Biology Program Goals and Objectives
Grade Level 8

About the Biology Program
All students will participate in the Barrier Island Ecology Course at the same time. Small groups of approximately twelve students together with a Sound to Sea instructor each start in a different habitat area and begin a rotation. This component introduces students to the five habitats (beach/ocean, maritime forest, freshwater pond, salt marsh, and sound/estuary), geological history, basic ecological concepts and general habitat study skills that are reinforced throughout the entire program. Sound to Sea instructors encourage exploration and present various ecological concepts (such as habitats, cycles, communities, populations, species, food webs, decomposition, etc.) as students discover concrete evidence that relates to that concept. As the groups explore each habitat, students observe the differences and make comparisons. The Habitat Study skills include: observation, measurement, data collection, and analysis and assessment of habitat conditions with respect to soil, air, water, wind, temperature, and human impact; and observation, identification, classification, mapping and representative sampling of species present within the habitat.

Main Curriculum Area: Science
Grade Level: 8

Primary Goals and Objectives:
These objectives will be covered during all Biology Program classes. Some objectives are more specific to one habitat than another, so if your schedule does not allow you to take all offered classes, or if there are particular objectives that you want to make sure we cover, please let us know what your specific needs are.

Science Competency
Goal 1		 The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.

Objectives
1.01 Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.

1.02 Develop appropriate experimental procedures for:

  • Given questions.
  • Student generated questions.

1.03 Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies:

  • Recognize potential hazards.
  • Manipulate materials and equipment.
  • Conduct appropriate procedures.

1.05 Analyze evidence to:

  • Explain observations.
  • Make inferences and predictions.
  • Develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.

1.08 Use oral and written language to:

  • Communicate findings.
  • Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.

Science Competency
Goal 3		 The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the hydrosphere.

Objectives
3.02 Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:
  • Water distribution on earth.
  • Local river basin.
  • Local water availability.

3.03 Evaluate evidence that Earth's oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:

  • Estuaries.
  • Marine ecosystems.
  • Upwelling.
  • Behavior of gases in the marine environment.
  • Value and sustainability of marine resources.
  • Deep ocean technology and understandings gained.

3.04 Describe how terrestrial and aquatic food webs are interconnected.

3.05 Analyze hydrospheric data over time to predict the health of a water system including:

  • Temperature.
  • Dissolved oxygen.
  • pH.
  • Nitrates.
  • Turbidity.
  • Bio-indicators.

3.07 Describe how humans affect the quality of water:

  • Point and non-point sources of water pollution in North Carolina.
  • Possible effects of excess nutrients in North Carolina waters.
  • Economic trade-offs.
  • Local water issues.

3.08 Recognize that the good health of environments and organisms requires:

  • Monitoring of the hydrosphere.
  • Water quality standards.
  • Methods of water treatment.
  • Maintaining safe water quality.
  • Stewardship.

Science Competency
Goal 5		 The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.

Objectives
5.03 Examine evidence that the geologic evolution has had significant global impact including:

  • Distribution of living things.
  • Major geological events.
  • Mechanical and chemical weathering.

Social Studies
K-12 Skill Competency
Goal 2		 The learner will acquire strategies to access a variety of sources, and use appropriate research skills to gather, synthesize, and report information using diverse modalities to demonstrate the knowledge acquired.

Objectives
2.04 Utilize community-related resources such as field trips, guest speakers, and interviews.


Social Studies
K-12 Skill Competency
Goal 3		 The learner will acquire strategies to analyze, interpret, create, and use resources and materials.

Objectives
3.01 Use map and globe reading skills.

Social Studies
K-12 Skill Competency
Goal 4		 The learner will acquire strategies needed for applying decision-making and problem-solving techniques both orally and in writing to historic, contemporary, and controversial world issues.

Objectives
4.01 Use hypothetical reasoning processes.

4.02 Examine, understand, and evaluate conflicting viewpoints.

4.04 Apply conflict resolutions.

4.05 Predict possible outcomes.

4.06 Draw conclusions.

4.08 Develop hypotheses.