Download Biology Syllabus - Gull Lake Community Schools

Bio. Chapter 1: Science of Life
Biology => the study of all living things
Organism => Living thing
40 million species estimated to exist
2 million identified/named
Only a few thousand studied !!!!
Too huge to view overall, need to narrow
down to several THEMES that unify all of
biology.
Science
 From
the Latin verb ‘scire’
meaning “to know”
 Science is a process of asking questions
and looking for explanations. It is a way
of knowing.
 Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science,
Ecology, Environmental science,
anatomy, physiology, microbiology…..
Themes of Biology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cell structure and function
Stability and Homeostasis
Reproduction and Inheritance
Evolution
Interdependence of organisms
Matter, energy and organization
We can study any biology idea (tree, frog,
forest) from the level of each theme.
Cell Structure and Function
The cell is the structural and functional
basis (unit) of all life.
Unicellular organisms  those having
only one cell; bacteria and algae and
fungi
Multicellular organisms  those have
“many” cells; humans, trees, etc.
Differentiation  many kinds of cells
within an organism….skin, nerve, muscle
Stability and Homeostasis
Homeostasis  internal conditions stay
steady while external conditions may
fluctuate.
Human body 98.6 F or 37 C
Blood pressure, blood sugar, heart
rate…
Single celled and multicelled organisms
must regulate their internal situations.
Reproduction and Inheritance
Reproduce  transmit hereditary information
to offspring.
Asexual reproduction  one DNA source
like bacteria that divide into two cells
Sexual reproduction  two DNA sources
egg + sperm or pollen = embryo
DNA  chemical that stores information
Gene  region on DNA for a trait (protein)
Evolution
Populations of organisms change, or
evolve, over generations.
Natural Selection is the driving force
behind evolution as it allows favorable
traits to be represented in the population
Lots more on this unit later… just keep in
mind that organisms are not static.
Interdependence of Organisms
Ecology  the branch of biology that
studies the interactions of organisms
with other living organisms and with their
physical environments.
Organisms, populations, communities,
ecosystems, biomes…..
Matter, Energy and Organization
Highly organized collections of cells
Require lots of energy input
(Metabolism)
Photosynthesis, which requires the sun,
is the energy source for all life on Earth
Autotrophs  make own fuel (plants)
Heterotrophs  require pre-made fuel,
everything that’s not a plant (us)