Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Honors Marine Biology Learning Coach Guide Contents Introduction to Marine Biology Unit14 Oceanography Unit15 The Biology of Marine Ecosystems Unit16 Primary Producers Unit17 Marine Invertebrates Unit18 Marine Vertebrates: Fish Unit19 Marine Vertebrates: Marine Reptiles and Seabirds Unit20 Marine Ecosystems: Continental Margin Unit22 Marine Ecosystems: Open Water Unit23 Humans and the Sea Unit24 Part A:Welcome to Honors Marine Biology Welcome Letter Dear Learning Coach, Thank you for partnering with CCA and investing in your learner’s education. This Learning Coach Guide is intended to help you support your learner in their Honors Marine Biology course. Within this guide, you will find the goals, components, and features of the online course. Please take time to read and review this information so you understand how to help your learner interact with all the course’s elements. The Learning Coach Guide also includes information about each of the units in this course. On each page of unit information, you will discover the following. The Unit Overview will tell you what the focus, content, and skills of the unit will be. The Unit Assessment section is a place for you and your learner to preview the graded work in the course. At the start of each unit, work with your learner to look at the unit in edio and find out which types of graded work are in this unit. Write them in the box and use it as a checklist. You can check off each one as your learner completes it. The Unit Materials section tells you the materials your learner will need to complete the activities in this unit. You will also find the materials list repeated within each lesson so that your learners have exactly what they need at the right time. The Unit Discussion Questions are optional questions that you may want to ask your learner during the unit to increase home and school connections about what your learner is studying. In the Unit Notables section, you may find optional activities, career connections, technology tips, ideas to help your learners if they get stuck, or safety tips. CCA wishes you and your learners a terrific school year! Supporting Your Learner Your role as a Learning Coach is very important. Here are a few ways you can help your learner do their very best in the course. Help your learner know what time guided or live class instruction is scheduled for, and prompt them to attend sessions or watch recordings. Remember, it is okay for your learner to get stuck. Learning new material takes time. Encourage them to take breaks, keep trying, and even ask the teacher for help. Help your learner navigate technology. This could include helping them type information, save important documents to their desktop, and upload work into edio. Always encourage your learner to do their very best. Review the course syllabus for your learner’s course. Maintain communication with your learner’s teacher. Part B:Course Information Course Goals In this course, your learner will use the foundations they learned in previous science courses to explore the concepts of Honors Marine Biology. Your learner will use science and engineering practices to explore topics such as ocean basins, oceanography, marine ecosystems, types of marine organisms, adaptations of marine organisms, interactions among marine organisms, and the impacts humans have on the ocean. By the end of the year, your learner will be able to: describe the physical and chemical properties of the marine environment and their impact on marine life; identify and classify marine organisms based on their anatomical and physiological adaptations; apply an understanding of the ecological interactions among marine organisms and their role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems; investigate the impact of human activities on marine ecosystems, including changes in climate, pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction; and explain current issues and initiatives in marine conservation and sustainability. Course Format This section will help you to understand how your learner’s course is structured in edio. Lesson Components: Each day, your learner will spend 45–60 minutes completing an Honors Marine Biology lesson. Some days may take less time, while others may take a little more time. The lesson does not need to be completed in one sitting. Encourage your learner to take short breaks as they need. Lesson Bundling: In the Honors Marine Biology course, your learner will engage in lessons, assignments, projects, labs, quizzes, and tests. Within some lessons, there are lesson bundles. See the example below. Within the lesson bundles, there are different components your learner will interact with. These components will not be used every day. Getting Started: There is one Getting Started lesson in this course. It can be found on Day 1 of Unit 1. This lesson includes important information about the course and contact information for your teacher. Unit Overview: Each unit will include a unit overview. This describes what your learner will learn in the unit and how many assessments the unit will have. Knowledge Check: There will be one Knowledge Check in each unit. The Knowledge Check is designed to check prior learning and understanding of key skills and concepts that will be taught in the unit. The Knowledge Check is not a graded assessment. Vocabulary: On most lesson days, your learner will see a vocabulary bundle. Your learner will complete the vocabulary bundle first, followed by the regular lesson. The vocabulary bundle contains a list of the objectives you will learn in the lesson, new vocabulary, and prerequisite vocabulary. Lesson: Honors Marine Biology lessons follow a very similar structure