Windows or Mac based computer available to complete coursework in the event that your selected mobile device does not meet the needs of the course. Fully supported Operating Systems for FLVS courses include Windows (10 or higher) and MacOS (11 or higher). Supported Browsers include the most recent versions of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari on devices that support Java and HTML5. Browsers need to be up to date, and some FLVS courses may require installation or enabling of the following Plug-ins: JavaScript enabled, Cookies enabled, Java installed. https://www.flvs.net/student-parent-resources/more/system-requirements

Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.

Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building, discussion-based assessments (one-on-one conversations with your teacher), and other forms of authentic assessments.

Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:

• Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• Download and install software
• Use a messaging service similar to email
• Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• Open attachments shared in messages
• Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
• Save a file as a .pdf
• Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• Insert images or links into a file or html editor
• Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• Use presentation and graphics programs
• Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• Create and maintain usernames and passwords

Additional Information: This course has material requirements for completion of select assessments. See the Additional Costs field of the syllabus for details.