Course Syllabus

 

 

Warrior Tech: Language of Life

Magna Vista High School 2020-2021

 

Course Description:

Collaboration. Critical Thinking. Creativity. Communication.

These are all skills students in the 21st century need to compete in a global market-place. At Warrior Tech Academy, our mission is to build these skills in our students in order to prepare them for success as they leave high school and enter their college and career. Employing Project Based Learning (PBL) and Problem Based Learning (PrBL), students are immersed in a culture that builds the values of Trust, Respect and Responsibility in students. In this hybrid course you will learn how to understand our own role in our environment and how our decisions and actions shape the world around us. This course will also provide a solid foundation in writing and reading empowering students to become skilled communicators. This course will include the 10^th grade writing assessment during the spring semester. Students passing the course will receive a science credit and an English credit, both of which are required for graduation.

 

Instructors’ contact information:   

Magna Vista main phone: 276-956-3147
Ecology:  Joel Bunn – jbunn@henry.k12.va.us

English:  Brenda Radford – bradford@henry.k12.va.us

Web:

Brenda Radford - https://www.henry.k12.va.us/Domain/651

Joel Bunn - https://www.henry.k12.va.us/Domain/239

 

Objectives:

Students will learn and be able to identify, explain and predict the following Ecology concepts:

• Species and habitat interactions
• Ecosystem diversity
• Abiotic and Biotic spheres of the Earth
• Population dynamics and how they change
• Ecological Stewardship and our responsibility toward our World

Students will learn and be able to perform the following English skills:

• Write substantially
• Read substantially
• Research and evaluate sources
• Analyze and critique
• Enhance vocabulary (word study)
• Explore the ideas of others, while communicating personal thoughts effectively

 

 

Instruction Methods:

Course instruction will be provided both in person and through virtual learning platforms.

In-class instruction will occur twice per week for each student, and will include direct instruction, laboratory exercises, personal reading, and group project collaboration. Virtual learning will supplement and enhance classroom instruction and will be presented through the Canvas learning platform and Powerschool. Virtual learning will include self-guided modules and content, discussion boards, online laboratory exercises, and group collaboration using virtual teaming tools.  It is essential that students block off time every day for their classwork! New content and ideas will be taught, practiced and assessed during all days of the week and students will be graded on a daily basis for their participation, completion, and skill mastery.

 

Academic Expectations:

• Complete all work on time. Extra credit will not be offered to replace late or missing work.
• Keep up with coursework. Failure to use your time wisely results in students who fall behind, which results in more stress and lower academic performance.
• Be present, both during classroom sessions and during virtual meetings.
• If you are absent from class, you are still responsible for the daily content. This is possible because the content will be mirrored online.
• Be working at the bell to start class. We will only have you 2 days a week, so it’s important we make the most of it.
• Follow the “out of class” procedure as written. Always sign out and sign in. Follow appropriate hygiene precautions.
• Academic honesty is essential. Cheating in class or while working virtually includes copying other’s work, having someone else complete the work for you, having someone tell you the answers, and plagiarizing written assignments. Cheating or plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment. On the second offense, a written referral will be passed along to administration. Students who share answers, allow others to copy, or who complete work for other students will also be considered as cheating and will receive the penalties described.
• Read all instructions before beginning any assignment. Reread carefully for comprehension.
• Listen and pay attention during all classroom instruction. Take notes and avoid causing distractions.
• Students must use the technology for the academic purposes intended. Students are not to be utilizing the technology for social media, entertainment, gaming, or other inappropriate actions.

 

Classroom materials:

 Since it is important that students don’t share supplies back and forth, we recommend you have your own sets of the following (items with an * are required for every student):

• A book to read daily *
• WTA Macbook, charger, case, and earbuds *
• Writing implement (pencil or pen) *
• Notebook paper *

Optional - not required, but may be helpful

• Composition book
• High lighter, glue stick
• Sticky notes (Post It works the best, cheaper ones often will not stick)
• Color pencils

 

Grading and Assessments:

Students will be graded using the following percentages:

• Knowledge and Learning – 50%
  • Quizzes
  • Tests
  • Writing assignments (correct grammar and technique)
  • Laboratory Exercises
  • Project products
• Oral Communiciation – 15%
  • Presentations
  • Speaking and voice productions
• Written communication – 15%
  • Writing ability and quality
  • Expression and development of ideas
  • Appropriate tone and grammar
• Collaboration – 10%
  • Communication between group members
  • Seeks and provides feedback
  • Synergy developed on group projects
• Agency – 10%
  • Work is on time and complete
  • Student takes responsibility during group assignments
  • Student gives best effort and continually seeks to improve

Students will have the 1^st semester exam in December and 2^nd semester exam in May. These exams count independently of the scoring listed above.

 

Communication:

It is imperative that students remain in contact and communication with the instructors. This includes asking questions, answering emails or phone calls, engaging in online discussions, and completing assignments. If students are failing to remain in contact or are not communicating regularly, a parent-teacher-administrator conference will be requested to ensure that all parties are aware of the importance of this process.

