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Teaching High School Biology
helps educators learn inquiry-based approaches to
teaching standards-based science topics, including genetics, evolution, and cell
biology. Participants use multimedia to explore novel learning environments and
methodologies that foster student interest, involve them in the research process,
advance their critical thinking skills, and develop their conceptual understanding.
Course Objectives
- Draw meaningful parallels between scientific inquiry
and classroom inquiry
- Identify the benefits of an inquiry-based approach to
science education
- Explore a range of teaching methodologies and strategies
for topics that teachers and students find most challenging, including genetics,
evolution, and cell biology
- Guide teachers through the theory of lesson design,
incorporating the use of multimedia
- Introduce teachers to a media-rich learning environment
they can use with their students
- Provide models, including videos of exemplary practice,
to illustrate ways to teach beyond the textbook
Course Syllabus
Session 1:
Processes of Science
Participants identify processes common to all scientific investigations,
and explore how using similar approaches in the classroom can foster
habits of mind students need to understand how science works and how to
conduct their own scientific research.
Session 2:
Inquiry-based Learning
Participants explore the benefits of an inquiry-based approach to
teaching biology. They learn to assess levels of inquiry in various
classroom activities, including their own, and then develop and
practice strategies for increasing active learning.
Session 3:
Teaching About Genetics
Participants identify challenging genetics topics and use a
combination of content knowledge and sound teaching strategies
to develop effective teaching approaches for these topics.
Session 4:
Teaching Applied Genetics
Participants assess their knowledge of applied genetics,
explore how preconceptions affect learning, and identify
a set of resources and a strategy for using them to deepen student understanding of this topic.
Session 5:
Teaching About Evidence for Evolution
Participants explore the role of evidence in scientific investigation
and science education. They piece together evidence that scientists use to
explain concepts and identify evidence to assess student understanding.
Session 6:
Teaching About the Processes of Evolution
Participants explore how they can use questioning to inspire inquiry,
assess student understanding, and teach students to generate their own
questions about the processes that drive evolution.
Session 7:
Designing a Lesson
Participants identify the common components of effective lessons and use
the approach called "backward design" to plan an activity
on cell biology.
Session 8:
An Environment for Learning
Participants explore the role that classroom environment plays in
learning. They identify strategies for developing a supportive learning
environment and apply these strategies to their own lesson design.
Additional Course Information
- A series of course modules on these topics and
teaching strategies is also available:
See also: example
Unlike the elementary and middle school courses,
all high school courses assume a basic knowledge
of the subject matter. These courses emphasize
teaching strategies and methodology, particularly
inquiry, and the use of technology and rich
media in lessons. Science topics within these
courses are those that are often found to be
challenging to teach and learn. These topics
are used to facilitate the study of methodology.
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