to your learner’s other classes. Each informative lesson is made up of three parts: Engage, Discover, and Show. Review the information below to learn what to expect in each of these parts of a lesson. Lesson Components: Each lesson has its own components to help guide your learner through the lesson. Lesson Overview: At the beginning of every lesson, within the vocabulary bundle, your learner will see the lesson overview. This section contains lesson objectives, vocabulary, materials your learner will need, and the suggested lesson length. Engage: The first section of the lesson is Engage. In this section, learners will be introduced to the lesson by making a connection to the past and present knowledge of the topic and will get ready for the lesson’s instruction. Discover: New content and instruction is presented in the Discover section. Your learner will interact with the lesson content through defined vocabulary, videos, and audio. Your learner can practice and answer questions as they work through the lesson. Some of these practice questions are auto-scored. Show: Learners will demonstrate what they have learned in the lesson through a series of practice questions. Optional More to Explore: At the end of some lessons, an Optional More to Explore Activity will appear. The activity will introduce your learner to an extension that includes more information about the day’s lesson topic. Your learner may skip the activity and move directly to the lesson summary. Summary: This section recaps the day’s objectives and prepares learners for a future lesson or assessment. The course includes assignments and projects. These graded assessments allow your learner to show what they have learned and apply their new skills and knowledge learned during the lessons. All CCA assignments and projects include these components. Assignments and Project Components: Assessment Overview: At the beginning of each assessment, your learner will review the assessment overview. This section contains the goals of the assessment, materials your learner will need, the length of the assessment, and directions for completion. Plan: In the Plan section, learners will be introduced to the assignment or project. Learners may be provided with a review of content from the previous lessons and strategies for completing the activity. Do: Learners put their plan into action and work to complete the assignment or project successfully. The student will learn how to work through the graphic organizers and/or data tables for the assignment. This section also provides the grading expectations and/or rubric the teacher will use to grade the work. At the end of this section, students will upload any work that is required for a grade. Reflect: In Reflect, learners will think about the work they completed. They will reflect upon the experience and analyze how well they completed the task. These moments of reflection are important and allow learners to think about their learning and work habits. In addition to assignments, this course also includes quizzes and tests. Quiz and Test Components: Quiz Review: Before a quiz, learners will have the opportunity to review the vocabulary and content that they will be assessed on in a quiz. Students will also work through some practice quiz questions. Quiz: A quiz may be given at the end of a topic or the end of a unit. A quiz will usually be worth 12–15 points. Quizzes can include multiple-choice, matching, sortable lists, category questions, and short answers. Test Review: Before a test, learners will have the opportunity to review the content they will be assessed on in the test. Test: A test will assess learning across topics or at the end of a unit. A test is usually worth 25–50 points. Tests can include multiple-choice, matching, sortable lists, category questions, and short answers. Course Features In order to best engage your learner, Honors Marine Biology uses some additional features that are unique to this course. This course includes and uses the following unique features: Honors Marine Biology Notebook Curriculum Kit Virtual Labs Honors Marine Biology Notebook: In Honors Marine Biology, your learner will use the Honors Marine Biology Notebook in conjunction with the majority of their lessons in edio. The Honors Marine Biology Notebook consists of a Notes page to record main ideas, “Show What You Learned” pages to summarize the lesson and check for understanding, a Glossary of definitions of terms, and an appendix. Notes page: Your learner will use the Notes page for each lesson in their Honors Marine Biology Notebook to take notes during daily lessons. The Notes page will guide your learners by requiring them to record the main ideas of the lesson. The Notes page may include outlines, tables, graphic organizers, or diagrams. Your learners will use the guided notes to help them focus on the most important concepts of the lesson. Show What You Learned: Your learner will complete the Show What You Learned page for most of the lessons in this course to check their understanding of the lesson topics. The Show What You Learned page contains an activity that summarizes what they learned that day. The Show What You Learned page may include activities such as labeling, matching, and question and answer. Your learner should plan to use the last 10 minutes of their lesson time to complete Show What You Learned. Glossary: The Glossary contains the definitions of all of the vocabulary your learner will learn in this course. It also contains definitions of some other words your learner learned in previous science courses. The words in the Glossary are listed in alphabetical order. Appendix: The appendix will contain a material list of items found in the curriculum kit, useful diagrams, and