Discovering Design with Biology Textbook

This is a high school biology course for the college-bound student. The student is introduced to how living organisms are designed, how they interact with one another, and how they interact with their physical environment. Students are taught how biologists classify life, the chemical processes that make life possible, the structures of RNA and DNA, and the designs of the different cells found in living organisms. Students also learn the means by which photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and cellular reproduction occur. They then learn the current state of biotechnology. With the molecular and cellular basis of life covered, the student surveys the different kinds of organisms found in nature: archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi, invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. The students then learn the biogeochemical cycles that keep environments hospitable to life, which leads to a discussion of ecosystems. Throughout the course, students see that life is the result of design and that organisms have been given the ability to adapt to their surroundings. In addition, they learn various problems associated with the modern evolutionary synthesis.

This textbook provides a full year-long course of 180 hours with 40 hands-on experiments to illustrate the concepts. Forty lab experiments are split into three categories: household item, dissection (earthworm, crayfish, fish & frog) and microscope. To give a lab credit you must do all the household and either dissection or microscope. To give an honors credit, all three types of experiments must be completed. Note: Answers to textbook review questions are found in Discovering Design with Biology Answer Key & Tests purchased separately. Dissection Lab Kit and Microscope Lab Kit are sold separately.