Life Science Current Unit: Cell Biology and Disease

In Cell Biology and Disease, students will focus on cell size, structure, function, permeability and the different systems of classification. They will learn how to use a microscope, and then use it to gather data, building on their ability to conduct experiments. Students also explore the function of the immune system and the growth of antibiotic-resistant organisms through a series of laboratory activities and simulations. A project on disease provides students with an opportunity to develop research skills.
Students will understand

• Analyzing trends in how a disease spreads can suggest ways of preventing its further spread.
• Scientists create models to communicate scientific information
• Graphs can reveal patterns that are not immediately apparent in data tables
• Students understand the risks associated with biological hazards, such as disease transmission.
• Students understand that infectious agents can cause diseases.
• Disease is a breakdown in structures and functions of organisms.
• The history of science shows how difficult it was for scientific innovators to break through the accepted ideas of their time to reach conclusions that are taken for granted today.
• All living things are composed of microscopic units called cells.
• Most infectious diseases are caused by microbes
• Cells of different organisms have similar structures, such as the cell membrane. These structures function similarly in different organisms.