Bioscience 2 Honors (#2000510) 

General Notes

Laboratory investigations that include the use of scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, laboratory apparatus and technologies, experimental procedures, and safety procedures are an integral part of this course. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommends that at the high school level, all students should be in the science lab or field, collecting data every week. School laboratory investigations (labs) are defined by the National Research Council (NRC) as an experience in the laboratory, classroom, or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques, and models (NRC, 2006, p. 3). Laboratory investigations in the high school classroom should help all students develop a growing understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills to calibrate and troubleshoot equipment used to make observations. Learners should understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data (National Research Council, 2006, p.77; NSTA, 2007). Bioscience II is a rigorous laboratory based course that provides an advanced foundation in the concepts, theories, and pioneering methods involved in micro and molecular based research including medical research, functional genomics, gene discovery, agriculture and forensics. Students will learn how to design plasmids and primers for polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Course focus will be on proteomics (the study of protein expression), protein separation and analysis, protein chromatography purification, protein quantification through spectroscopy, cladistical analysis, immunology, stem cell research, gene sequencing, and bioinformatics using BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool.) Emphasis will be placed on training students in the means by which to design experiments in preparation for independent research. Students will learn the principles, methodologies, and applications of equipment such as thermocyclers, horizontal and vertical gel electrophoresis, micropipettes, spectrophotometers, centrifuges, and other advanced laboratory apparatus used in the bioscience industry.

Laboratory activities may include but not be limited to:

• The preparation of buffer solutions and polyacrylamide gels for vertical electrophoresis;
• Quantitative analysis of protein molecular weights by developing a standard curve;
• Western blotting and ELISA testing;
• The preparation of serial dilutions for spectroscopy to determine unknown concentrations;
• Bacterial transformation and ligation using bacterial blue/white screening;
• Extraction of DNA for chromatography purification to be used for electrophoresis;
• Polymerase chain reactions using self designed primers;
• Gene Sequencing and Bioinformatics.

Honors and Advanced Level Course Note: Advanced courses require a greater demand on students through increased academic rigor.  Academic rigor is obtained through the application, analysis, evaluation, and creation of complex ideas that are often abstract and multi-faceted.  Students are challenged to think and collaborate critically on the content they are learning. Honors level rigor will be achieved by increasing text complexity through text selection, focus on high-level qualitative measures, and complexity of task. Instruction will be structured to give students a deeper understanding of conceptual themes and organization within and across disciplines. Academic rigor is more than simply assigning to students a greater quantity of work.

Special Notes

Instructional Practices: Teaching from a range of complex text is optimized when teachers in all subject areas implement the following strategies on a routine basis:

1. Ensuring wide reading from complex text that varies in length.
2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
3. Emphasizing text-specific complex questions, and cognitively complex tasks, reinforce focus on the text and cultivate independence.
4. Emphasizing students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text.
5. Providing extensive research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).

Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and Bioscience I/or AP Biology
Corequisite: Honors Physics

Science and Engineering Practices (NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education, 2010)

• Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering).
• Developing and using models.
• Planning and carrying out investigations.
• Analyzing and interpreting data.
• Using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking.
• Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering).
• Engaging in argument from evidence.
• Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.

Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards

This course includes Florida’s B.E.S.T. ELA Expectations (EE) and Mathematical Thinking and Reasoning Standards (MTRs) for students. Florida educators should intentionally embed these standards within the content and their instruction as applicable. For guidance on the implementation of the EEs and MTRs, please visit https://www.cpalms.org/Standards/BEST_Standards.aspx and select the appropriate B.E.S.T. Standards package.

English Language Development ELD Standards Special Notes Section:
Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate information, ideas and concepts for academic success in the content area of Science. For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL's need for communication and social skills. To access an ELL supporting document which delineates performance definitions and descriptors, please click on the following link: https://cpalmsmediaprod.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/docs/standards/eld/sc.pdf

General Information