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Biology A Self-Paced

This course covers the fundamental concepts of living systems, from cellular functions to the classification of complex organisms. Students will study how life is organized, how traits are inherited, and how various species are categorized within the natural world.

Major topics include:

Cellular Structures and Processes

Principles of Inheritance

Classifying Life

Characteristics of Animals

This self-paced course uses content from Accelerate Education taught by a VHS Learning instructor who is certified in their content area and who follows VHS Learning policies. The course will be hosted in the Buzz learning management system.

About the Self-Paced Course Model

Self-Paced courses are designed for students who need flexibility in their academic schedule. Teachers answer questions and interact with students in Private Topics, provide feedback on work, and host weekly office hours. Students work independently on course activities; the course does not include class discussion assignments or other collaborative work.

This course has start dates on each Wednesday throughout the year. Students must maintain enrollment for a minimum of 4 weeks and have up to 16 weeks to complete all assignments in the course. It is expected that students will work for approximately 90 hours to complete this course, though the amount of time may vary depending on a student’s work habits and comfort with the material.

Acknowledgements

  • Algebra 1
  • I acknowledge that this is a self-paced course.
  • This course does not require purchase of a lab kit. Students will complete virtual lab activities and hands-on activities that use common household materials (list found in additional requirements field).
  • This course contains an end-of-course proctored exam. Instructions for students to identify an appropriate adult proctor are included in the course lessons.

Course Objectives

Course Learning Objectives

  • Identify structures that make up a cell and movement within cells.
  • Explain the process of creating and using energy in cells.
  • Understand cellular structure of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
  • Explain various methods of inheritance and cellular reproduction.
  • Understand classification of plants and animals.

Additional Requirements

Students will use a number of common materials to complete hands-on activities:

  • 3 cups (plastic or glass)
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Potato
  • Spoon
  • Salt
  • Timer
  • Metric ruler