BIOL6843(2025)

Section outline

• Select section BIO6843 Teaching & Learning PSI Biology

  BIO6843 Teaching & Learning PSI Biology

  Go to section BIO6843 Teaching & Learning PSI Biology

  Welcome to Teaching & Learning PSI Biology 

  • Background: Online
  • Grading
  • Pedagogy
  • Course Materials

  This course is designed for teachers to learn the content of PSI Biology, and how to teach that content to students.  This is a rigorous biology course that builds upon foundational topics in physics and chemistry, pulling them together to represent a capstone of science education.  Topics include origins of life, chemistry of life, membranes & enzymes, prokaryotes, eukaryotes, energy processing, gene expression & protein synthesis, mitosis & meiosis, genetics & inheritance, evolution, classification, ecology, and anatomy & physiology.

  Grade Distribution:

  Module Exams	70%
  Final Exam	10%
  Labs	6%
  Mastery Exercises	6%
  Short Answer Assignments	6%
  Reflection Paper	2%

  
  
  

  
  

  PSI course pedagogy combines brief bits of direct instruction on a topic with formative assessments questions designed to help students construct deeper knowledge as they solve increasingly complicated problems together in groups. There are three major sets of problems to solve: 

  Formative assessment problems built into a SMART notebook presentation and linked to student polling devices accompanying classwork and homework problems labs and virtual activities. 

  In the online version of the course, students have the option to watch a video or read direct instruction slides, then answer formative assessment questions about a topic. Once you've solved those problems you can move on to more practice by downloading the word documents with additional problems.

  
  

  All of the course materials needed for this course can be found at https://njctl.org/courses/science/biology/

  These materials include:

  • SMART Notebook presentations with direct instruction and formative assessment questions linked to polling devices 
    
  • Classwork and homework documents with extra practice problems and answers 
    
  • Labs - guided or inquiry versions with embedded videos to show teachers how to set up the lab 
  • Multiple Choice Review Guides 

  
  

  • Select activity Directions on how to access NJCTL's Library

    

    Directions on how to access NJCTL's Library URL
  • Select activity Click here to access NJCTL's Library

    

    Click here to access NJCTL's Library URL
  • Select activity Graduate Student Handbook

    

    Graduate Student Handbook URL
  • Select activity Course Syllabus

    

    Course Syllabus File
  • Select activity Weekly Office Hours Wednesdays 5-7pm ET with Course Instructor

    

    Weekly Office Hours Wednesdays 5-7pm ET with Course Instructor URL
  • Select activity Announcements

    

    Announcements Forum
• Select section Module 1 - Evolution

  Module 1 - Evolution

  Go to section Module 1 - Evolution

  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  This module focuses on evolution.

  
  

  Be sure to complete the short answer assignment, the lab, the Mastery Exercises, and the module exam.  Watch the videos and complete the practice problems to facilitate your learning.

  Short answer assignments should be approximately 200-300 words.
  

   

  
  

  1. Recognize that DNA bases, RNA bases and amino acids are conserved and the same in all living things.
  2. Recognize homologous structures in organisms.
  3. Determine the factors that make a group of individuals a population.
  4. Discuss the importance of genetic variation in a population.
  5. Describe the effect of chance occurrences on a population.
  6. Pull together evidence from various fields of science, including genetics, systematics, paleontology, and geography, to make the case for evolution.
  7. Support the theory of evolution by natural selection through scientific evidence.
  8. Define species and speciation.

  There are no additional required readings.
  

  Activities: 13
• Select section Module 2 - Classification

  Module 2 - Classification

  Go to section Module 2 - Classification

  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  This module focuses on classification.

  
  

  Be sure to complete the short answer assignment, the lab, the Mastery Exercises, and the module exam.  Watch the videos and complete the practice problems to facilitate your learning.

  Short answer assignments should be approximately 200-300 words.
  

   

  1. Recognize the steps of scientific classification (Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species).
  2. Classify plants based on their vascular system, seeds and flowers.
  3. Classify animals based on their body plan.
  4. Observe the characteristics of different plant and animal species, and determine their evolutionary history.
  5. Construct a cladogram of organisms and identify shared characteristics.
  6. Trace homo sapiens lineage from Domain to species.

