Honors Biology

Honors Biology fulfills the biology graduation requirement while examining life at a deeper level.  We will explore in more depth various concepts in biology including biochemistry, energy conversions, cell division and processes, genetics, and the diversity of life.  Below, you will find specifics regarding Honors Biology.  This will include what to expect throughout the course and what extensions an honors student will receive in this class that is not taught in the general level class.  If you have questions regarding the following, please contact the course teacher.

Curriculum Content

In Honors Biology we will be moving at a quicker pace, allowing us to cover some topics not covered in regular Biology included but not limited to polar molecule properties, acid and base applications, bonding formulas for covalent and ionic bonds, locations of the light dependent and independent reactions of photosynthesis, interphase stage specifics during cell division, polar body formation during meiosis of oocytes, dihybrid crosses, and surface area to volume ratio and calculations. We will also focus more heavily on application and analysis problems in each unit. In other words, these are real life situations when you can use what we have been learning!

Honors Biology is a pre-requisite for several upper level science classes, so the vertical alignment may be applied to more than one course.  The main class we try to vertically align Honors Biology to is AP Biology, but the course also introduces students to topics that will be covered in Honors Chemistry and Honors Anatomy.  AP Biology requires the entire Biology curriculum as prerequisite knowledge.  Biology is also a pre-requisite for AP Environmental Science, AP Chemistry, and Honors Anatomy and Physiology.

Standards and Objectives

In Honors Biology there are several topics that are covered on a deeper level:

• Extensions to prepare for Honors Chemistry and AP Biology:
• Polar molecule drawings and interactions based on charge orientation.
• Acid and base applications of ions present in solutions.
• Covalent and ionic bonding drawings and formulas.
• Chloroplast parts including grana and stroma and step of photosynthesis that occurs in each.
• Specifics of G1, S, and G2 stages of interphase of cell division.
• Surface area to volume ratio calculations and predictions of cell success based on size.
• Oogenesis development involving the formation of several polar bodies and application of how this compares to spermatogenesis.
• Dihybrid cross manipulations to predict multiple trait outcomes.

Curriculum Plan 

Click here to access the Honors Biology Syllabus

Click here to access the Parent Curriculum Documents

Instructional Materials and Methods 

Students will receive additional instruction and modified assignments in reference to the extension topics.  They will be responsible for the general biology curriculum as well as mastery of the extension topics.

Through Honors Biology students will be performing:

·        Additional/ Modified Labs

·        Additional/ Modified Performance Tasks

·        Modified Assignments 

Gifted Education and Growth Mindset

Students will be challenged in honors biology and should recognize that struggling with the material will help them become better learners and thinkers.  All students can and hopefully will show improvement throughout the course as they begin to reflect on their own learning styles and modify their study strategies to include new and different techniques for mastering content.  Some study strategies suggested by other students include:  make quizlets, review for several days before tests, review old as well as current units, practice bioman quizzes, reduce study distractions (for example, music), study with a peer, attend teacher tutoring, make flashcards, read textbook so abbreviated notes make more sense, focus on new content, find other resources/videos.  Below are some resources for encouraging growth mindset.

Growing your mind by Khan academy

Neuroplasticity by Sentis

Mindsetworks.com Growth Mindset Parenting

Assessment 

In Honors Biology, students will have various assessments for each unit.  These include labs, homework, and tests that will assess the extension topics as well as the NC essential standard objectives.  Unit tests are a combination of short answer and multiple choice questions and are cumulative, pulling material from previous units. Assessments are designed to gauge application of concepts more than knowledge and require students to synthesize their understanding into analysis type questions.

All students will be required to complete the NC End of Course Exam for Biology worth 25% of the overall course grade. The EOC will not include honors extensions.