The Biology Corner
Biology is the study of life and living organisms, from the smallest bacteria to giant sequoias. Biologists use observation and experimentation to gain an understanding about the natural world. Branches of biology include anatomy, biotechnology, botany, cell biology, ecology, genetics, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, and zoology. Many people entering the field of biology become specialized in a particular area.
As a course, biology encompasses four main themes:
1. The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life
2. Biological systems utilize free energy to grow, reproduce, and maintain life functions
3. Living systems store and transmit information essential to life processes
4. Biological systems interact with each other, and those interactions possess complex properties.
The Biology Corner is a resource site for biology and science teachers and students. It contains a variety of lessons, quizzes, labs, web quests, and information on science topics for all levels, including introductory life science and advanced placement biology. You can find lessons related to biology topics in the links listed under “topics” on the sidebar as well as specific curriculum for biology classes taught in high school.
Spotlight Lessons: Ecology
Owl Pellet Lab – students dissect an owl pellet and reconstruct the skeletons of small mammals that are found within the pellet. This is a good activity to include with a lesson on food webs.
Analyzing Data – ecology studies rely on creating models to make predictions about populations. Practice creating and analyzing ecological data:
Predator and Prey Graph – shows cycles of deer and wolf populations
The Lesson of the Kaibab – discover what happens to populations that reach their carrying capacity
Interpreting Ecological Data - a variety of graphs showing growth curves, population pyramids, and population estimates
Virtual Lab: Population Biology – collect data in a simulator on paramecium, showing how competition affects population size (competitive exclusion principle)
Estimating Population Size – using bags of objects, students practice the “mark and recapture” technique used by biologists to estimate the size of wild populations
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