Outcomes:

After completing this class, students should be able to:

• Continue use of biology laboratory equipment and tools and techniques correctly to observe specimens and to design and perform experiments using the methodology of scientific inquiry.
• Continue application of general conceptual skills (e.g., observation, problem solving, hypothesis generation and testing) that are used in the sciences.
• Continue collecting, recording, analyzing, interpreting and evaluating biological data during laboratory investigations and communicating these interpretations in writing.
• Continue to interpret and summarize scientific literature.
• Compare and contrast the major characteristics of the diversity of organisms within the Archaea, Bacteria, Protista, Fungi and Plantae.
• Evaluate the economic, ecological, cultural and evolutionary significance of representatives of the Archaea, Bacteria, Protista, Fungi and Plantae
• Explain the evolutionary development of life cycles and provide representative examples of life cycles in protists, fungi and major plant groups.
• Describe the evolutionary trends evident in plant taxa.
• Describe evolutionary trends in plants and plant ancestors in relation to the transition from the aquatic to the terrestrial environment.
• Explain the significance of photosynthetic organisms to the survival of all life on earth
• Explain the functional significance of differences in plant anatomy and morphology with regard to growth, transport mechanisms and nutrition.
• Identify the anatomical and morphological parts of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds.
• Describe reproduction and development processes of flowering plants.
• Distinguish between various pollination mechanisms using floral characteristics and pollination strategies
• Describe dispersal mechanisms and the relationship of fruit and seed morphology to dispersal.
• Describe plant chemical growth regulators and their effects on plant growth and development.
• Provide examples of environmental controls of plant growth and development
• Describe plant defense mechanisms to their environment.
• List the characteristics of Earth’s biomes
• Evaluate the role of biotic and abiotic factors in ecological processes such as energy flow and nutrient cycles.
• Describe the ecological significance of species interactions such as predation, competition and symbiosis
• Recognize the general principles of population dynamics and community ecology as they relate to biodiversity and ecosystem stability
• Apply understanding of our earth's sustainability issues in relation to human-induced environmental stresses such as pollution, global warming, habitat loss, etc.
• Describe plant defense mechanisms to their environment.
• Explain the significance of photosynthetic organisms to the survival of all life on earth
• Compare and contrast the major characteristics of the diversity of organisms within the Archaea, Bacteria, Protista, Fungi and Plantae.
• Evaluate the economic, ecological, cultural and evolutionary ignificance of representatives of the Archaea, Bacteria, Protista, Fungi and Plantae
• Explain the evolutionary development of life cycles and provide representative examples of life cycles in protists, fungi and major plant groups.
• Describe the evolutionary trends evident in plant taxa.
• List the characteristics of Earth’s biomes
• Evaluate the role of biotic and abiotic factors in ecological processes such as energy flow and nutrient cycles.
• Describe the ecological significance of species interactions such as predation, competition and symbiosis
• Recognize the general principles of population dynamics and community ecology as they relate to biodiversity and ecosystem stability
• Apply understanding of the effect of the current use of earth by humans in the context of environmental stresses such as pollution, global warming, habitat loss, etc.
• Continue use of biology laboratory equipment and tools and techniques correctly to observe specimens and to design and perform experiments using the methodology of scientific inquiry.
• Continue application of general conceptual skills (e.g., observation, problem solving, hypothesis generation and testing) that are used in the sciences.
• Continue collecting, recording, analyzing, interpreting and evaluating biological data during laboratory investigations and communicating these interpretations in laboratory reports.
• Continue to interpret and summarize scientific literature.