This course is designed as a middle school survey course touching all the major areas of life science. The school year begins with an introduction to the foundations of science including the scientific method. Next the students embark on a study of living things, focusing on the cell as the basic unit of life. Cell structure and activities, such as photosynthesis and respiration, are studied. The first half of the year ends with a study of cell reproduction and genetics. The second semester begins with a unit on creation and evolution. After that there is a unit on pathogens and disease where we look at the imact of bacteria, viruses and other pathogesn on living things. The final unit is a comparative study of the from and human. The year culminates with a short forensics unit.
Laboratory work includes studies with the microscope, the cell and cell processes, DNA spooling, plant structure and the frog dissection. Short projects are assigned for certain units including one on the cell, a disease "Wanted" poster and one on the animal kingdom. Power point presentations are used extensively in this course. Students are required to do an outside science project during the first semester, which includes a research paper. Students are encouraged to participate in the county science fair held each year in Balboa Park.
