Choose your own adventure (book)

This year you will have the opportunity to delve into the study of biology!  Our once a week class will be far too short to cover the breadth of general biology in its entirety.  Instead, each week we will focus on inquiry into a topic through labs, simulations, and other activities.  The things we do in class will have greater meaning and give you better context if you have been studying about biology on your own.  I have prepared a reading schedule and internet links to coincide with our weekly labs.  You may use any text you prefer, but I have already outlined the corresponding reading for 3 free texts as well as the Real Science Odyssey Biology 2 text.  The outlined texts are:

Life on Earth - this is a scholar level text for introductory biology, written by one of our greatest contemporary biologists and a pioneer in the field of ecology, E. O. Wilson.  The text is available as an iBook download, and includes embedded videos, interactives, quizzes, and other components.

CK12 Biology Concepts - this is also a scholar level text for introductory biology, and includes embedded videos, interactives, and other components.  This is web-based, and is free to access online at the CK12 website.  You can also download a non-interactive PDF version of the pages.

CK12 Life Science Concepts - this is a transition level text for life sciences, and includes embedded videos, interactive, and other components.  This is web-based, and is free to access online at the CK12 website.  You can also download a non-interactive PDF version of the pages.

RSO Biology 2 - this is a transition level text for Biology.  It is written mainly for homeschool use and does include some internet links.  It is for purchase either as a PDF file or as a printed text.  There is both a student and a teacher's edition.  This text includes readings, labs, microscope labs, activities, mini research projects, and review quizzes.  The teacher's edition has answers as well as tests.  See their store for prices and a "try before you buy" sample.  These products are currently on sale for 25% off (through the end of Sep 2015, see this page for details).

The schedule will have relevant readings in all four texts, along with additional web content I believe helpful, noteworthy, or just plain fun relating to the weekly topic. You can choose one text to study this year, or you can text hop between them all.

And stay tuned for information on Biology literature for optional colloquia.