SL & HL levels
IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMÂ BIOLOGY
When teaching the DP Biology I feel that it is important to balance developing inquiry and critical thinking skills while learning the required course content.
When teaching such a rigorous course as the IB DP Biology it is important to keep the end goal in mind. To help my students to be successful on the IB exam at the end of their second year I integrate old IB exam questions into every unit.
When teaching a mixed SL & HL level class, such as those I taught at CIC in Venezuela & RAS in Morocco I have found it to be most effective to carefully mix the different SL & HL subtopics into themed units. This allows for students to make connections across the different topics, a key skill in preparation for the IB Biology exam, which blends subtopics together throughout all three papers of the assessment.
SUBTOPIC 2.2 WATER
A Sample Lesson
PART 1: CONTENT OBJECTIVES
I believe that it is very important to set learning objectives in any course and in a particularly rigorous and advanced course like the DP Biology this is even more important. For that reason, I begin every lesson with the content, skills and applications we will cover in class, copied directly from the DP Biology guide.
PART 2: REVIEWING CONTENT
I use a Flip Classroom model when teaching DP Biology, assigning readings for homework each evening with guiding questions to answer. We begin most classes with an online formative quiz so that both teacher and students know which topics of the lesson require more work and teacher support.
For this reason, I am able to have students work with the content knowledge, analyzing diagrams and data rather than simply listening to "the sage on the stage". In this lesson, we worked with molecular models and data to analyze the properties of water.
PART 3: HANDS-ON LEARNING
Throughout this lesson, we used magnetic water molecules as well as more traditional molecular model kits to work with the compounds being analyzed, in this case, water and methane.
In this image, you can see two students using magnetic water molecules to demonstrate the cohesive and adhesive properties of water. I took advantage of this opportunity to make a connection to the structure and function of xylem in plants, an HL Biology topic.
MYP INTEGRATED SCIENCE
Grades 6 - 10
The flexibility of the IB MYP Science curriculum allows for the integration of project-based learning, interdisciplinary units and a depth of focus that allows students to build their inquiry and scientific literacy skills.
As with all course and unit planning in the MYP backwards design is key. Keeping in mind the various options for DP sciences ensuring that students have a strong foundation in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science as well as inquiry skills are my priorities when teaching the MYP. This balance of knowledge, scientific literacy and inquiry also helps to prepare students to be well-rounded global citizens.
THE STRUCTURE OF DNA
A Sample Lesson from Grade 7 Science
DISCOVERING THE STRUCTURE OF DNA
When students are able to discover information rather than simply hear it from the teacher they learn better and develop critical thinking skills. For this reason, I often use centers to help my students discover scientific facts, ideally in multiple ways.
In this lesson Grade 7 science students deduced the structure of DNA through three centers. The first required them to build a model of DNA, the second to analyze a human gene and the third to cut and paste bases to make two strands of DNA from a single strand.
WORKING WITH MANIPULATIVES
Biological processes that are not readily visible are often challenging for students to understand, for this reason, I often use manipulatives and models in my lessons.
In this lesson, students built a model of DNA using special pieces which fit together to deduce the structure of DNA.
USING REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES
One of the centers asked students to analyze a human gene, this allows students to appreciate the length of a single gene, and by extension the size of the human genome.
Students were asked to identify which bases were paired throughout the gene, further reinforcing the fact that A & T go together while C & G go together. I also asked my students to search for specific DNA sequences, reinforcing the connection between DNA and expressed traits.