 

 Course Content – Ecology

Date	Topics	Vocabulary
Week of Aug 10	Introduction to Ecology/culture/technology
Week of Aug 17	Introduction to Ecology/culture/technology
August 24	The Hierarchy of Ecology	Ecology, Organism, Species, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biosphere, Biomass, Biotic, Abiotic
August 31	Scientific Method	Vocabulary: Experiment, Independent variable, Dependent variable, Constant, Control, data, variables, hypothesis, theory, law
September 7	Individual – Life History	R-selection, K-selection, Survivability curve, Logistic curve, Exponential Curve, linear relationship, offspring, mortality, reproductive viability
September 14	Individual – Classification and Systematics	Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species, cultivar, binomial nomenclature, Linnaeus, genetic fingerprint
September 21	Classification and Systematics	Cladogram, clade, divergent evolution, convergent evolution, Dichotomous key, index fossil
September 28	Energy acquisition	Autotoph, heterotroph, chemo-, photo-, decomposition, producer, consumer, decomposer, Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration, aerobic, anaerobic
October 5	Adaptations- Plant	Plantae, C3, C4, CAM, Vascular system, nonvascular system, flowering, spore production, pollen, sporangia, gymnosperm, angiosperm
October 12	Adaptations - Animal	Animalia, Order Gastropoda, Mollusca, Echindodermata, Annelida, Arthropoda, Bony fishes, cartilaginous fishes, aves, mammalia
October 19	Study/review for Individual Ecology
October 26	Test 1 for Individual Ecology
November 2	Populations – Density	Population density, Habitat, acre, extrapolation, Carrying capacity,
November 9	Populations – Distribution	Random, Clumped, Uniform, clumped random, migration, emigration, immigration
November 16	Populations – Resource allocation	Resource allocation, SNAP, nutrients, calorie, food desert, malnutrition, food , limiting nutrient, insecure, demographics, limiting factors, rate
November 23 (Tgiving)	Price is Right – Food edition
November 30	Populations – Competition	Prey, predator, predation, herbivory, carnivore, omnivore, frugivore, insectivore, mate selection, habitat, temporal, geographical, behavioral, natural selection. mimicry
December 7	Populations – Symbiosis/Study Review	Symbiosis, Mutualism, Parasitism, Commensalism
December 14	Populations Test/Exam 1
January 6	Culture review/Tech troubleshooting from 1st semester
January 11	Communities – Introduction
January 18	Communities - Niche	Niche, habitat, mating, pollinator, scavenger, grazer, fundamental niche, realized niche
January 25	Communities – Keystone	Keystone, energy pyramid, food web, system, interdependence
February 1	Endangered/Threatened Species	Threatened, endangered, extinct, mitigation, introduced species, invasive species
February 8	Ecosystem – Energy flow	primary productivity, Energy Pyramid, 10% rule. Food web, food chain, trophic level
February 15	Ecosystem – Biodiversity	Genetic biodiversity, inbreeding, 10% rule, monoculture, hybridization, outcrossing
February 22	Ecosystem – Decomposers	Fungi, bacteria, mycorrhizae, hyphae, mushroom, decomposition, nutrient cycling, liquification, detritivore
March 1	Ecosystem – human impact	Nitrate, Phosphate, Acidic, Basic, Neutral, pH, Sulfate, Erosion, Leaching, Point source pollution, non point source pollution, Flint Michingan
March 8	Biomes – Introduction	Biomes – Taiga, Tundra, Deciduous, Coniferous, Glacier, Tropical Rainforest, Desert, Grasslands
March 15	Biomes – Climate and biogeography	Biogeography, islands, altitude, latitude, longitude, evaporation, transpiration,
March 22	Biomes – Natural selection	Pioneer species, succession, climax species, primary succession, secondary succession
April 5	Global Issues in Ecology	Environmental impact statement, water cycle
April 12	Pollution	Air, water, ground, plastics, acid rain, algal bloom, industrialization, smog, soil erosion
April 19	Sustainability	Aquaculture, hydroponics, limiting nutrient, renewable resource, non-renewable resource, nitrogen fixation, subsistence hunting
April 26	Climate Change	Deforestation, fossil fuels, methane, carbon dioxide, global warming, sequestering, carbon footprint, carbon cycle,
May 3	Habitat Fragmentation	Direct harvesting,
May 10	Agriculture	Green revolution, carbon footprint, vegetarian, water use, irrigation,GMO
May 17	Final Exam

 

Anticipated Project 1 – BioBlitz – Magna Vista species survey/website. Students will photograph plants and animals from around campus. They will then identify them, classify them, and create a website dedicated to the flora and fauna of Magna Vista.

 

Anticipated Project 2 – The World of 7 Billion video challenge – students will create a 60 second video on a topic related to the Earth’s population challenges.

 

Anticipated Project 3 – Endangered species preservation plan – Students will select a threatened or endangered species and will create a plan to help mitigate the loss of the species. This will include a written plan, as well as participation in a board meeting where they will present their plan and answer questions.