First Notebook in Unit 1 - Sept. 23

Table of Contents
1. Unit 1 Overview
2. UNIT NOTES
3. Bottle Ecosystem Journal
4. A Study of Population Growth
5. Homework (Read Pages 90-93) Answer Q. 1-4 page 93
6. Biology –Ecosystems and Pop. Unit Weeks 1-3 Review
7. The Carbon Cycle-Independent Answer Sheet

Goals for the Week - Review these for the quiz
1. Define and use the following terms: observation, inference, ecosystem, element, atom, molecule, pure substance, mixture, compound, model, cycle, growth pattern, stock, flow, birth fraction, death fraction, abiotic.
2. Describe what elements are essential for life.*
3. List biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.
4. Describe natural biogeochemical cycles: H2O, Carbon, Nitrogen.*
5. Distinguish between observations and inferences

Accessing the Online Textbook

You can access your online textbook by using the following link.
http://my.hrw.com/

You will need your username and password that Mr. Medley will give you in class.

Unit 1: Populations and Ecosystems

Unit 1: Populations and Ecosystems

Related Chapters in Biology Textbook: 3-6

Vocabulary: element, pure substance, mixture, compound, atom, molecule, cycle, ecosystem, biome, population, niche, carrying capacity, growth pattern, feedback, equilibrium, biogeochemical cycle, invasive species, food web, trophic level, stock, flow, birth fraction, death fraction, model, producer, consumer, abiotic, tragedy of the commons

Unit Goals

· Define unit vocabulary and use appropriately.

· Describe what elements are essential for life.*

· List biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.

· Describe natural biogeochemical cycles: H2O, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorous.*

· Describe how equilibrium is achieved and give examples of equilibrium in natural systems.

· Use concepts of feedback and carrying capacity to explain population growth patterns.*

· Distinguish between observations and inferences.

· Make Data tables and graph data with trend lines.

· Describe multiple types of connections within an ecosystem:*

o Food webs

o Trophic levels

o Predator-prey interactions.

· Describe and assess human impact on various populations.

· List and describe key features of major biomes.

· Describe and give examples of the impact of invasive species on an ecosystem.*

*Both A and C levels of proficiency.

Quizzes and Tests

Friday Quizzes: 9/23, 10/7 Unit Test: 10/20

Homework, Lab Reports and Projects

A level

· Bottle Ecosystem Research due Mon 9/19

· The Elements and Molecules of Life due Fri. 9/23

· Predator-Prey Interactions due Thurs 9/29

· Fishbanks Response due Fri 10/7

· Invasive Species Research due Tues 10/11

· Biome Poster due Tues 10/18

· Duckweed Lab Report due Thurs 10/20

B level

· The Elements and Molecules of Life due Fri. 9/23

· Fishbanks Response due Fri 10/7

· Invasive Species Research due Tues 10/11

· Biome Poster due Tues 10/18

· Duckweed Lab Report due Thurs 10/20

C level

· Fishbanks Response due Fri 10/7

· Biome Poster due Tues 10/18

· Duckweed Lab Report due Thurs 10/20

How families can best support their students.

The first page in the students’ notebooks will list the work that they are doing during each two week period and the goals for those weeks. Thursday nights before the quiz are a good time to check with students to make sure their notebooks are complete and that they are confident about the material that will be on the quiz.

On the following Tuesday they should be able to show you their notebook and quiz or test scores. Encourage them to retake the quiz or test if they did not do well.

Welcome and Course Description

Welcome to Grant's N academy Biology class.

Biology is the study of life in its many forms. In this introductory class for 9^th graders we will undertake this study in 5 units. The first is on populations and ecosystems. In this unit we will look at large scale phenomena, including what affects population sizes and what are the many interconnections among species in a community. The second unit will focus on viruses and bacteria. In this unit we will study cells, the spread of infectious diseases and begin to consider the wide range of living species on earth. The third and fourth units are on genetics and evolution respectively. We will go from the small to the large here – from how DNA codes for characteristics and how genes are passed through generations to how life has spread over the earth in its myriad forms. The final unit is on energy flow through living systems. In this unit we will consider photosynthesis, respiration and how we gain and store energy in our body, but also fossil fuels and our society’s energy habits.

Biology, like all science, is a way of thinking, and we will focus on what distinguishes that way of thinking throughout the year. We will generate and use data to test hypotheses. We will develop and test models. We will look for evidence constantly, and we will struggle with just how strong of conclusions our data will support.

Supplies:

Students should bring a three ring notebook and pencil to class every day. They may largely leave their text book at home for studying and homework.