Scholars Online Honors and AP Biology

Course Overview for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020

Scholars Online offera a two-level biology course. The Biology Honors course will cover biology at the high school level. When combined with the AP Biology Option, the complete course will cover biology at a first-year college level meeting the AP Biology syllabus requirements. Both courses cover the following topics:

• the definition of a living organism,
• the function and structure of cells,
• the process of genetic inheritance,
• growth and reproduction of cells and organisms,
• the current theory of evolution,
• the diversity and classification of living beings,
• plant and animal physiology, with emphasis on human physiology, and
• ecology.

We will approach this mass of material through our texts, through discussion, through guided Web Tours, and through lab experiences. As we learn about the concepts and methods of modern biology, we will try to put them into perspective by addressing these questions:

• What is science?
• What is scientific methodology?
• How do we observe a natural object or event?
• How do we use instruments to discover more detailed information about a living organism or process?
• How do we evaluate and organize our knowledge?
• What are hypotheses, models, theories, and natural laws?
• How do we test, accept, or disprove a theory?
• How does the very act of organizing knowledge limit or enhance the way we think about nature and ourselves?
• What are the ethical implications of scientific investigations into life processes?
• What are the areas of conflict between current biological theories and models and the social, cultural, and religious concerns of the human community?
• What are our responsibilities as stewards of the natural resources of Earth?

Students with limited time, and those not pursuing life science at the college level but still wishing to learn the fundamental rules that govern the properties of living matter should enroll in the Honors course.

Students who wish to earn college credit in a life science and who intend to pursue a college course in medicine, chemistry, or astronomy will find the additional AP Option useful preparation for college-level science. Note that up to 15 hours per week may be required for the combined Honors and AP chat preparation, mastery exercises, quizzes, in depth lab work, and AP examination preparation.

Browser Recommendation: I strongly that you use FireFox to attend class and use the Moodle, and avoid Chrome and Microsoft Edge, since Google and Microsoft chose not to implement the MathML standard in their browsers. While biology is not as math-dependent as chemistry or physics, the ability to clearly display mathematical and chemical formula in chat is necessary on occasion. Addtionally, he Moodle is optimized for FireFox; some features are available in FireFox and not in other browsers.

Meetings: The Honors Biology course meets in online chat sessions twice a week for a review of the material and open discussion of homework assignments or topics posing difficulties. Some time will be devoted to basic lab work. Students post individually-assigned problems to the course conference center to gain practice in explaining solutions. Students taking the AP option will attend a third session each week covering key topics in greater detail, discussing more extensive lab work, and involving further activities to help them prepare for the AP examination in Biology.

Credit: Students completing the Honors course will receive high school biology credit. Students taking the AP option and completing the AP section successfully will receive AP credit. Students who take the AP option but do not complete all AP requirements may receive honors credit for their additional work beyond the high school level.

You may review the letter of certification and the formal syllabus and for this course as approved by the College Board.

Standard Exam Preparation: Students taking the Honors course should be well prepared to take both the SAT II Biology Test in both Microbiology and Ecology forms, or the CLEP biology test. Students taking the AP option will be prepared to take the AP examination in Biology. Those interested in either exam should read the Biology Exam Preparation page, and contact the instructor if they have questions.

Prerequisites: Scholars Online Biology Honors Course is designed to be an independent course for students who have completed a rigorous junior high school physical science course, or Scholars Online Natural Science I and II. The AP Option requires simultaneous enrollment in the Honors Course.

Labs and Lab Equipment:

Labs are not optional. Students must complete twelve labs for the Honors course. AP Option students must complete 18 labs. Students must have parental permission to perform labs in order to receive credit. The lab permission form and a list of required equipment and materials is available from the Lab Requirements page.

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Need more information? Further details on this course are available at this site on course procedures, our apprach to evolution, and other frequently-asked questions.

Enrollment: To enroll in this course, or for further information on Scholars Online, please visit the Scholars Online Website.

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© 2005 - 2019 This course is offered through Scholars Online, a non-profit organization supporting classical Christian education through online courses. Permission to copy course content (lessons and labs) for personal study is granted to students currently or formerly enrolled in the course through Scholars Online. Reproduction for any other purpose, without the express written consent of the author, is prohibited.