Course Description

Marine Biology is designed to be an elective course for students with a career or special interest and high motivation for an in-depth study of marine biology. Marine Biology focuses on to the identification, classification and interaction of marine organisms. Information is presented in an integrated approach with science as inquiry, science & technology, science & social perspectives, and the history & nature of science.

The course integrates unifying science concepts and processes of systems, order & organization, evidence, models & explanation, change, consistency & equilibrium, and form & function.  Scientific inquiry and understanding about inquiry are emphasized through practical implications and meaningful applications. Topics students study include ecological concepts of the sandy beach, rocky shore and benthic communities, seaweeds, planktonic forms, plankton and their relationship to marine life cycles, nekton, benthos, marine bacteriology, marine biological resources, and marine pollution. Additional special topics may be selected for study.

Image: Octopus; iStock.com

Objectives

Upon completion of Marine Biology, students should be able to:

• Engage in full and partial scientific inquiries to design, conduct, and communicate scientific investigations to explore ideas about the natural world.
• Use scientific inquiry to design and conduct scientific investigations to meet a human need, make a decision, solve a human problem, or develop a product.
• Recognize and describe the interrelationship between science and technology.
• Apply the tools of technology (e.g., computers) in scientific endeavors.
• Identify qualities inherent in scientific behavior (e.g., reasoning, insight, energy, skill, and creativity).
• Discuss contributions of men and women of various social and ethnic backgrounds to science and technology.
• Apply science concepts to make decisions (weighing risks and benefits) about students’ personal health and well-being.
• Describe how information is acquired through observations and measurements of marine phenomena.
• Demonstrate a manifestation of the critical thinking skills by examining marine biological-oriented problems.
• Describe the structure, function, and behavior of representative marine life forms.
• Describe interactions between physical and biological factors occurring in various marine environments.
• Identify and describe major energy transformations in the marine environment.
• Identify and analyze current issues in marine science and technology.
• Describe the impact of current marine-oriented issues on human and other populations.

DoDEA Marine Biology Standards may be viewed by clicking the link.

Image: Closeup face shot of a pelican at rest; iStock.com

Course Outline

First Semester
Module 0: Course Orientation
Module 1: The Ocean Environment
Module 2: Marine Life Zones
Module 3: Tools Used by Marine Biologists
Module 4: Simple Marine Organisms

Second Semester
Module 5: Worms and Mollusks
Module 6: Arthropods
Module 7: Phylum Echinoderm
Module 8: Phylum Chordata
Module 9: Marine Reptiles
Module 10: Marine Mammals

Image: Scuba Diver and Yellow Soft Corals; Shutterstock.com

Required Materials

There is no textbook required for this course. However, there is a lab requirement. The DoDEA Lab Requirement states that students who take this course spend a minimum of 30% of their time engaged in hands-on laboratory exercises.

Image: A female student completing a science experiment; iStock.com