Course Description
See Reviews of Instructor Dr. Karen Joseph
Live online life science class for 6th–9th. Covers zoology, botany, and human biology.
Life Science 1 – Zoology (First Semester)
Do you love animals and want to know more about them? If so, this is the course for you! Did you know that the loudest animal on earth is a shrimp? Or that the Portuguese Man-of-War is not a single animal, but a colony of many animals? Or that some mammals lay eggs? Or that some kangaroos spend most of the time up in the treetops? There is so much to learn about the animal kingdom! We’ll use an amazing book, teacher-created lessons, lots of videos, audio recordings, games and activities to gain an understanding of how to interact with the other living things that share this planet with us. This course begins with a discussion of the characteristics all animals share, the ways animals are classified, animal behavior, and life cycles. Then we will study the classes in Kingdom Animalia, including invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The final topics include habitats and conservation.
Course Structure
The live classes are usually game-based reviews of topics from the previous week and often an introduction to the coming week. Although it is always best if students attend the live classes, I will post the recording of the class so that students who can’t attend can watch later. Lessons will be posted Tuesday through Friday, and will include an online introduction as well as a section to read in the book Animal. I use a lot of audio and video recordings to help students learn the correct pronunciation of new terms as well as to reinforce content from the book. Since this course can be used as ½ credit of life science, a few additional writing assignments and projects will be given to students in grades 7 through 9.
Who should apply?
Zoology is for curious students in grades 6–9 who have a strong desire to understand how and why different animals are designed and behave, and to learn how animals interact with humans, other animals, and their environments. When combined with Life Science, Part 2 – Botany and Human Biology, these courses, which both include a lab component, will provide one high school science credit. Fifth graders will be considered with prior instructor approval.
Technology Requirements:
- High speed, broadband Internet
- headset and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
I use “learning checks” at the end of most lessons to assure both the student and the teacher that students understand the concepts presented in the lessons. Many of the learning checks are automatically graded by the computer. For the essay questions and projects, I generally grade every day, sending feedback to the students to help them understand questions they may have missed. A final grade will be based on the scores from learning checks, participation in activities and experiments and attendance and participation in live classes. A Certificate of Completion will be given at the end of the course which will include the final grade.
Communication
I welcome any and all communication from parents. I want to partner with you in your student’s education, so if at any time you have questions or concerns, my virtual door is open. I will send monthly progress reports to let you know how your student is doing in Zoology.
Life Science 2 – Botany and Human Biology (Second Semester)
In this course we will learn about plants and people! We will spend a couple weeks learning about the importance and diversity of the plant kingdom. And of course, since plants are edible, we will do some activities that involve eating! Then we will learn about the structure and function of all the parts of the human body. In this part of the class, you’ll learn about YOU! We’ll start with a discussion of cells and genetics, and then we’ll dive deep into the systems of the human body, learning how they function and how they work together to keep you moving and processing the world around you.
Course Structure
A typical Life Science 2 – Botany and Human Biology week will begin with a live class on Monday. The live classes are usually game-based reviews of topics from the previous week and often an introduction to the coming week. Although it is always best if students attend the live classes, I will post the recording of the class so that students who can’t attend can watch later. Lessons will be posted Tuesday through Friday, and will consist of teacher-created online instruction. I use a lot of audio and video recordings to help students learn the correct pronunciation of new terms as well as to explain new concepts. Since this course can be used as ½ credit of life science, a few additional writing assignments and projects will be given to students in grades 7 through 9.
Who should apply?
Life Science 2 – Botany and Human Biology is for curious students in grades 6–9 who have a strong desire to understand how plants function in the environment and how they give us not just food, but oxygen, as well as how their bodies function and stay healthy. When combined with Life Science, Part 2 – Botany and Human Biology, these courses, which both include a lab component, will provide one high school science credit. Fifth graders will be considered with prior instructor approval.
Technology Requirements:
- High speed, broadband Internet
- headset and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
I use “learning checks” at the end of most lessons to assure both the student and the teacher that students understand the concepts presented in the lessons. Many of the learning checks are automatically graded by the computer. For the essay questions and projects, I generally grade every day, sending feedback to the students to help them understand questions they may have missed. A final grade will be based on the scores from learning checks, participation in activities and experiments and attendance and participation in live classes. A Certificate of Completion will be given at the end of the course which will include the final grade.
Communication
I welcome any and all communication from parents. I want to partner with you in your student’s education, so if at any time you have questions or concerns, my virtual door is open. I will send monthly progress reports to let you know how your student is doing in Life Science.
Carolyn Mattingly (verified owner) –
This class has been so interesting and informative for my daughter. Dr. Joseph made learning fun, and she makes the connection of science and every-day-life easy to see. She is a special teacher. I can honestly say that this is my daughter’s favorite class this year. I am so excited that Dr. Joseph is now teaching Biology; Athena has already signed up!