General Biology (Honors)

This course is a robust, thorough investigation into the major areas of life science. General Biology, by Heather Ayala and Katie Rogstad, Novare Science & Math, is an inspiring and engaging text that speaks to students through quality language and thorough explanations. It begins with the characteristics of all living organisms ad the chemistry behind their life functions then delves into the wonders of the cell and how it is structured and created to thrive and multiply. The second half of the text examines the unique features of the different kingdoms and their phyla and how the organisms vary in form and function. This culminates with an intensive chapter on human organ systems and the incredible being made in the image of God. An additional chapter is devoted to ecology, populations, communities, and environments where living organisms exist. Lastly, historical and current theories of macroevolution and microevolution, and mechanisms of speciation, are addressed in the concluding chapter. A repeated theme is emphasized throughout the course: science is not the business of proclaiming truth but rather of creating hypotheses and then conducting experiments that either support or oppose those hypotheses.

Class time will be devoted to the discussion of reading assignments and practice questions, explaining complicated concepts, conducting laboratory exercises, contemplating current events in biology, instilling good skills in scientific exploration and experimentation, learning quality techniques for documenting observations, and reviewing topics. The Novare curriculum targets the idea of mastering the material and bringing an end to the cram-pass-forget cycle so common in science curriculums today.

Parental Involvement: Parents are expected to support their student of biology in several ways. They are expected to:

1. obtain the proper supplies required
2. be present during laboratory exercises and familiar with the procedure
3. conduct occasional student-led conferences
4. encourage and support their student toward academic success and help him/her seek help as needed

Mastery: In order to prepare students for advanced biological study, this course uses a mastery approach. This is achieved by covering fewer concepts at a deeper level. Our goal is to have a solid, working comprehension of these concepts and the ability to communicate them. Mastering these concepts now will create a tremendous foundation upon which higher-level concepts can build in college. Regular review of important “standard concepts” throughout the year will keep topics relevant and fresh. Students will be expected to keep up with the daily workload of reading the text, taking notes, reviewing vocabulary, attending class, and completing the practice problems. This will get easier as good skills and habits are developed.

Integration: This course approaches science holistically, integrating history, the English language, and the epistemology of science. During class, we will contemplate and discuss these topics; outside of class, students will write about them. We will consider the existence of scientific findings that may contradict biblical statements and explore meaningful, productive responses to them. We will discuss bias and how it affects science.

Laboratory: A good scientist must understand well-designed experimentation, the proper interpretation of results, and precise communication of their findings. Most of the experiments in this course are qualitative and promote strong observation skills. All labs are conducted in class. If an experiment cannot be completed in class, students will be instructed on how to finish the activity. The teacher will lead the microscopy portion with pictures of prepared slides so students can find structures at home and compare theirs with the instructor. Dissections will be started in class and, if necessary, completed after class. Two quantitative experiments will be conducted, and complete reports will be written. Guidelines for lab report writing will follow The Student Lab Report Handbook by John D. Mays. This manual should be purchased this year and used as a reference through college. It instructs graphing results, grammatical requirements, hypotheses, and other components of high-quality laboratory reports.

Projects: Two projects will also be completed: a leaf collection and an ecological survey. Both projects will take several weeks and require students to collect data. The leaf collection will require students to obtain several samples starting in the Fall semester. The project will be completed in the Spring semester. The ecological survey will be conducted in two parts: a plant growth experiment and animal diversity activities. The plant growth experiment will have students observe the stages of life of plants and end with an experiment with the seedlings grown. The animal diversity activities will have students go to their local parks to study their biome and compare it to their classmates' biome.

Grading: The grade will be based on several components: participation in class, quizzes, tests, projects, and laboratory reports.

High School Credit: This course is the equivalent of one high school credit in laboratory science.

At Scholé Academy, we have carefully considered how we should engage our contemporary culture as those who believe that Christ is the Truth (John 14:6) and that all truth has its source in him. We think it is important to provide our upper school students (in grades 7–12) with tools and opportunities for critically examining various cultural trends, issues, and mores through the lens of orthodox, Christian beliefs. Being confident in the truth revealed to us in creation, the Scriptures, and the tradition of the church, we are not afraid to follow the truth and its implications nor to address error and falsehood. … Read more about our Faith & Culture.