Some biologists take complex systems apart to understand their simpler components more fully. Others are interested in how simpler components interact to produce new properties at more complex levels of organization. The content of this workshop focuses on these levels of organization by examining animal behavior, the nervous system, neurotransmitters, hormones and genes and their regulators. Participants will also explore bioethics, identify difficult concepts, and develop ways to make learning easier with the technologies present. Innovative teaching methods will make learning biology more fun and understandable for students.
Participants engage in hands-on labs, lesson planning, demonstrations, and team presentations.
Meeting standards, cooperative learning, performance-based assessment, and inclusion strategies are also explored. The week is closely aligned with Content Standard C for Life Science grades 5-8, as well as Unifying Concepts and Processes, Science as Inquiry, Science in Personal and Social Perspective, History and Nature of Science and Science and Technology. Topics covered and methods used fit well with most local curricula and individual state standards. The course includes in depth coverage of the evolution, diversity, threats and importance of biological organisms. Emphasis will also be placed on the abiotic effects of Illinois' geology on the local flora and fauna.