Building Science Skills
Rationale
The Building Science Skills program was established primarily to assist under-prepared students to successfully meet high academic standards in their preparation for non-traditional, high tech, high performance careers. These careers include those in Computer, Information, and Chemical Technology, Allied Health, Biochemistry, and Electronics.
Course Description
Building Science Skills is a one-semester course that meets for 3 hours per week – 1.5 lecture and 1.5 lab. The course material is delivered in three modules. These lecture/laboratory modules are designed to build student skills in reading, writing, terminology and experimentation. The modules include: Matter and Energy for Life, Inheritance, and Homeostasis. The course also is designed to let students develop the math skills necessary to achieve success in subsequent courses.
Curriculum Outline
Module 1 – Matter and Energy for Life
- Trash – an environmental study
- Why study garbage in biology?
- Too much garbage/solving the problem
- Landfills in danger
Module 2 – Inheritance
- Genetic Counseling
- Chromosomes
- Human reproduction and development
- Gene studies
- DNA
Module 3 – The Human Body in Balance
- I. Homeostasis
- The Cell
- The kidney and homeostasis
- Ingestion and digestion of food
- Internal transport mechanisms
- Respiratory system
- Endocrine system
- Transmission of contagious diseases