directions for creating graphs. Curriculum Kit Materials: Your learner should have received a box that contains the supplies they will use during this course. The Curriculum Kit Materials contains most of the materials your learner will need to complete the activities in Honors Marine Biology. Your learner will take a few minutes in the first lesson of the course to verify that their Curriculum Kit Materials contains all the necessary materials. The materials list is in the Honors Marine Biology Notebook in Appendix A: Curriculum Kit Contents. Virtual Labs: Your learner will complete several virtual labs as part of the course. These labs will include a simulation in which your learner will perform steps to make observations and collect data. Part C:Unit Information Introduction to Marine Biology Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore various jobs and careers in the field of marine biology. They will also study the geographic structure of the oceans. Unit Discussion Questions What is marine biology? What are the practical applications of marine biology in everyday life? What are the different ocean basins around the world? What are the common geological features found within ocean basins? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will take their first quiz in marine biology. Encourage them to fully complete the review lesson before taking the quiz. Encourage your learner to utilize one of the study habits mentioned in the review lesson. When taking the quiz, tell your learner to be sure to read each question fully and choose the best answer. Also, tell them to be sure to answer each prompt in complete sentences when responding to a text answer question. Kit Materials colored pencils, eraser, pencil, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Household Materials none Have your learner identify the assessments they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will demonstrate an understanding of oceanography as it applies to the nature of the marine environment. Your learner will explore the dynamic nature of the oceans, including their composition, circulation patterns, and its interaction with the atmosphere and land. Unit Assessments Unit Discussion Questions What are the properties of water, and how are salinity and density related? What are the major ocean currents, and how do they contribute to global thermohaline circulation? How do El Niño patterns affect climate? What is a tide and what is the relationship between the lunar cycle and tides? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete an assignment on El Niño and La Niña. Encourage your learner to carefully study the graphs presented in the assignment to predict weather events. They should reach out to their teacher if they have any questions. In addition, your learner will take their first test in marine biology. Ensure that your learner completes the unit review lesson before taking the test. If your learner struggles in answering the practice questions in the review lesson, encourage them to review their notes in their Honors Marine Biology Notebook and then attempt the review lesson again. Kit Materials colored pencils, eraser, pencil, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Household Materials none Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ The Biology of Marine Ecosystems Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will apply their knowledge of biology to the organization of life in the marine environment. They will apply the concepts of natural selection and adaptation to the constant changing of marine environments. Your learner will demonstrate an understanding of how marine organisms are classified. They will also explain and diagram the flow of energy through the marine ecosystem. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Household Materials none Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencil, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Unit Discussion Questions Why are adaptations crucial for the survival and reproduction of marine organisms? What are the key abiotic and biotic factors that impact the organization of marine communities? How do relationships between organisms shape the dynamics of marine communities? How does biodiversity create healthy marine communities and how does energy flow through marine ecosystems? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will be completing an assignment on the classification of living things. By classifying organisms into groups based on their shared characteristics, scientists better understand the relationships between different species. Remind learners to use the worksheet found in the lesson to guide them through the assignment. Your learner should refer to the rubric provided in the lesson to understand how they will be graded on the assignment by their teacher. Primary Producers Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will apply knowledge of photosynthesis and the carbon cycle to understand the role of primary producers in the marine ecosystem. They will learn how primary producers play a crucial role in global carbon cycling. They will learn how marine primary producers contribute to the regulation of atmospheric gases, the stabilization of marine ecosystems, and the overall productivity and health of the world’s oceans. