This class is both fun and informative. Students will learn about:
the science of life itself and how to make valid scientific observations about living things. Students will discover that there is a lot of chemistry in how living organisms function. We will also discuss how ecologists group and categorize the habitats required by different animals. We will discover how living cells are organized and how various parts of the cell perform their important jobs, including how cells are grouped together in those living things that are larger than one cell.For these cells to do what they do requires energy and students will find out where this energy comes from. Cells need to be replaced when they wear out. This is accomplished by DNA and proteins working together to make the new cell by splitting the older one into two. The genetics of the cell (what make it what it is) is determined by the DNA.
We will discover some serious mistakes in the Darwin’s theory of evolution to ensure student understand the theory and why it is flawed. We then work on why the Christian view is correct. We will explore the various categories of life: protists and fungi, plants, invertebrates (those life forms without a backbone), birds and reptiles (students will learn about Peach, a large leopard gecho), and vertebrates (thos animals with a backbone.
We will examine life by doing dissections (no students are forced to perform a dissection). We use medical laboratory grade microscopes which allow students to record images of the slides they make and transfer those to their phones. We will also work with petridishes, a centrifuge, magnetic stirers, and other lab equipment the students will use if they take college science classes.
In summary, these specific topics will be covered:
Cells: The structure and function of cells, including the different types of cells, cell membranes, organelles, and cell division.
Genetics: The study of genes, inheritance, DNA, genetic disorders, and genetic engineering (including the potential dangers of this branch of science).
Evolution: The mechanisms of natural selection, adaptation, and lacking evidence of evolution.
Ecology: The study of ecosystems, including the interactions between organisms and their environment, food webs, biogeochemical cycles, and conservation biology.
Physiology: The study of how organisms function, including topics such as respiration, digestion, circulation, and the nervous system.
Anatomy: The study of the structure of organisms, including the different organ systems and their functions.
Diversity of life: The classification of living organisms into different groups based on their characteristics and evolutionary relationships.
