Philosophy- Life Cycle-Diversity in a Balance

Life Cycle - Diversity in a Balance
by J.R. Blueford Ph.D., J. Gonzales M.D, A. Montez M.S., J. Marshall M.S., and D. Davidson B.S.

	K	1	2	3	4	5	6
Organisms (2 weeks)	Grouping & Comparing Organisms	Vertebrate Requirements	Vertebrate Habitats	Organisms without Backbones	Cells, Tissues, Organs, Classification	Asexual, Sexual Cells	Classification of Monera, Protozoa, Fungi
Human Biology (2 weeks)	Body Parts/ Skeletal System	The Five Senses/ Circulation	Human Growth and Organs	Body Parts, Digestion	Human Systems, Circulatory	Body System, Muscles & Tissues	Changing Body, Diseases
Plants (2 weeks)	Requirements and Growth	Comparing Plant Parts	Function of Plants Classification	Growth Strategies, Classification	Classification of Plant Communities	Plant Reproduction, Photosynthesis	Growth and Heredity
Natural Environment (2 weeks)	Environments and Communities	Requirements and Communities	Who Eats Whom	Simple Food Chains, Biomes	Ecosystems in Soil Salt Marshes	Marine Biomes, Food Web	Natural Selection, Adaptation

All organisms in the Life Cycle require water from their birth throughout their existence. The various theories on how life began depend on elements and gases in the primordial atmosphere. No matter how life was generated, death of all organisms is inevitable. Their death releases organic carbon that becomes available for use in soil, which helps create more life in the form of plants. Organisms live on this planet in an ecosystem that strives to balance life and death in what is called the Life Cycle. Students learn about this cycle through learning about organisms, human biology, plants, and natural environment.

Students learn about themselves and their environment. They study tissues, organisms, body functions, diseases, and genetics. Hands-on activities include looking at various organisms by determining the different groups of vertebrates and invertebrates. Students learn about plant parts, photosynthesis, the carbon cycle, and why plants are important. The food chain and how it is involved in the natural environment gives students a perspective on how all organisms are interrelated on this planet.

Organisms - The living planet has many residents. Students learn to systematically observe and compare the different kingdoms.

Human Biology - Students learn about their body functions as a working machine. They compare and contrast the parts of their body.

Plants - Students take a closer look at the kingdom that uses energy from the sun to create their nutrients. Plants are used to illustrate the different modes of reproduction.

Natural Environment - Students learn to look at the world as a place where different organisms react with each other. Students will compare how even inanimate substances help make the Earth a place to live.