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CCOG for ABE 0793 Spring 2024

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Course Number:
ABE 0793
Course Title:
Science for GED and College Prep
Credit Hours:
0
Contact Hours:
40-48

Course Description

Provides basic information about life, physical, earth, and space science to assist in the preparation of the GED Science Exam and/or the transition to post-secondary education. Analyzes these areas of science in the context of human health, living systems, energy, and related systems. Requires: CASAS Reading placement of 235 or higher.

Addendum to Course Description

Recommended: CASAS Reading placement 239 or higher.

Total contact hours: 40-48

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

  • Use reading and writing strategies to analyze scientific passages and construct short answer responses related to life, physical, earth, and space science.  

  • Use mathematical strategies to solve science-related equations.

  • Apply a range of strategies, including activating prior knowledge and cultural understanding to monitor and enhance comprehension of basic science topics.

  • Apply the understanding of these topics on the GED Ready and GED Exams.

  • Use the scientific method to collect measurable, empirical evidence in experiments related to a hypothesis in order to support or contradict a theory.

Aspirational Goals

  • Exhibit persistence, self-motivation, self-advocacy, and personal responsibility

  • Reflect upon, assess, identify, and celebrate one’s own learning gains

  • Explore, develop, and monitor appropriate academic and professional goals

  • Advance knowledge and skills to make independent choices as a citizen, family member, worker, and life-long learner

Outcome Assessment Strategies

  •    Complete CASAS reading test

●      Pass GED Practice test in Science

●      Take college placement test (if college bound)

●      Create portfolios, including reflections, drafts and final writing pieces about basic science topics

●      Develop projects, presentations, and debate

●      Assess comprehension with quizzes, multiple choice questions, written response, and discussion questions

●      Complete a computer-based assignment

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

Themes: Human Health and Living Systems and Energy and Related Systems

Concepts: goal setting, critical thinking, decision making, confidence building, collaborative team-work, media literacy, cultural literacy, student success skills

Issues: barriers to student success, access to resources, communication skills, learning differences, test and school anxiety, and behavior appropriate to academic and professional settings

Skills:

  • Comprehend scientific presentations

  • Understand investigation design (experimental and observational)

  • Analyze reasoning from data

  • Evaluate conclusions with evidence

  • Reconcile multiple findings, conclusions, or theories

  • Express scientific information

  • Understand and apply scientific models, theories, and processes

  • Describe a data set statistically

  • Determine the probability of events

Life Science:

  • Identify body systems and how they work together to perform a function

  • Describe the relationship between life functions and energy intake

  • Understand energy flows in ecologic networks (ecosystems)

  • Understand the organization (structure and function) of life

  • Understand the molecular basis for heredity

  • Describe evolution and the concepts of common ancestry and cladograms

Physical Science:

  • Describe conservation, transformation, and flow of energy

  • Understand work, motion, and forces

  • Analyze chemical properties and reactions related to living systems

Earth and Space Science:

  • Describe interactions between Earth’s systems and living things

  • Understand the Earth and its system components and interactions

  • Describe the structures and organization of the cosmos