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencils, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Household Materials none Unit Discussion Questions What are the main types of primary producers? What are the ecological and environmental factors that influence the distribution and abundance of primary marine producers? How do primary marine producers contribute to carbon and nitrogen cycling in the world’s oceans? What are the patterns of primary productivity? Unit Notables Encourage your learner, when learning about photosynthesis and the carbon cycle to connect this knowledge to real-world examples. Learners should think about how these tiny organisms play such a big role in capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and producing oxygen, which is essential for life on Earth. Have your learner try to visualize how their activities affect not just marine life but also global climate patterns. Marine Invertebrates Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the anatomy and physiology of marine invertebrates. Your learner will associate marine invertebrates as important predators, scavengers, filter feeders, and symbiotic partners. Your learner will examine the unique adaptations and intricate life cycles of marine invertebrates and highlight their significant ecological and evolutionary importance in the marine environment. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What characteristics do invertebrates share? What are the major phyla of marine invertebrates, and what are their defining features? How have marine invertebrates co-evolved with other marine organisms, including symbiotic relationships and predation patterns? What are the threats and challenges facing marine invertebrates? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will perform their first virtual dissection lab. This virtual squid dissection will allow students to explore and understand anatomy and biology in a realistic and interactive way. Students can repeat this virtual dissection multiple times to reinforce their understanding and improve their skills. Students will use a coloring page to help guide them through the virtual dissection as they work to identify anatomical structures. Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencils, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Household Materials none Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Marine Vertebrates: Fish Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will classify fish as Osteichthyes (bony fish) and Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) and examine their anatomy and physiology. Your learner will explore strategies for feeding and survival, such as schooling, as well as special adaptations like color patterns. Your learner will then identify the ecological role of fish, including predator-prey relationships and symbiosis. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What are the major types of fish in the marine environment? How do fish play a vital role in marine ecosystems? How do the mechanisms of physiology, such as circulation and respiration, take place in a fish? What role do fish play in the trophic pyramid and how did fish evolve to adapt to their habitat? How do fish reproduce, and what strategies have they developed for survival? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will be doing a two-day project. On the first day of the project, your learner will research the abiotic and biotic factors for one of three different aquatic ecosystems where fish live. During Day 1 of the project, your learner will be conducting research online. In the lesson, review the checklist for online sources with your learner to help them understand what makes an online source reliable. Your learner will then submit a formal report that supports the reasoning for the choice in body shape, classification, tail shape, fin shape, and coloration of their fish on Day 2 of the project. Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencil, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Household Materials none Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Marine Vertebrates: Marine Reptiles and Seabirds Unit Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will learn about the anatomy of marine reptiles and seabirds. Your learner will learn that marine reptiles and seabirds possess unique physiological features that enable them to thrive in saltwater habitats. They will learn about lifestyle adaptations, such as long-distance migration, that allow marine seabirds to play vital ecological roles in regulating marine invertebrate populations. Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencils, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Household Materials none Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete an assignment to simulate the sea turtle survival rate through a game of chance and probability. Encourage them to think critically about factors such as predation, environmental conditions, and human impacts that influence sea turtle survival. By integrating these elements, learners can gain a deeper understanding of how statistics and probability models can help scientists study and conserve wildlife populations. Unit Discussion Questions How have amniotes evolved to occupy a variety of terrestrial and aerial niches? What are the key characteristics and adaptations of marine reptiles and birds? What are the major groups of marine reptiles and birds, and how do they differ in terms of anatomy, behavior, and ecological roles? How do marine birds navigate vast ocean distances during migrations? What adaptations have sea snakes developed for hunting and defense? Marine Vertebrates: Marine Mammals Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will compare and contrast the various types of marine mammals and their physical and behavioral adaptations for survival in their marine environment. Your learner will investigate specialized adaptations that marine mammals have evolved to survive in a marine environment. