Adventures in Biology
I spent a good chunk of time last spring and summer rooting through a variety of possible science curricula options, none of which managed to pass muster for a wide variety of reasons. So I ended up deciding that if that was the best there was out there for elementary level secular science study, I could do just as well a job at throwing something together for us on my own for the perfect price tag. Here is a peek at our own homemade biology exploration. We school year round, so our year is broken into chunks which I matched up into units of biology study. We do biology twice a week formally, but experiements we start on those days often need tending to or observation on other days as well, so we stay pretty fluid with it.
This is our outline for the year. Click on the Unit Title to see the outline for that entire unit:
UNIT ONE: Introduction to Biology (12 lessons over 6 weeks)
Week 1- Introduction to the Study of Life
Lesson A- What is Biology & Who are Biologists?
Lesson B- Branches of Biology & Types of Biologists
Week 2- Biotic vs. Abiotic
Lesson A- Characteristics of Biotic Things
Lesson B- Sorting Biotic vs. Abiotic Things
Week 3- Structure of Biotic Things & Introduction to Evolution
Lesson A- Components of Biotic Things
Lesson B- Introduction to Evolutionary Biology
Week 4- Cell Structure
Lesson A- Basic Structure of a Cell
Lesson B- Animal vs. Plant Cells
Week 5- Cell Division & Genetics
Lesson A- Mitosis & Meiosis
Lesson B- Genetics & Natural Selection
Week 6- Organization/Classification of Life
Lesson A- The Five Kingdoms of Life
Lesson B- Sorting Biotic Things Into the Five Kingdoms
UNIT TWO: Microbiology (10 lessons over 5 weeks)
Week 1- Introduction to the Microscope
Lesson A- History of the Microscope
Lesson B- Introduction to Microbiology
Week 2- How to Use a Microscope
Lesson A- Parts of the Microscope
Lesson B- How to Use It
Week 3- Bacilli
Lesson A- Common Bacilli: Where to Find Then & What They Can Do
Lesson B- Observing Lactobacilli & Antibiotics at Work
Week 4- Cocci
Lesson A- Common Cocci: Where to Find Them & What They Can Do
Lesson B- Monera Scavenger Hunt Part One
Week 5- Spirilla
Lesson A- Common Spirilla: Where to Find Them & What They Can Do
Lesson B- Monera Scavenger Hunt Part Two
UNIT THREE: Zoology (14 lessons over 7 weeks- focusing on the animal classification in bold type)
Week 1- Organization of Animal Kingdom & Introduction to Biomes
Lesson A- The Six Common Classes
Lesson B- The Thirteen Major Biomes
Week 2- Taiga/Coniferous Forest & Deciduous Forest
Lesson A- Mammals, Birds & Insects
Lesson B- Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish
Week 3- Tundra & Polar Regions
Lesson A- Mammals, Birds & Insects
Lesson B- Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish
Week 4- Desert, Prairie & Savanna
Lesson A- Mammals, Birds & Insects
Lesson B- Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish
Week 5- Wetlands & Rainforest
Lesson A- Mammals, Birds & Insects
Lesson B- Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish
Week 6- Freshwater (Ponds/Lakes & Streams/Rivers)
Lesson A- Mammals, Birds & Insects
Lesson B- Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish
Week 7- Saltwater (Oceans & Coral Reefs)
Lesson A- Mammals, Birds & Insects
Lesson B- Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish
UNIT FOUR: Botany (10 lessons over 5 weeks)
Week 1- Mosses
Lesson A- Characteristics of Mosses
Lesson B- Field Study
Week 2- Ferns
Lesson A- Characteristics of Ferns
Lesson B- Field Study
Week 3- Conifers
Lesson A- Characteristics of Conifers
Lesson B- Field Study
Week 4- Flowering Dicots
Lesson A- Characteristics of Flowering Dicots
Lesson B- Field Study
Week 5- Flowering Monocots
Lesson A- Characteristis of Flowering Monocots
Lesson B- Field Study
UNIT FIVE: Mycology (10 lessons over 5 weeks)
Week 1- Introduction to Fungi
Lesson A- Types of Fungi
Lesson B- Fungi At Work
Week 2- Saprophytic Fungi
Lesson A- All About Mushrooms
Lesson B- Mushroom Dissection
Week 3- Parasitic Fungi
Lesson A- All About Mold
Lesson B- Growing & Observing Mold
Week 4- Symbiotic Fungi
Lesson A- All About Yeast
Lesson B- Growing a Yeast Colony
Week 5- Other Types of Fun Fungi
Lesson A- Puffballs, Rusts & Smuts
Lesson B- Scabs, Rots & Cankers
UNIT SIX: Protozoology (10 lessons over 5 weeks)
Week 1- Protista vs. Prokaryotes
Lesson A- Amoebas vs. Elephants
Lesson B- Algae vs. Trees
Week 2- Protists Who Think They Are Animals
Lesson A-Dinoflagellates
Lesson B- Ciliated Protozoans
Week 3- Protists Who Think They Are Plants
Lesson A- Algea & Diatoms
Lesson B- Seaweed
Week 4- Protists Who Think They Are Fungi
Lesson A- Slime Molds
Lesson B- Water Fungi
Week 5- Protists’ Role in Evolution
Lesson A- Protists: First Life on Earth
Lesson B- Climbing Our Evolutionary Family Tree
UNIT SEVEN: Anatomy (12 lessons over 6 weeks)
Week 1- Integamentary, Muscular & Skeletal Systems
Lesson A- Bones
Lesson B- Muscles & Skin
Week 2- Nervous & Sensory Systems
Lesson A- The Brain & Its Network
Lesson B- The Five Senses
Week 3- Circulatory & Lymphatic Systems
Lesson A- The Heart
Lesson B- Blood & Lymph Flow
Week 4- Respiratory System
Lesson A- The Lungs
Lesson B- Breathing
Week 5- Digestive & Excretory Systems
Lesson A- What Happens When We Eat?
Lesson B- Our Body’s Waste
Week 6- Reproductive & Endocrine Systems
Lesson A- A Baby Is Born
Lesson B- Hormones At Work
UNIT EIGHT: Ecology (10 lessons over 5 weeks)
Week 1- Life Cycles
Lesson A- Animal Life Cycles
Lesson B- Plant Life Cycles
Week 2- Food Chains
Lesson A- Herbivores, Omnivores, & Carnivores
Lesson B- The Complete Food Chain/Web
Week 3- Endangered Species
Lesson A- Endangered Animal Life
Lesson B- Endangered Plant Life
Week 4- Pollution
Lesson A- Effects of Soil Pollution
Lesson B- Effects of Air & Water Pollution
Week 5- Conservation
Lesson A- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Lesson B- Water & Energy Conservation
I plan on publishing the detailed lesson plans for each week listed here after I clean them up a bit, so they are forthcoming. As of the end of November 2008, we are about one third of the way into our Zoology unit, so anything after that has yet to be “field tested.” I chose to end the year with an Ecology unit because we will be rolling into Earth and Space Science next year and I thought that would flow nicely.