EDG 756 Teaching Regents and Honors Biology
Instructor:
Heidi Busa
Course Description
This is a one-week seminar designed for teachers with little or no experience teaching high school biology. Although experienced teachers may find the course valuable, the primary focus is to strengthen new teachers' understanding of content and skills necessary to teach a typical high school biology course. In New York state, most high schools require that all students take and pass the Regents exam in biology: The Living Environment. New York State core curriculum standards serve as the foundation around which core, Regents and honors levels courses are taught in high schools. This content is applicable for teachers from any state. Topics in the core curriculum include: principles of scientific inquiry, laboratory skills, cell biology, cell chemistry, energy transformations, genetics, evolution, animal and plant form and function, and ecology and the environment.
Mornings will be spent discussing content and classroom pedagogy, including a course timeline, appropriate levels of presentation for Regents versus honors courses, development of student communication skills, assessment, and examining available resources - texts, study guides, Web sites, and AV (audio and visual) materials. Afternoons will be spent performing lab exercises, long-term scientific inquiry and investigation and various demonstrations that correlate with the topics discussed in morning sessions. Participants will receive a set of tests and labs sufficient to meet the state standards.
Instructor Information
Heidi Busa has bachelor's degree in biology from SUNY ESF (State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry) and a master’s degree in science education from Syracuse University. She is certified to teach biology, earth science and chemistry for grades 7-12. Busa has taught science for over 25 years, both in the city of Syracuse and at Marcellus High School. She has provided professional development to many teachers as an instructor for the Regents Biology Institute at Syracuse University and as a facilitator for Project Learning Tree and Project Wild workshops. She has worked in the development of the Regents Living Environment exam as a consultant for the New York State Department of Education. Busa is currently an adjunct professor for SUNY ESF and has been active in developing educational materials for its Educational Outreach programs.
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