Intro to Biology for grade 9 students has the purpose of giving students more exposure to Biology than they would have taking just one year of Biology in Grade 10.  This is intended to improve students score on the Biology MCAS that is taken at the end of these students tenth grade.

Syllabus- The text will be Modern Biology published by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, isbn#0-03-056542-1

Grading will be done on a point scale where most homework will be worth 5 points, vocabulary terms defined worth 10 points, class worksheets worth 10-12 points, Collins writing worth 50 points, and chapter tests worth 100 points.  The midterm and final will be worth 150 points.

All points will be added and subtotaled at least twice per quarter before the end of the quarter.  A point scale will be given so that students will know exactly what their grade is at that point.  Grading is meant to be easily verified and calculated and students are encouraged to check their grade during the quarter when the wish to.

Topics

Chapter One- Themes in Biology, Characterists of living Organisms, Scientific Method, Scientific Measurement, Lab safety/equipment

Chapter Two- Basic Chemistry

Chapter Four- Cell Structure and function, prokaryotic cells vs. eukaryotoc cells, cell organelles

Chapter Fourteen- The origin of life

Chapter Fifteen- evolution

Chapter Seventeen- Human evolution, early hominids

Chapter Eighteen- History of taxonomy, levels of classification,  modern systems of classifications

Chapter Twenty Four- Bacteria, Bacteria and humans, useful bacteria

Chapter Twenty Five- Viruses

Chapter Twenty Six- Protozoa

Chapter Twenty Seven-Algae and Protists

Chapter Twenty Eight-Fungi

Chapter Nineteen- Introduction to Ecology, Geometric growth in human population

Chapter Twenty- Properties of populations, population dynamics

Chapter Twenty One- Community Ecology, Species interaction, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism

Chapter Twenty Two- Ecosystems and the Biosphere, Energy transfer