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What are the distinguishing characteristics of marine mammals? What are the unique features and adaptations of each subgroup of marine mammals? What are the ecological roles of marine mammals in the marine environment? How do different species exhibit social behaviors, and what does it indicate about their intelligence? How does the thickness of blubber affect its insulating capacity? Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencils, Honors Marine Biology Notebook, paper towels, petroleum jelly, stopwatch, quart storage bags, thermometer, wooden popsicle stick Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete a hands-on activity to determine how blubber works to help marine mammals survive in cold waters. Encourage your learner to make the connection between this adaptation in marine mammals and in humans. Learners will also create a graph to depict the anatomical significance of blubber thickness in mammals. If your learner is struggling, refer them to the Appendix in the Honors Marine Biology Notebook for help in constructing a graph. Household Materials ice, large bowl, water Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Marine Ecosystems: Continental Margin Unit Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the physical and biological features of the dynamic and biodiverse intertidal zones. Your learner will explain how kelp forest ecosystems found along temperate coastlines support a range of marine life. They will examine how coral reefs host a stunning array of marine life, from colorful fish to coral colonies to marine invertebrates. Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ none Household Materials Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencil, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Unit Discussion Questions What role do ocean currents play in shaping these ecosystems? What adaptations have intertidal organisms developed to survive the challenging conditions of intertidal zones? What are the main components of the kelp forest food web and how do environmental factors affect the distribution and health of kelp forests? What are the primary ecological roles of corals within a coral reef ecosystem, and how do coral reefs respond to climate change? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will learn about seagrass meadows. Encourage your learner to jot down descriptions of seagrass meadows to bring the ecosystem to life. Prompt them to analyze the environmental factors that influence its distribution. Encourage your learner to think critically about both natural and human-induced factors that impact seagrass meadows, to foster a comprehensive understanding of this important marine habitat. Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the ecosystems that span vast expanses of the open oceans from the surface to the twilight zone. Your learner will examine the pelagic ecosystems and describe the adaptations that enable animals of this ecosystem to traverse the vast oceans. Your learner will explore deep-sea ecosystems below the photic zone, including hydrothermal vents and the abysses, that harbor specialized organisms adapted to extreme conditions. Lastly, they will examine life in the polar ecosystem that is characterized by extreme temperatures and vast ice sheets. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What are the vertical zones of the ocean? How does sunlight influence primary production and the formation of the euphotic zone in epipelagic ecosystems? What are some of the adaptations that open ocean organisms have that allow them to live in some of the harshest marine environments? Kit Materials colored pencils, erasers, pencils, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will be completing the open ocean food web project over two days. Your learner will write a report about the open ocean zone’s ecosystem as well as draw a diagram of a food web within the ecosystem. Your learner will also include a mathematical representation (for example, percentages) of the biodiversity at each trophic level. Encourage your learner to refer to the rubric as they create their project to ensure that they work within the guidelines of the project. none Household Materials Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Unit Notables Encourage your learner to relate what they are learning to real-life examples of marine conservation and climate change. Discuss current events or documentaries about marine ecosystems, ocean pollution, or coral bleaching to help them see the relevance of their studies. You can also look for opportunities for your learner to engage in hands-on activities related to marine conservation. This could include participating in beach clean-ups, visiting aquariums or marine sanctuaries, or conducting experiments related to ocean acidification or marine biodiversity. Kit Materials colored pencils, Honors Marine Biology Notebook Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will learn about the relationship between humans and the ocean. They will relate the use of resources from the ocean to negative human impacts on the marine ecosystem. Your learner will evaluate the goals and progress of agencies tasked with the conservation of marine resources. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Household Materials none Unit Discussion Questions What are the consequences of the exploitation of marine resources on the health of marine ecosystems and global seafood supplies? What is the role of climate change in driving ocean warming, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification? How are the effects of climate change impacting marine life and ecosystems? What can humans do to protect and preserve the oceans for future generations? Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