  There are no additional required readings.
  

  Activities: 17
• Select section Module 3: The Biosphere

  Module 3: The Biosphere

  Go to section Module 3: The Biosphere

  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  This module focuses on ecology looking specifically at the Biosphere.

  
  

  Be sure to complete the short answer assignment, the lab, the Mastery Exercises, and the module exam.  Watch the videos and complete the practice problems to facilitate your learning.

  Short answer assignments should be approximately 200-300 words.

  1. List and describe the characteristics of the major terrestrial biomes.
  2. Create food webs that show the path of energy flow, from the sun and then from organism to organism based on their feeding habits.
  3. Identify they elements that affect the carrying capacity of a population.
  4. Explain and apply the logistic population growth model.
  5. Describe the difference between exponential and limited population growth.
  6. Understand how humans have impacted the ecosystem both positively and negatively.

  There are no additional required readings.
  

  
  

  Activities: 9
• Select section Module 4 - Ecosystems

  Module 4 - Ecosystems

  Go to section Module 4 - Ecosystems

  
  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  
  

  This module expands upon the last to take a closer look at ecosystems.

   Go through the topics below, watching the videos and answering formative assessment questions.  The practice problems and labs are not graded for this module, but will help to extend your understanding.

   
  

  
  

  1. Determine if a chemical reaction has occurred by analyzing data on the properties of substances before and after they interact.
  2. Develop a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.
  3. Develop a model to show that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system.
  4. Construct an evidence-based scientific explanations illustrating the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of the organisms.

  
  

  There are no required readings for this module.

  
  

  Activities: 11
• Select section Module 5: Air Pollution

  Module 5: Air Pollution

  Go to section Module 5: Air Pollution

  
  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  In this module we learn to better understand air pollution and its impact on Earth. 

  
  

   Watch the videos and complete the practice problems to facilitate your learning.   Then, complete the lab and mastery exercises.

   
  

   

  1. Describe the structure of Earth's atmosphere.
  2. Discuss standards for air quality and their importance.
  3. Understand the impact of poor air quality.

  There are no required readings.

  
  

  Activities: 16
• Select section Module 6: Water & Water Pollution

  Module 6: Water & Water Pollution

  Go to section Module 6: Water & Water Pollution

  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  In this module we will learn about water and water pollution.

  
  

  Watch the videos and complete the module assignments; complete the practice problems to facilitate your learning. 

  1. Identify natural sources of water.
  2. Describe the water cycle.
  3. Discuss the properties of and importance of water.
  4. Characterize water as hard or soft.
  5. Discuss pollutants of water, as well as purification and treatment methods.

  No additional readings.
  

  
  

  Activities: 15
• Select section Module 7: Waste Management

  Module 7: Waste Management

  Go to section Module 7: Waste Management

  
  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  In this module we will learn managing waste.
  

  
  

  Watch the videos and complete the module assignments; complete the practice problems to facilitate your learning. 

  
  

  1. Describe the types and physical states of waste.
  2. Discuss degradability and differentiate between waste that is degradable and not degradable.
  3. Discuss methods of waste disposal.
  4. Explain the waste management hierarchy.

  There are no required readings.

  
  

  Activities: 8
• Select section Final Exam

  Final Exam

  Go to section Final Exam

  
  

  • Topic Overview
  • For Your Success
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Required readings:

  In this summary module, you will review major concepts from this course, write a reflection paper and a participate in a comprehensive final course exam. 

  
  

  
  

  This module serves as a comprehensive review of the course concepts and materials.  There are no short answer assignment, lab or mastery exercises.  Instead, you will be writing a reflection paper  and completing a comprehensive final exam. 

  1. Demonstrate mastery of biology content on a comprehensive final exam.
  2. Identify and describe strategies for student remediation, creating a constructivist classroom environment, using real-time data to inform teaching and adjust pacing to ensure success of all learners. 

  Review presentations from the course in preparation for the final exam.

  Activities: 3
• Select section Test Retakes

  Test Retakes

  Go to section Test Retakes

  
  

  Activities: 0