By the end of this course students will be able to...

Discuss the importance of classifying living things
Compare viruses to bacteria
Depict the structures and movements of common protozoans
Draw and label the structure of a mushroom
Diagram the structure of leaves, stems and roots
List the characteristics of animals and give examples
Use a t-chart to compare endotherms and ectotherms
Describe the general characteristics of arthropods
List the three main types of ectothermic vertebrates and their major characteristics
Compare the major orders of mammals
Summarize the function of each system in the human body
Describe the purposes of the skin
Relate the different joint structures to their movements
Differentiate between the three kinds of muscle and describe their roles
Diagram the process of breathing
List the organs of the digestive system and describe their functions
Explain how kidneys filter and recycle the materials in blood
Label the parts of the brain
Describe the function of the different glands and the hormones they secrete
Describe the function of the human reproductive organs
Trace the development of an embryo from implantation to birth

I have a bachelor's of science degree in chemistry with a minor in mathematics, and a master's of science degree in secondary education with a minor in chemistry.  I also currently teach adult education classes for at my local community college.  I have been a certified 8-12 science teacher in Texas for the past 10 years, spending 5 of those years teaching in public school and community college, 3 years teaching at a homeschool co-op and rest of the time teaching online. I am certified to teach and have experience teaching chemistry, biology, earth science, life science, forensic science, astronomy, integrated physics and chemistry in grades 8-12.

Homework Offered
Students may intermittently be given optional, short assignments to complete outside of class meeting times.  These assignments will be given to help introduce new topics, practice skills learned, and/or reinforce learning goals. All assignments outside of class will be optional according to parental discretion.
0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Formative assessments will be given regularly in each class meeting to assess student learning and connections. The grade for this course will be determined by weekly quizzes, a midterm exam and final exam.  All quizzes and exams are optional according to parental discretion but will be available to all students.
Grades Offered
All homework, quizzes and exams are optional, per the preferences of each family.  If assignments are completed, grades can be recorded in the digital notebook (provided in the course).  If requested, a formal grade report will be provided at the conclusion of the course.

Students should complete Biology Semester 1 for High School before enrolling in this course.