Class Description

(Open to Seniors) a two semester course that will focus on the use of a wide range of technology to solve life issues--energy use and production, food production, food science, wasrte and material cycling, medical and forensic technology, poisons and toxins. this course will also study some of the problems technologies cause. The course will include lecture, discussion, individual and group research, and lab work.

Class Expectations

All units have some readings from “textbooks”-minimal. Other outside readings and research will be assigned. Class presentations/reports/discussions on all readings. A few lecture type situations will be needed for basic information, but will be minimal; all units will be primarily lab and experiment oriented. Lab reports will constitute most of student grades, then research and discussion participation, then “testing”. Most tests will cover the basic information and skills needed for labs.

Class Outline

• Risk Assessment: Toxic Risk; 1st quarter
  
  • Understanding Toxic Risk
    
    • Readings / Why toxicology
      
  • Toxicology "Protocols"
    
    • -How to test toxicity
      
    • -3 systems
      
  • Independent Investigations
• Forensic Science; 2nd quarter
  
  • Density; 3 investigations
    
  • Chromatography; 2-3 investigations
    
  • Spectroscopy; 3 investigations
    
  • Identification;
    
    • DNA
      
    • Blood
      
    • fingerprints
      
  • Others: 2-3 experiments
• Alternative Energies; 3rd quarter
  
  • Ethanol production: make and test ethanol from corn
    
  • Biodiesel: make and test biodiesel
    
  • Methane production from manure and other sources
    
  • Wind
    
  • Solar
    
  • Food versus fuel controversy; both sides
    
  • Science Fair Project in 3rd quarter
• Medical Science technologies; 4th quarter
  
  • Identifying Organic molecules in foods
    
  • Blood cell counts-extension of blood work from 1st quarter
    
  • Analyzing urine
    
  • Patient Health analysis
    
  • Health issues / Health Risks analysis issues