Curriculum

This homeschool Marine Biology course is rigorous and thorough. We recommend it as an upper-level high school course as it requires knowledge of general biology and assumes that students have previously participated in biological lab activities such as experiments, dissections, and microscopy. God’s oceans are an amazing ecosystem full of fascinating, even bizarre creatures with cool abilities that are extremely intriguing. Sherri Seligson’s own excitement about the world of marine biology is contagious and draws students into that underwater realm to explore with her. This is one of the few homeschool science courses that includes an entire education on ecology. The creator-God designed the earth’s astonishing ecosystem for his glory and the needs of his creatures, and it is a crucially important science for Christians in our day to understand accurately. Apologia is known for texts that are very accessible — conversational and easy to absorb — even when the matter being discussed is very complex in nature. This text by Sherri Seligson is a prime example of that. It is clear that she is at once an extremely knowledgeable scientist and someone who has homeschooled her own children and knows how to teach and communicate with them well. Topics covered include:

• The Process of Life
• Geography of the Oceans
• Reproduction in the Sea
• Classifying Life in the Sea
• Kingdom Protista: The Unicellular Algae
• Kingdom Protista: The Marine Protozoans
• Kingdom Protista: The Multicellular Algae
• Kingdom Monera
• Kingdom Fungi
• Kingdom Plantae
• Marine Invertebrates
• Marine Vertebrates
• Marine Ecology
• The Intertidal Zone
• Estuary Communities
• Coral Reefs
• Continental Shelf Communities
• The Epipelagic Zone
• The Deep Ocean
• Ocean Resources
• Effects of Humans of the Sea

Please note, this is the student textbook only. You will need the Solutions and Test Manual to complete this course.

As scientific studies advance farther out into the universe as well as deeper into the microscopic world, scientists continue to ask, “What is life?” Biology is the study of life, and this 3rd edition of Exploring Creation with Biology teaches not only the science of how we begin to answer the bigger questions defining life, but also includes meaningful discussions on Creation and Creator. This updated high school biology course was redesigned to help students see and understand the beauty of life that surrounds us. Full-page infographics were created to help students grasp the concepts discussed in the text and go beyond simple illustrations. As a college-prep high school biology course, it will set the stage for success in homeschooled high school years, prepare students for college level courses, and give them an understanding of the basic biological world that surrounds them each day of their lives so that they can appreciate the real-world relevance of scientific inquiry. This creation-based science course will create the strong foundation students can rely upon as they grow in their awe and wonder of our world. At the completion of this course, students will be able to understand the vocabulary of biology so that they can engage in true scientific discourse. Their strong background in the scientific method regarding experimentation, field studies, microscopy, and dissection will also allow them to be well equipped to analyze data that they will encounter throughout their lifetimes. Opening with the studies of the process of science, students learn about observations and inferences, hypotheses, experiments, and scientific theories and laws. They are taught to see the limitations of science and learn about the tools used in biological studies. In their studies of life, students will delve into the chemistry of life from atoms to the chemical structures that make life, as we know it, possible. They will explore the ecology that surrounds life as they investigate ecosystems, biomes, populations, and communities. An in-depth study of cell structure and function, cellular energy, DNA, proteins, and cell cycles will help students comprehend heartier materials as they advance to learn about genetics – inheritance, disorders, and technology, as well as the role of genetics in evolution. Students will also learn about prokaryotes, viruses, protists, and fungi. They will delve deep into the fascinating world of plants and animals. And all of their learned knowledge will be backed by hands-on experimentation that takes their book knowledge and applies it to concepts that they can comprehend. Video Instruction Description: In the videos that accompany Exploring Creation with Biology, 3rd edition, Sherri Seligson is actually teaching the course, using visual animations and on-location video clips. This helps students absorb the concepts in a richer and more engaging way, and it encompasses all types of learners. The animations help explain more difficult concepts in a three-dimensional, interactive way rather than in a static, twodimensional text only. And the medium allows students to review material until they really understand it. Technical Requirements: To use this USB product you must have: 1. A USB port on your Windows or Mac computer (USB 2.0 or higher recommended) 2. A web browser to display the menu on the disc (no internet connection required) 3. A program capable of playing .mp4 files (such as QuickTime, VLC Player, or Windows Media Player)